יורה דעה שס״גYoreh De'ah 363

Se’if 1א׳

אֵין מְפַנִּין הַמֵּת וְהָעֲצָמוֹת, לֹא מִקֶּבֶר מְכֻבָּד לְקֶבֶר מְכֻבָּד, וְלֹא מִקֶּבֶר בָּזוּי לְקֶבֶר בָּזוּי, וְלֹא מִבָּזוּי לִמְכֻבָּד, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר מִמְּכֻבָּד לְבָזוּי. וּבְתוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ מִמְּכֻבָּד לְבָזוּי, מֻתָּר, שֶׁעָרֵב לְאָדָם שֶׁיְּהֵא נָח אֵצֶל אֲבוֹתָיו. וְכֵן כְּדֵי לְקָבְרוֹ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֻתָּר. וְאִם נְתָנוּהוּ שָׁם עַל מְנַת לְפַנּוֹתוֹ, מֻתָּר בְּכָל עִנְיָן. וְאִם אֵינוֹ מִשְׁתַּמֵּר בְּזֶה הַקֶּבֶר, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁמָּא יוֹצִיאוּהוּ עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, אוֹ שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ בּוֹ מַיִם, אוֹ שֶׁהוּא קֶבֶר הַנִּמְצָא, מִצְוָה לְפַנּוֹתוֹ. יֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִין לָתֵת מֵעֲפַר אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּקֶּבֶר (אוֹר זָרוּעַ), וְיֵשׁ לְמִנְהָג זֶה עַל מַה שֶּׁיִּסְמֹכוּ (מִדְרָשׁ תַּנְחוּמָא פ' וַיְחִי).

One should not remove a corpse and bones1Two reasons are advanced for this prohibition: a) The disturbance of removal is hard on the dead — TaZ, ShaK. Cf. I Sam. XXVIII, 15; Job III, 13; b) Removal is considered a disrespectful treatment of the dead — RIDBaZ to Yad, Ebel XIV, 15. One who was buried in a non-Jewish cemetery may be removed to a Jewish one — P.Tesh., G.Mah. from a dignified grave to [another] dignified grave, nor from an undignified grave to [another] undignified grave, nor from an undignified one to a dignified one, and needless to say [that it is forbidden] from a dignified one to an undignified one. And [to remove a corpse] into his own,2To his family grave. even from a dignified [grave] to an undignified one, is permissible,3 M.Abr. to O.Ḥ. § 526, n. 18. for it is pleasant for a man that he rest beside his ancestors.4Y.M.K. II, 4(81b); Sem(H). XIII, 7. M.K. 13a, Tosaf. s.v. אין. And likewise, in order to bury him in the Land of Israel, it is permissible [to remove him].5For it is a means of atonement for the dead and relieves them from judgment. Cf. Y.M.K. I, 5(80c); Y.San. VI, 12(23d); Deut. XXXII, 43: ‘And his land doth make expiation for his people.’ The rendering of this verse is in accord with Ket. 111a. One who expressed his opinion during lifetime that it is not praiseworthy to be removed from outside of Israel for burial in the Land of Israel (cf. Y.Kil. IX, 4(32d); Y.Ket. XII, 3(35b), is permitted to be removed by his children for burial in the Land of Israel, unless he left specific instructions not to be buried in Israel — P.Tesh. If they placed him there [originally] with the intention that he be removed [later], it is permissible under all conditions.6Cf. infra § 364, If he is not safe in this grave, for there is apprehension that heathens may take him out, or that water may enter therein, or that it is a grave that has been found,7A grave in which a corpse was buried without the knowledge or consent of the owner of the ground. In other words, this particular spot was just discovered to be a grave. it is a religious duty to remove him [therefrom].8Hag. Asheri to M.K. Some are wont to place some earth from the Land of Israel in the grave;9Or Zaru‘a — G. (and this custom has a basis).10Tanḥ. Vay-yeḥi s. 3 (B. VI) — G.

Se’if 2ב׳

אֵין מוֹלִיכִים מֵת מֵעִיר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ קְבָרוֹת לְעִיר (אַחֶרֶת), אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מֵחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, לָאָרֶץ. הַגָּה: אוֹ שֶׁמּוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ לִמְקוֹם קִבְרוֹת אֲבוֹתָיו (כֵּן מַשְׁמָע בְּאוֹר זָרוּעַ). וְאִם צִוָּה לְהוֹלִיכוֹ מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, אוֹ שֶׁצִּוָּה לְקָבְרוֹ בְּבֵיתוֹ וְלֹא בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת, שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ (ג"ז שָׁם). וּמֻתָּר לִתֵּן סִיד עָלָיו, כְּדֵי לְעַכֵּל הַבָּשָׂר מַהֵר, וּלְהוֹלִיכוֹ לַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה (רַשְׁבָּ"א סִימָן שס"ט).

They do not convey a corpse from a city wherein there is a cemetery to another city, unless it is from outside the Land into the Land [of Israel],11Hag. Asheri to M.K. For this is disrespectful to the other dead who are buried in the cemetery from which this corpse is removed — ShaK. Others claim that the reason is on account of disgrace which results to the corpse proper. For according to the first reason, the corpse should not be removed even in the case where it is considered a religious act (e.g., removal to the Land of Israel) — P.Tesh., R. A. Eger. however, A.H. Gloss: Or if they convey him to the place of his ancestral sepulchre.12Thus implied in Or Zaru’a — G. Cf. Mak. 11b where it is taught that if a murderer died while in banishment prior to the death of the High Priest (v. Num. XXXV, 9-34), on the latter’s death, they transfer the remains of the murderer to his ancestral sepulchre. This is based upon the verse (ibid.) ‘And after the death of the High Priest the slayer shall return to the land of his possession.’ The words, ‘land of his possession’ refer to burial in one’s ancestral grave. Cf. supra par. 1. Rashi (Gemara ibid.) s.v. תנא and W.G. a.l. And if he left instructions to convey him from one place to [another] place, or [if] he left instructions to bury him at his home and not in the cemetery, he is obeyed.13Or Zaru‘a ibid. — G. This means even if he was already buried — G.Mah. It is permitted to place lime upon him, in order to decompose the flesh rapidly,14Cf. Job XIV, 22: ‘But his flesh grieveth for him,’ which is explained in Ber. 18b, ‘The worm is as painful to the dead body as a needle in sound flesh.’ This shows that the dead is aware of the pain of its decaying flesh and has no rest from judgment whilst the decomposition goes on — TaZ. and [then] to convey him to the place [concerning] which he left instructions.15RaShBA Resp. 369 — G. D.M.

Se’if 3ג׳

אֵין מְלַקְּטִין עֲצָמוֹת, לֹא מִתּוֹךְ הָאָרוֹן וְלֹא מִתּוֹךְ הַקֶּבֶר, לְצַד זֶה, לִקְבֹּר שָׁם מֵת אַחֵר, אוֹ לְצֹרֶךְ הַמָּקוֹם.

One may not collect bones from a16Lit. ‘inside.’ coffin, nor [may one gather the bones] from a16Lit. ‘inside.’ grave to one17Lit. ‘this.’ side [in order] to bury therein another corpse, nor for the need of the place.18N in T.H. on the authority of Sem. Not found in cur. edd. Sem(H). Baraithoth Ebel Rabbathi § II, p. 23 N (ibid.) writes that this is based upon the verse, ‘Remove not the ancient landmarks’ (Prov. XXII, 28), for the grave becomes the possession of the dead person buried therein. however, Sifre, Shofetim s. 188 where the prohibition is derived from, ‘Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark which they of old have set etc.’ (Deut. XIX, 14). According to Or Sameaḥ (to Yad, Ebel XIV, 15) the latter verse is sourse of the prohibition. Where it is customary to remove bones, it is done only after decomposition of the flesh, for the purpose of permanent burial. Y.M.K. I, 5(80c); Y.San. VI, 12(23d) and infra par. 4.