Why is cremation after death not accepted practice by Jews?

[QuickSilver]

Is this a more recent taboo due to the concentration camp ovens of the holocaust or has this been going on for much longer?

[cmkeller]

It’s a long-standing prohibition, having nothing to do with the Holocaust.

The basic idea is that the human body is a holy thing (as it was a vehicle for the soul, which is created in G-d’s image) and must be treated with respect, even after death. The traditional thing, in Judaism, to do with holy things that are no longer useful is burial.

[QuickSilver]

Thanks.

Now what about leaving a small stone on the headstone after visiting the gravesite. I do it when I visit my gradfather by I don’t know exactly why. When and Why did that come about? And who (if anyone) cleans up these stones so that you don’t have a pile of rubble on the gravesite after a few years?

[zev_steinhardt]

*Originally posted by QuickSilver *
**Thanks.

Now what about leaving a small stone on the headstone after visiting the gravesite. I do it when I visit my gradfather by I don’t know exactly why. When and Why did that come about? And who (if anyone) cleans up these stones so that you don’t have a pile of rubble on the gravesite after a few years?

**

Didn’t know the answer to this one myself. I got this from the FAQ of SCJ (soc.culture.jewish)

Originally, there were no engraved tombstones like we have today; instead, visitors to the gravesite would each put a stone on the grave. Over the years, a mound of stones would accumulate, memorializing the deceased through the hands of his/her loved ones.
Although Jews now follow the common practice of putting up tombstones (generally unveiled eleven months following the actual funeral and burial), many people still hold to the earlier custom of a more personal monument. Note that the eleven months date may vary; in Israel, and in many communities abroad, the stone is erected around the shloshim - 30 days after death. In other places, it is around the first yahrzeit - one year after death (which could be 13 months in a leap year).

As for cleaning up the stones, nature does a good job. We’re not talking about placing massive boulders, after all, just small little stones. Rain and wind will usually clear them off after a while.

Zev Steinhardt

[TampaFlyer]

I take it cremation BEFORE death is not recommended, either.

[Yarster]

You know, we actually do this too when visiting my wife’s departed grandparents and up until now, I never thought of it as much more than a post-humous popularity contest. Each person visiting the grave puts one stone on the headstone, and looking around the cemetary, you can tell how popular your departed relative is versus the other dead people by how many stones are there.

It was always my understanding that it tells other people you were there and that you care about the person who was buried there. Which, I’d like to add, can get a little wierd because sometimes we get to the grave, and other stones are already there, though we know no one from the immediate family visited the place recently.

Regarding clean up, the stones are just tiny pebbles, and not even white ones (as was suggested). A good wind blows them off.