בס׳ד

"Where does it say that you have a contract with G-d to have an easy life?"

the Lubavitcher Rebbe



"Failure is not the enemy of success; it is its prerequisite."

Rabbi Nosson Scherman



14 Aug 2011

Ashes to urns?

Sybil Sage has a whimsical article about the serious topic of death, discussing cremation as a serious alternative to traditional burial. She writes, "Cremation is also substantially cheaper."
She does inform the reader that, "The practice is prohibited by traditional Jewish law.... Some Conservative and Reform Jews, however, are now choosing to be cremated." So, if some Reform Jews eat pork products, does that make it kosher?
This week's parsha is all about following in the ways of G-d and the consequences of not heeding His commandments.
Perek 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul;
The verse doesn't say "what doth the LORD require of thee, to walk in the ways of some Conservative and Reform Jews."
Ms. Sage ends her article by plugging her website where people can order personalized urns. Since she writes that, "cremation is also substantially cheaper," I'm sure one can find much cheaper urns made in China.
Finally, who gets the urn? Does one child display it in his/her living room for the winter months while another gets it for summer? Or, do the children fight because none of them want a continuous reminder of their dead parents in his/her living room?
A teenager posted a comment at the end of Ms. Sage's article,
I sit here literally wretching as I read this article, and I'm feeling myself begin to cry. Ignoring the fact that Jewish law prohibits cremation - if you decide you want your last action in this world to be an aveirah, your choice - how can you want to go the same way 6 million went?
...It's a sad day when a 16-year-old needs to give adults mussar.


Rabbi Avi Shafran writes an excellent article about the issue of cremation. And, before making such a momentous decision, I urge you to contact an Orthodox rabbi such as Rabbi Shafran.

Speaking about burials, the rabbi in the video below explains what they have to do with tomorrow's holiday.

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