The text delves into Jewish laws and traditions surrounding death and mourning, with a focus on the story of a man's complicated relationship with his estranged father who passed away.

Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove discusses the relevance of Jewish mourning rituals in coping with the staggering losses experienced by the global Jewish community, particularly in relation to the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack in Israel.

The text discusses the concept of aninut in Jewish mourning practices and how it relates to the recent tragedy at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, where 11 people were murdered.

After the sudden death of the author's father, traditional Jewish rituals of mourning, such as aninut and sitting shiva, did not offer much comfort.