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What is the Jewish View on Cremation?

By Tzvi Freeman

Question:

What is the Jewish view on cremation?

Answer:

Cremation has always been looked upon with horror by every sector of Jewish thought. The body is sacred, because it is the "temple of the soul" and because it is the medium by which we do goodness in this world.

Belief in the resurrection of the dead is counted by Maimonides as the thirteenth of the Thirteen Principles of the Faith. There is no rabbinic authority who does not consider this to be a fundamental belief. The Mishnah declares denial of this principle to be heresy. The reason is quite apparent: As Jews, we believe there is purpose to life, purpose to this world, purpose to the act of Creation. Therefore, anything that is used towards that purpose has a permanence -- and a sanctity.

Six million of our people were denied proper burial, most of them cremated. Should we willfully continue that which our enemies began?

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By Tzvi Freeman More articles... |

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman heads Chabad.org's Ask The Rabbi team, and is a senior member of the Chabad.org editorial team. He is the author of a number of highly original renditions of Kabbalah and Chassidic teaching, including the universally acclaimed "Bringing Heaven Down to Earth." To order Tzvi's books click here. Rabbi Freeman is available for public speaking and workshops. Read more on his bio page.

The content on this page is copyrighted by the author, publisher and/or Chabad.org, and is produced by Chabad.org. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with the copyright policy.

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:

Posted: Sep 29, 2009

"Will" do

Thanks, Tzvi, I'll cancel the policy first thing in the morning. My dad was buried in a plain pine casket, but he was lowered into a concrete vault. The original reason for my wanting cremation was to assure that my body was decomposed as rapidly as possible and when forced to be buried in concrete first, that will slow down the process.
Originally, I wanted to be buried in a plain wooden casket in a shroud; I'll check with the local authorities concerning vaults.
Fortunately, we are blessed with two Chabad houses in our area and I am so grateful I was able to attend the High Holidays with them.
Thanks to Chabad in Arlington, TX, I was able to attend services without having to worry about having to shell out $3-400 for tickets. Chabad is doing more than it knows to bring Jews back into the fold.
Many thanks for setting me straight about burial.

Posted By Beverly Kurtin

Posted: Sep 29, 2009

Re: Unnatural Burials

Beverly, change your will right away. Jewish burial is supposed to be in a wooden casket, not concrete, so that the body can decompose. Even better to do it just in shrouds. Ask the rabbi what's in place in your town for the burial of the penniless. But don't allow them to burn your holy body.

Posted By Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

Posted: Sep 29, 2009

Unnatural Burials?

For a number of bureaucratic "reasons," people are forced to purchase a concrete vault that slows down the process of decomposition of the body. Although I do believe in the resurrection and possible reincarnation of the dead, I have opted to purchase a cremation policy with the stipulation that my remains be buried. My income puts me into relative poverty and my health negates any opportunity to earn more. My 401(k) was totally destroyed by a large bank.
Is cremation permitted in this case? If I had my druthers, I'd opt to be buried Israeli style; with nothing protecting the body other than a shroud. I don't wish to dishonor G-d in any way, even in death. I intend to live to be at least 100 so there are still many years, G-d willing, before my death.
I am not afraid of dying. I died after heart surgery and it was nice--no pain, just a feeling of peace. The the crash team came to my "rescue." I'm glad to be alive, but no longer have any fear of leaving this life.

Posted By Beverly Kurtin, Hurst, TX

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