The main solution was to fly on other flights that don't use that specific route. Other solutions, including some that were extremely sensationalist, included enclosing oneself in a body bag of sorts to prevent being affected by the impurity. Others held it was not a problem, as they held being in the plane flying overhead prevents the impurity from affecting them.
Eventually the issue went away. The airport stopped using that specific runway that was the source of the route flying over the cemetery.
It was recently discovered that some flights, specifically flights at night, are back to using the problematic runway. It seems (source: Kikar) that due to the closure of another runway that was old and in disrepair, they have once again been using the runway that causes the problem with the cemetery. After bringing the details to the rav familiar with the issues, Rav Nissim Karelitz paskened that it is indeed a problem and kohanim should not fly into or out of Israel at night.
An added benefit of this issue was the ability to solve another problem. Many flights to Israel carry dead bodies sent from abroad for the purpose of burial in Israel. Often kohanim don't necessarily know about the presence of the bodies on their flight, rendering them into a state of impurity. Because kohanim are being told to avoid these night flights, the rabbonim are now instructing the chevra kadishas to arrange the transport of dead bodies only on these night flights.
If you need to fly at night, for whatever reason, I guess you need to pull your body bag out of storage!
| Is this a kohein being prepared to fly, or is it a dead body? |
It probably should be noted that there are some halachic authorities who say cohanim don't have a problem flying over a cemetery. See Tzeida Laderech Chapt. 4, based on rationales presented in Tzitz Eliezer and Igrot Moshe.
ReplyDeleteThose who prohibit are based on one side of an unresolved dispute among early halachic authorities, Rishonim. There have always been some later authorities who took the other position; though their opinion doesn't appear to be the prevalent one.
disturbing and insensitive picture -- there is humor in good taste and there is humor....
ReplyDeleteWhat about flying over Brooklyn - has that been addressed anywhere? (the saying is that there are more dead folks in Brooklyn than living ones...)
ReplyDeletein the Diaspora, the assumption is that the dead are non-Jews, which do not present a problem for kohanim. if they knew definitely that a Jewish cemetery was being flown over it might be the same problem. But without specific knowledge we always assume they are non-Jews, as per the majority.
ReplyDeleteWhen I fly from the US, I try to remember to ask the ground staff if there is a hum on board. Some ELAL use the codeword 'karchon'. I think at least once, only at the gate in NYC was the staff able to give me a confirmation and they were able to bump me onto the next flight. The head of security had to make a very tough decision to allow my luggage to stay on the flight and avoid looking for it to off load even though I would not be on it.
ReplyDeleteI guess the issue about flying over a cemetery in a closed plane is mute if you hold that a Kohen can drive through a cemetery as long as he does not open the car door. I've seen video of Kohanim vist the Lubavitcher Rebbe's grave by carrying a personal divider, and if supply runs out, two people held hands around the Kohen to allow him inside.
Moot, not mute.
DeleteIt is important to note that Dayan Dunner has stated that flights leaving between 12 am - 1am from Israel are permitted for Kohanim.
ReplyDeleteFor a detailed Analysis of the Shailah view
http://www.yated.com/kohanim-concerns-while-flying-to-and-from-eretz-yisroel.0-576-0-.html