# Stones on jewish graves? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 5, 2000, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stones-on-jewish-graves/35844 "2000-10-05T20:53:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BornDodgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@BornDodgy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BornDodgy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stones-on-jewish-graves/35844/1 "2000-10-05T20:53:05Z")
I know ppl put stones on graves when they visit, but what is the meaning of this? I always liked that, but I never knew why they did it. Any religious ppl around? Thanx loons ---
**Author:** ![Akatsukami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@Akatsukami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akatsukami)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stones-on-jewish-graves/35844/2 "2000-10-05T21:16:08Z")
There are lots of reasons; probably some do it for one reason, soome for another: [list=1] [li]It’s traditional[/li][li]It shows that someone has visited the grave[/li][li]In areas where anti-Semitism is or was rife, placing a pebble on the grave stands in place of erecting a tombstone that might desecrated by the authorities or by vandals[/li][li]It symbolically weights down the portion of the soul (the _nefesh_, IIRC) that remains in the grave and prevents it from following mourners home[/li][li]_It is said_ (_i.e,_, I doubt if this is more than a story) that a certain Hasid wanted his grave stoned in atonement for having violated the Sabbath (although by doing so he saved lives). The local Jewish community decided that _all_ graves would have stones placed on them, in recognition that no one could claim to be better than he.[/li][/list=1] Take your pick. ---
**Author:** ![BornDodgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@BornDodgy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BornDodgy)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stones-on-jewish-graves/35844/3 "2000-10-05T21:29:48Z")
thanx 🙂