Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah Siman 349

Siman 349

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א מֵת, בֵּין עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל, תַּכְרִיכָיו אֲסוּרִים בַּהֲנָאָה. וְדַוְקָא שֶׁהִזְמִינָם לְצָרְכּוֹ וּנְתָנָם עָלָיו, אֲבָל בְּהַזְמָנָה לְבַד, אֲפִלּוּ עֲשָׂאָם לְצָרְכּוֹ לְאַחַר שֶׁמֵּת, לֹא נֶאֶסְרוּ, דְּהַזְמָנָה לָאו מִלְּתָא. וְכֵן אִם נְתָנָם עָלָיו וְלֹא הִזְמִינָם לְכָךְ בִּתְחִלָּה, עֲדַיִן לֹא נֶאֶסְרוּ.
1 [When] one dies, whether he is a Gentile' or an Israelite, his shrouds are forbidden [to be employed] for profitable use, and [this is applicable] only if one designated them for his need and also placed them upon him; but mere designation, even if one made them [the shrouds] for his need after he died, they [the shrouds] do not become forbidden [before being placed upon the dead], for mere designation is not a reality. Likewise, if one placed them [the shrouds] upon him, but did not designate them for such a purpose in the beginning, they are still not considered forbidden.
ב נוֹיֵי הַמֵּת הַמְחֻבָּרִים בְּגוּפוֹ, כְּגוֹן פֵּאָה נָכְרִית וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהּ, אֲסוּרִים כְּמוֹ הַמֵּת עַצְמוֹ. וְדַוְקָא כְּשֶׁהֵם קְשׁוּרִים בְּשַׂעֲרוֹת גּוּפָן, אֲבָל אֵינָן קְשׁוּרִים, מֻתָּר (כָּךְ מַשְׁמָע מִפֵּרוּשׁ רַשִׁ"י פ"ק דַּעֲרָכִין); וְלָכֵן מֻתָּר לִטֹּל טַבָּעוֹת שֶׁבְּיָדָם שֶׁל מֵתִים, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים, בִּסְתָם, אֲבָל אִם צִוָּה שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ נוֹי גּוּפוֹ הַמְחֻבָּרִים בּוֹ לִבְנוֹ אוֹ לְבִתּוֹ אוֹ לְצֹרֶךְ דָּבָר אַחֵר, מֻתָּרִים. אֲבָל שְׂעָרוֹ מַמָּשׁ, אֲפִלּוּ אִם צִוָּה עָלָיו, אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה. הַגָּה: אִשָּׁה שֶׁיּוֹצֵאת לֵהָרֵג, נֶהֱנִין בִּשְׂעָרָהּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּגְמַר דִּינָה, אֵין שַׂעֲרוֹתֶיהָ נֶאֱסָרִים עַד שֶׁתִּקָּטֵל (טוּר).
2 The ornaments of the dead which are attached to his body, e.g., a wig and anything similar to that, are forbidden [to be employed for profitable use] just as the dead person proper; and only when they are tied to the hair of the body, but if they are not tied, it is permitted. Accordingly it is permitted to remove rings from the hand [ s ] of corpses and anything similar to that. This applies only to a case where no instructions were given, but if one instructed that the ornaments of his body which are attached thereto, should be given to his son or to his daughter, or for any other purpose, they are permitted; but one's real hair, even if he left instructions regarding it, — [the law is that] it is forbidden to make any use of it. Rema: If a woman is about to be put to death, use may be made of her hair, [ for ] although her trial is ended, her hair does not become forbidden until she is executed.
ג אִם הָיוּ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ מְזָרְקִים עָלָיו כֵּלִים, מִצְוָה לַאֲחֵרִים לְהַצִּילָן, אִם לֹא נָגְעוּ בַּמִּטָּה הַנִּקְבֶּרֶת עִמּוֹ. הַגָּה: וְאִם הִצִּילָן, חַיָּב בִּשְׁמִירָתָן; וְאִם הֶחֱזִירָן לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ, וְחָזְרוּ וּזְרָקוּם, וְנֶאֶסְרוּ, חַיָּב הַמַּחֲזִיר לְשַׁלֵּם, דְּהָוֵי כִּזְרָקָן לִמְקוֹם גְּדוּדֵי חַיּוֹת וְלִסְטִים (בְּמָרְדְּכַי פֶּרֶק הַמּוֹכֵר אֶת הַסְפִינָה תְּשׁוּבַת מהר"מ). אֲבָל אִם נָגְעוּ בָּהּ, אֲסוּרִים, אִם הֵם שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ שֶׁזְּרָקָן עָלָיו, וְהוּא שֶׁיִּזְרְקֵם עַל דַּעַת שֶׁיִּקְבְּרֵם עִמּוֹ (טוּר בְּשֵׁם רֹא"שׁ וְהוּא סוֹף מ"ק). הַגָּה: הַדַּף שֶׁטִּהֲרוּ עָלָיו, וְכָל הַכֵּלִים שֶׁמּוֹלִיכִין הַמֵּת עֲלֵיהֶם לִקְבוּרָה, לֹא נֶאֶסְרוּ, דַּהֲרֵי לֹא נְתָנָם שָׁם עַל מְנָת לִקְבֹּר עִמּוֹ. (תְּשׁוּבַת מהרי"ל סִימָן נ"ה, וְכָךְ מַשְׁמָע מִדִּבְרֵי הָרֹא"שׁ שֶׁהֵבִיא הַטּוּר).
3 If one's father and mother were throwing garments upon him, it is a religious duty for others to save them [the garments], [provided] if they [the garments] did not touch the bier which is buried with him. Rema: And if one saved them he is bound to guard them, and if one returned them to his father and mother and again they threw them and [ consequently ] they became prohibited [ for use ], the one who restored [ them ] is responsible to compensate [ the loss ], for he is like one who threw them in a place where there are hordes of wild beasts and robbers. However, if they [the garments] did touch it [the bier], they are prohibited [for profitable use], [provided] if they belong to the one upon whom they threw them, and provided [too] that one threw them with the intention that he should bury them with him. Rema: The board upon which they cleansed [ the corpse ] and the entire equipment upon which they carry the corpse to burial, do not become prohibited [ for profitable use ], for one does not place them there for the sake of burying [ them ] with him.
ד כָּל הַמַּרְבֶּה כֵּלִים עַל הַמֵּת, הֲרֵי זֶה עוֹבֵר מִשּׁוּם בַּל תַּשְׁחִית. (וַיִּקְרָא כ, יט).
4 Whoever [throws recklessly] many garments upon the dead, commits a sin because of 'Do not destroy'.