Shemira
/ʃəˈmɪə.rə/noun
A Jewish practice of guarding a deceased person’s body from death until burial, traditionally through continuous presence and prayer.
Did you know?Traditionally, a shomer—or watcher—might remain beside the body while reciting Psalms, reflecting the belief that the dead deserve dignity and protection even after consciousness ends.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*š-m-r
“To guard, preserve, or watch over; a reconstructed Semitic root.”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
šāmar
“To keep, guard, observe, or protect.”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
mišmār
“A guard, watch, custody, or period of keeping watch.”
Rabbinic Hebrew
Hebrew
šĕmīrāh
“Guarding or watching; later specifically watchfulness over the dead before burial.”
Modern Jewish English
English
shemirah / shemira
“The practice of keeping watch over a deceased person before burial.”