Aug 15, 2021
gathering of the bones
According to a report on Ynet, Minister of Religious Affairs Matan Kahana is considering yet another reform that will raise a stink.
According to the report, Kahana is trying to find a way to solve the issue of there not being enough burial space around Israel, especially in the major cities. Har Hamenuchot is already burying most new burials in levels of drawers in the mountainside, rather than classic in the ground burials. There was a report last week of a problem in Bnei Braq's municipal cemetery not having enough space so they contracted todo burials in Elad, or something like that.
Kahana is considering, supposedly, going back to Talmudic-era burials. According to his plan, bodies would be buried for a year while they decompose, and then at the end of the first year the remaining bones would be exhumed from the grave and placed in a small casket of sorts. The small casket or canister would be stored away, maybe in a cave or something like that. This would take up a lot less space and free up the ground for new burials (for a year...). The casket could/would be marked with the text desired by the family that would have been on a headstone, and if desired space could be reserved adjacent for the interment of loved ones in the future.
According to the report, Kahana did not actually come up with this idea, but some rabbis recognizing the problem have been trying to promote this solution in recent years.
This is going to hit some heavy opposition. Being that this is how Jewish burial used to be done, I can't imagine it is a halachic problem or that any halachic issues with the practicalities can't be easily worked out. It will be emotionally difficult for many as by now we are used to certain type of burial and not this form, and there will be some that will say it is minhag or whatnot.
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Expect pressure on families to forego such "temporary" burials, pay extra for full fledged long-term burials.
ReplyDeleteAlso note France and parts of Germany only sell plots for 40-50 years, after which the plots are bulldozed and reburials take place for another 40-50 years, etcetera. Jewish community somehow got exemptions, but that may stop.
interesting I do know that in old Jewish cemeteries in Europe they buried in levels. I dont think they plowed in between, but I do know they buried in the cemetery than a couple generations later would bury in the same plot, and then again. that is why they have so many headstones in such close proximity in many old pictures of european jewish cemeteries
Delete"According to his plan, bodies would be buried for a year while they decompose"
ReplyDeleteIs that how it was done in the times of the Gemara? My impression was they just left the body in a cave so that all of the flesh decomposed, and then they gathered the bones into a box or casket.
I dont see the difference from your description and mine. the year time limit? I dont know how long they left the bodies back then, but the plan now is for a year. But I did see that they would be adding some sort of aid into the grave to speed up decomposition.
DeleteI don't think they buried in the ground in the time of Chazal. Just put the meis in a cave. In the ground, the earth absorbs all of the liquids from the body.
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ReplyDeleteDoes it say anywhere why we stopped doing burials like that? Usually it takes a lot for Jews to make a major shift like that.
good question. I always wondered about that but dont know
DeleteJews bury in coffins in chutz laaretz even though that's not Jewish practice. Probably Jews changed as the general customs did.
Deleteinteresting. maybe as the Jews were exiled the customs changed as per the countries we lived in and then brought it back with us. maybe
DeleteA grave is 2 square meters. A cemetery of 4 by 4 kilometers is 16 million square meters. Half the are is needed for roads etc, So 8 million square meters are left to bury 4 million people. There is plenty of available space for such size cemetery in the south of Israel.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure making the entire country go south the bury their dead and then again every time they want to visit the grave is realistic
DeleteThis is the head of the 'Religious' Affairs ministry? How can a Jew contemplate such a desecration of the 'meis'? Now it's clearer than the sun when Chazal tell us that at this time of history (keitz hayamim) all the leadership and most of the Rabbis, doctors will be Erev Rav Amaleikim!
ReplyDeletewhy is it a desecration of the meis if this is how we used to bury? what is the halachic opposition to it?
DeleteWhy is the truth not being exposed, because that would save millions of lives! Instead the evil ones are running the show. Jews, wake up and use your G-D given sechel and do NOT comply with the evil goals of the enemies of Hashem & humanity. This is Nimrod's reincarnation!
ReplyDeletewhat truth is not being exposed?
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