shivah, (Hebrew: “seven”), in Judaism, period of seven days of prescribed mourning that begins immediately after the burial of a parent, a spouse, a child, a brother, or a sister and concludes with sundown on the seventh day. Shivah is not observed on the intervening Sabbath and terminates if a major religious festival occurs during the period.
Traditional observance of shivah requires that mourners stay at the home of the deceased, sit on low stools or on the floor, cover all mirrors, and put on no new garments or leather footwear; they may not cut their hair or shave, may take no part in ordinary business, and may not engage in marital relations. Friends and relatives visit to express their sympathy; men may form a minyan (quorum) for prayers recited at the home of the deceased. Some mourners burn a seven-day candle in memory of the departed. Actual observance, especially among Reform Jews, varies considerably.