# Religions where they have to save removed body pieces for burial when person dies. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2011, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274 "2011-05-18T01:42:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274/21 "2011-05-19T07:53:36Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Don’t leave us in suspense, Zev … > > was the foot already there, waiting for him? Yes, it was waiting under the Rainbow Arch. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274/22 "2011-05-19T09:44:22Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > As for the OP’s question, no, they wouldn’t. And I’m not sure why you asked about the animal feces; what about the animals themselves? I thought of asking that as some of the person now occupies the animals. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274/23 "2011-05-19T10:58:18Z")
> [@zev\_steinhardt](#): > > While your statement is true, it doesn’t apply to the hypothetical OP. > > In Judaism, body parts must be buried. They need not, however, be buried with the body at the time of death. > > For example, my grandfather lost his foot to diabetes. When it was amputated, it was buried. When he passed away several years later, his foot was not exhumed and re-buried with him. > > Zev Steinhardt > [@GilaB](#): > > The point of burying body parts in traditional Judaism is to give respect for the body that God has given you, by not just dumping pieces of it in the trash. It has nothing to do with resurrection or the afterlife. The same behavior is traditional in Spain. Body parts would be buried directly in the ossarium (where decayed bodies get moved to make room, either for more relatives in the same grave, or from a niche whose lease has expired - no pun intended). I’m not sure what do current health regulations have to say about this practice, but normally it would involve sizable, visible amputations. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274/24 "2011-05-19T13:34:24Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Quote: > > \>\>was the foot already there, waiting for him? > > Yes, it was waiting under the Rainbow Arch. Just glad he didn’t have fallen arches. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274/25 "2011-05-19T16:29:43Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Don’t leave us in suspense, Zev … > > was the foot already there, waiting for him? I don’t understand your question. What do you mean "was the foot already there? Already where? Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274/26 "2011-05-19T16:34:02Z")
You know, _there_, in heaven … waiting for the sole. ---
**Author:** ![kombatminipig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5ac83/32.png) [@kombatminipig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kombatminipig)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274/27 "2011-05-20T08:39:02Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > You know, _there_, in heaven … waiting for the sole. I was about to rebuke this part of the discussion as terribly disrespectful towards Zev’s grandfather…but god, it was worth it for that one. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274/28 "2011-05-20T15:12:59Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > It is an exceedingly weak religion that would believe their god is incapable of resurrecting someone whose corpse was incomplete. Maybe, but some believe it. I grew up in a fundamentalist protestant religion, and similar questions about cremation because of this belief were raised more often than you might think. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274/29 "2011-05-20T15:41:32Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Maybe, but some believe it. I grew up in a fundamentalist protestant religion, and similar questions about cremation because of this belief were raised more often than you might think. Oh, I am sure it is very common. It is still a pathetic supreme being who can be thwarted by cremation or dismemberment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religions-where-they-have-to-save-removed-body-pieces-for-burial-when-person-dies/582274.md?page=1)