Shiva, AKA: Mi Ohev Otakh Yoter MiMeni

Shiva is a word derived from the Hebrew words Sheva (meaning seven) and LaShevet (the infinitive of the verb to sit.
It is the word given to the period that the immediate family of the deceased must spend in mourning.
Some aspects of the formal mourning include wearing a torn garment, symbolizing the rending of lives; Sitting in an uncomfortable seat, so as not to forget the connection between physical and spiritual pain; Hearty eating amongst family and friends as life must indeed go on.
The door of the home should remain open for the constant stream of well-wishers, there to help the mourner(s) accept the event.
The mourning period lasts for seven days following the funeral.
I won't go into the details regarding traditional prayers, as I understand those even less than I do the other symbols of mourning. By nature, I am not an overly spiritual person. At least, not in the religious sense.

Shiva is being held in my parents' home this week, following the passing of Rachel Gruber, nee Neugebauer, nee Yucha, who passed away last Saturday (August 18, 2007) in Israel, succumbing to a lengthy battle with breast cancer.
Even as she struggled over the years, everyone remembers my grandmother as a woman with an extremely sharp intellect and sense of humour.
Over the last few months, as her energy was dulling rapidly, I mourned.
I remember this past Spring, riding in the back seat of my Aunt's car in Israel, with my grandmother in front, singing along to a new song that caught her fancy.
She especially liked the chorus, that she belted each time it came up. She sang "Mi Ohev Otakh Yoter MiMeni." Who loves you more than I do?
I think most everyone who knew her could have sung that song for her.
She was interred yesterday in the communal cemetery of Kibbutz Shfayim hard by the Mediterranean coast, around 30 minutes drive north of Tel Aviv. She was buried next to her brother, who lost his life over 70 years ago while patrolling the Kibbutz on the lookout for potential trespassers.
"Mi Ohev Otakh Yoter Mimenu?" Who loves you more than we do?
We miss you.