Burial Practices
Upon hearing the news of Sarah’s death, Abraham rushes back home. As her husband, he knows it is his responsibility to care for her last needs, which he does in a loving and thoughtful fashion. He acquires a burial place large enough for her and for several more generations of their family. The burial takes place in an expeditious manner, as quickly as possible. And finally, burial is followed by a time of mourning.
From this, we learn several features of Jewish burial. First: burials should happen as quickly as possible. Jews, unlike some of the surrounding peoples at the time, disliked embalming or other preservation methods. For Abraham and Sarah, the body had value as the partner and container of the soul. Yet it was the part of the self that is mortal and so should be buried without making an effort to preserve a person’s mortal remains. As a result, there was a spiritual and practical necessity for burial to occur as soon as possible. Today, burial is done as quickly as possible, but that includes leaving time for close family to arrive. Usually a funeral takes place one full day after death, but sometimes it takes a bit longer when family is more widespread. Also, “as soon as possible” means that sometimes legal or other considerations delay burial. When the coroner is involved for example it takes meaningfully longer. If a secular or Jewish holiday intrudes, this can also delay burial. In all these cases, the family is still seen as honoring their loved one.
Second, the body should be buried intact. While some of the surrounding cultures cremated remains, Abraham saw the body as a sacred vessel. While it was mortal and impermanent, it nevertheless needed to be treated with respect. Sarah and Jews following her have been buried intact. Today cremation has again become popular in the larger culture. Jewish practice forbids cremation for two reasons. First, following in Sarah’s footsteps, we want to preserve the body that served the soul so well. Cremation involves incinerating the body and then grinding up the bones to turn everything into a powder. That clashes with the value of treating the body with honor. Second, in light of the Holocaust, we are reluctant to have Jewish bodies burned. As a result, neither Rabbi Graff nor I will officiate at the burial of a cremated body. We will however do a memorial service at another location and will lead shiva services in someone’s home. (As an aside, we do by contrast support organ donation because the donation can save a life.)
Finally, the body should be buried amid close family and community. The cave that Abraham purchased was a separated space to bury three generations of the patriarchs and matriarchs. It survives today in Hebron as consecrated ground still viewed as a holy site. From this teaching, and then from Ruth who says, “Your God will be my God, your people my people and where you are buried, I too shall be buried” there has arisen a practice of Jewish cemeteries. There is something sacred about being buried amid other Jews, knowing that our sense of faith and community continues even in how we treat our bodies. Both Rabbi Graff and I have a strong preference for burial in a Jewish cemetery but on certain extenuating or tragic circumstances we have made exceptions.
As we read of Abraham’s loss and the love he offered to Sarah, I hope this brief review of Jewish burial practices is helpful. Hopefully far from a time of loss, these teachings can be a guide when such a loss does arise.
Both Rabbi Graff and I are always happy to talk in more detail.
May we all experience only joy!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Booth
