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The author, a former rabbinical seminarian,
cautions that the following is not intended to provide a definitive statement
of rabbinical law
(halachah),
but rather provides a general summary of overall Jewish perspective on the
subject. For a ruling on Jewish law, one should consult an orthodox rabbi.
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Judaism,
from early times, accepted burial as the normal disposition of remains after
death. Even before the Torah was given at Mount Sinai, the patriarchs and
matriarchs observed that tradition -- as found in the Book of Genesis for
Abraham (Gen.
15:15; 25:9,10),
Isaac (Gen.
35:8, 19),
Jacob (Gen.
49:29,30; 50:5
ff.),
Sarah (Gen.
23),
Rebecca and Leah (Gen.
49:31),
and Rachel (Gen.
48:7),
and even Rebecca's nurse, Deborah (Gen.
35:8, 19).
Joseph went so far as to insist that he not be permanently interred in the
non-Jewish surroundings in which he lived, but rather that his body be
returned to the land of his fathers for burial (Gen.
47:29. 30),
a promise fulfilled by Moses (Ex.
13:19).
A
rabbinic legend proposes that the first victim of death among mankind, Adam,
was buried by Cain (Gen.
4:8-11),
after getting the idea by seeing one bird burying the other's remains after a
battle (Tanhuma
Bereshit).
This example also teaches us that a clean bird's blood must be buried after
ritual slaughter. Further, we are taught in Talmud
(b. Sotah 14a)
that one of the ways a Jew performs acts of righteousness by imitating the way
of the Almighty is in burying the dead, as we understand that G-d Himself did
for Moses
(Deut. 34:6).
One
of the prime intents of burial is to avoid
Nivvul HaGuf,
mutilation of the body. This applies to either animal or human marauders.
Both physical and spiritual pollution from leaving a corpse unburied should be
avoided. Another rabbinic legend hints that Isaac once proposed that his
ashes be placed in an urn for his family to recall him. Thee suggestion, if
ever actually made, was ignored -- Isaac is buried with the other patriarchs
-- and the sages tell us that one should not keep remains at home, to avoid
contamination of others. The burial obligation is so great that even the High
Priest, who went to great lengths to avoid pollution, must perform the duty (met
mitzvah)
if no one else is around and a dead body is found.
Biblical
examples of death by buirning (Gen.
38:34; Lev.
20:14, 21:9; Josh. 7:15,25)
are considered examples of disgrace, and/or tragic situations (such as plague,
cf. Amos 6:10).
Where part of the body may have been burned (even to
avoid
disgrace, (I
Sam. 31:12),the
remainder should be properly buried (this being the rabbinic understanding of
the seeming conflict with
II Chron. 16:1).
Burial itself is
said to provide a form of atonement.
Many
sages consider the obligation that "you shall surely bury him" (Deut.
21:23)
to be one of the positive commandments among the
basic 613 in all of Torah (Maimonides,
Yorah Deah 362).
Even should it not be, a custom in Israel of
such antiquity is considered to have the force of law. In fact,
any one
who orders another before his death that his remains be disposed of other than
by burial should have his wishes disregarded,
we are told in the
Talmud (b.
Sanhedrin 46b).
Rabbi
Maurice Lamm, writing of mourning practices, recalls to us that the body is to
be treated with such great respect because it is only through the vessel of
the physical body that we have been able to carry out not only life itself,
but specifically, the heavenly commandments which have enriched and hallowed
our lives. The body is thus more than just a physical shell; it is a holy
instrument.
In
a similar vein, we commend a worn or damaged Torah scrollto be reverently
buried upon its removed from sacred use, rather than have it rapidly and
violently consigned to cosmic scattering to the four winds. Whether body
parts, prayer books or prayer shawls, the principle and disposition of these
holy objects remain the same.
The
rabbinic account of man
(adam)'s
creation from the dusts of the earth
(adamah)
had G-d
bring together diverse colors and substances from all directions of the land
in order to make His holy vessel. Yet it finally must be laid to rest in the
state we received it, instead of being returned to a state of Chaos. Even the
Golem of legend (to which some attribute the Frankenstein story) returned to
the mud from which it was formed when the Holy Name was extracted from it.