Burial using a coffin with a cement liner

 

Question:

The nearby Jewish cemetery encourages people to get buried with a wood coffin that has a cement liner (which prevents the sides of the liner from disintegrating as fast). There are two types. One has a liner on all sides; the other is missing the liner on the bottom, so the simple wood is touching the ground. Are any of these acceptable?

 

Answer:

It is best if the bottom of the coffin is open or has a hole of about four inches. However, one fulfills the obligation of Kevurah even if the wood coffin is closed (if one can, one should place a bit of earth inside the coffin before the body is placed inside).

Thus:

1) The wood coffin with a complete liner is no good.

2) The wood coffin which is missing the liner on bottom is acceptable, though not optimal.

3) If you can have them drill a hole, that would be best. If not at least add a bit of earth in the bottom of the coffin. If you can’t accomplish the drilling of a hole or a bit of earth on the bottom it is still an acceptable Kevura.

 

Sources:

ראה שו”ע יו”ד סי’ שס”ב, ש”ך שם ס”ק א’ ובאר היטב ס”ק א’, ספר חיים וברכה סימן ע”ב, ע”ד, וע”ה, (מציין אליו בדרכי חסד), רשימת היומן שבט תש”ב, ועוד.

 

 

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