Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah Siman 364

Siman 364

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 קֶבֶר שֶׁל בִּנְיָן, אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה; אֲבָל קַרְקַע עוֹלָם שֶׁל קֶבֶר, אֵינוֹ נֶאֱסָר. הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּהַקַּרְקַע שֶׁלָּקְחוּ מִן הַקֶּבֶר וְחָזְרוּ וְנָתְנוּ עָלָיו, דְּהָוֵי תָּלוּשׁ וּלְבַסּוֹף חִבְּרוֹ, אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה (טוּר בְּשֵׁם הר"ר יְשַׁעְיָה). וְיֵשׁ אוֹסְרִין עוֹד לֵישֵׁב עַל הָאֶבֶן שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין עַל הַקֶּבֶר לְמַצֵּבָה (גַּם זוֹ בִּשְׁמוֹ וכ"כ הַגָּהוֹת אֲשֵׁרִ"י בְּשֵׁם אוֹר זָרוּעַ פֶּרֶק אֵלּוּ מְגַלְּחִין). וְיֵשׁ חוֹלְקִים וּמַתִּירִים (טוּר בְּשֵׁם הָרֹא"שׁ). הַכֵּלִים שֶׁחוֹפְרִים וְקוֹבְרִים בָּהֶם, מֻתָּרִים בַּהֲנָאָה, וְאֵין לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן אֶלָּא מִדַּעַת הַגַּבַּאי, כְּמוֹ בִּשְׁאָר צְדָקָה (תְּשׁוּבַת הָרַשְׁבָּ"א סִימָן צ"ז). וְהָא דְּקֶבֶר שֶׁל בִּנְיָן אָסוּר לְעוֹלָם, דַּוְקָא שֶׁבְּנָאוֹ לְשֵׁם מֵת, וּנְתָנוֹ בּוֹ אֲפִלּוּ עַל דַּעַת לְפַנּוֹתוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא נָתַן בּוֹ אֶלָּא נֵפֶל. אֲבָל אִם בְּנָאוֹ לִשְׁמוֹ, וְלֹא נְתָנוֹ בּוֹ, מֻתָּר. וְכֵן אִם נְתָנוֹ בּוֹ אַדַּעְתָּא לְפַנּוֹתוֹ, וְלֹא הִזְמִינוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה, מֻתָּר לְאַחַר שֶׁפִּנָּהוּ. אֲבָל אִם נְתָנוֹ בּוֹ עַל דַּעַת לִהְיוֹת בּוֹ עוֹלָמִית, אָסוּר אֲפִלּוּ לְאַחַר שֶׁפִּנָּהוּ, אֲפִלּוּ לֹא בְּנָאוֹ לִשְׁמוֹ. וְאִם לֹא בְּנָאוֹ לִשְׁמוֹ, וּנְתָנוּהוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ וְהוֹסִיף בּוֹ דִּימוֹס (פֵּרוּשׁ נִדְבָּךְ, וְהוּא שׁוּרַת בִּנְיַן הַחוֹמָה) לִשְׁמוֹ, כֻּלּוֹ אָסוּר, אֲפִלּוּ לְאַחַר שֶׁפִּנָּהוּ וַאֲפִלּוּ שֶׁקְּבָרוֹ שָׁם עַל דַּעַת לְפַנּוֹתוֹ. וְאִם מַכִּיר הַדִּימוֹס שֶׁהוֹסִיף לִשְׁמוֹ, מְסִירוֹ, וְהוּא לְבַדּוֹ אָסוּר, וּשְׁאָר הַקֶּבֶר מֻתָּר.
1 A built grave is forbidden for profitable use, but natural earth of a grave is not forbidden. Rema: Some say that the earth which they removed from the grave and then placed it back upon him [ the dead person ], which is [ then ] regarded as an object [ originally ] loose that one subsequently attached is forbidden for profitable use. Furthermore, some prohibit to sit on the stone that is placed upon the grave as a monument; and some differ with [ this ruling ] and permit. The implements wherewith they dig [ graves ] and bury [ the dead ] are permitted for profitable use, and one is permitted to make use of them only with the knowledge of the communal manager as in all other [ cases of public ] charity. This [ruling viz.,] that a built grave is prohibited [for profitable use] forever, [applies only when one built it for the sake of a dead person and [also] placed him therein, even [if done] with the intention to remove him [later]; and even if one placed therein a prematureborn child; but if one built it for his sake and did not place him therein, it is permitted [for profitable use]. Likewise, if he placed him therein with the intention to remove him [later], but did not designate it [for the dead] from the beginning, it is permitted [for profitable use] after he removed him [therefrom]. However if he placed him therein with the intention that he remain there forever, it is prohibited [for profitable use] even after he removed him [therefrom; and] even [if] he did not build it for his sake. And if he did not build it for his sake, and he was placed therein and he added a single row of stones, i.e., a layer, viz., a row of [ stones ] in the wall structure for his sake, the entire [structure] is prohibited [for profitable use] even after he removed him, and even if he buried him therein with the intention to remove him [later]. If he recognizes the row of stones that he added for his sake, he removes it and it alone is prohibited, but the rest of the grave is permissible [for profitable use].
ב קֶבֶר הַנִּמְצָא, מֻתָּר לְפַנּוֹתוֹ. פִּנָּהוּ, מְקוֹמוֹ טָהוֹר וּמֻתָּר בַּהֲנָאָה. קֶבֶר הַיָּדוּעַ, אָסוּר לְפַנּוֹתוֹ; פִּנָּהוּ, מְקוֹמוֹ טָמֵא וְאָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה. וְהָרַמְבַּ"ם גּוֹרֵס קֶבֶר הַנִּמְצָא, מֻתָּר לְפַנּוֹתוֹ; פִּנָּהוּ, מְקוֹמוֹ טָמֵא וְאָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה; קֶבֶר הַיָּדוּעַ, אָסוּר לְפַנּוֹתוֹ; פִּנָּהוּ, מְקוֹמוֹ טָהוֹר וּמֻתָּר בַּהֲנָאָה.
2 A grave that has been discovered may be cleared; after it is cleared, the place thereof is [levitically] clean and is permitted for use. A known grave may not be cleared; if it has been cleared, the place thereof is unclean and forbidden for use. Maimonides' [version] reads: A grave that has been discovered may be cleared; after it is cleared, the place thereof is unclean and forbidden for use. A known grave may not be cleared; if it has been cleared, the place thereof is [levitically] clean and permitted for use.
ג מֵת מִצְוָה, שֶׁמְּצָאוֹ אָדָם בַּשָּׂדֶה וּקְבָרוֹ שָׁם, אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא מִדַּעַת בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה, אָסוּר לְפַנּוֹתוֹ, שֶׁמֵּת מִצְוָה קוֹנֶה מְקוֹמוֹ. וְכָל הַמּוֹצְאוֹ צָרִיךְ לְקָבְרוֹ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁמְּצָאוֹ. וְאִם מְצָאוֹ עַל הַמֶּצֶר, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְפַנּוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם מִפְּנֵי הָרַבִּים שֶׁלֹּא יַאֲהִילוּ עָלָיו, אִם מְצָאוֹ בֵּין שְׂדֵה בּוּר (פיר' שֶׁאֵינָהּ חֲרוּשָׁה וּזְרוּעָה) לִשְׂדֵה נִיר (פֵּרוּשׁ נִיר נֶחֱרַשׁ וְלֹא נִזְרַע), מְפַנֶּהוּ לִשְׂדֵה בּוּר. בֵּין שְׂדֵה נִיר לִשְׂדֵה זֶרַע, מְפַנֶּהוּ לִשְׂדֵה נִיר. בֵּין שְׂדֵה זֶרַע לִשְׂדֵה אִילָן, מְפַנֶּהוּ לִשְׂדֵה זֶרַע. בֵּין שְׂדֵה אִילָן לִשְׂדֵה כֶּרֶם, מְפַנֶּהוּ לִשְׂדֵה אִילָן. וְאִם שְׁתֵּיהֶם שָׁווֹת, מְפַנֶּהוּ לַקָּרוֹב שֶׁבָּהֶם. וְאִם שְׁתֵּיהֶן שָׁווֹת בְּקֵרוּב, מְפַנֶּהוּ לְאֵיזֶהוּ מֵהֶם שֶׁיִּרְצֶה. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים, בִּמְצָאוֹ חוּץ לַתְּחוּם. אֲבָל אִם מְצָאוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַתְּחוּם, מְבִיאוֹ לְבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת. וְאֵינוֹ נִקְרָא מֵת מִצְוָה, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מָצָא רֹאשׁוֹ וְרֻבּוֹ.
3 A Meth Mizwah whom one found in a field and buried him therein even without the knowledge of the owner of the field, is forbidden to be cleared away, for a Meth Mizwah takes possession of his place, and when one finds him he must bury him on the spot wherein he found him. If he found him [lying broadways] across a narrow path he must remove him therefrom on account of the public, so that they should not convey uncleanness by overshadowing him. If he found him between an uncultivated field, i.e., one that is unplanted and unsown and a fallow field, i.e., one that was ploughed but unsown, — he removes him to the uncultivated field; [if] between a fallow field and a field with seed, he removes him to the fallow field; [if] between a field with seed and a tree-planted field, he removes him to the field with seed; if betwwen a tree-planted field and a vineyard field, he removes him to the tree-planted field; but if both [fields] are equal he removes him to the nearer one; and if both are equal in nearness, he may remove [him] to whichever one he prefers. When does this apply? — [If he found him] outside the [cemetery] limits, but if he found him within the [cemetery] limits he conveys him to the cemetery. He is designated a Meth Mizwah only if he found his head and the larger portion [of his body].
ד אִם מָצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל הָרוּג, יִקְבְּרוּהוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּצָאוּהוּ, בְּלֹא תַּכְרִיכִין, וְלֹא יַחְלְצוּ בּוֹ אֲפִלּוּ מִנְעָלָיו. הַגָּה: וְכֵן עוֹשִׂין לְיוֹלֶדֶת שֶׁמֵּתָה, אוֹ לְמִי שֶׁנָּפַל וָמֵת (מהרי"ל סִימָן ס"ה). וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁמַּלְבִּישִׁין אוֹתָם לְמַעְלָה מִבִּגְדֵיהֶם, תַּכְרִיכִין (הגהמי"י בְּשֵׁם ר"י מִדּוּרָא). וְנָהֲגוּ שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂין לָהֶם תַּכְרִיכִין כִּשְׁאָר מֵתִים, רַק קוֹבְרִין אוֹתָן בְּבִגְדֵיהֶם, וּלְמַעְלָה מֵהֶם סָדִין, כִּשְׁאָר מֵתִים.
4 If they found a slain Israelite, they may bury him [in the same condition] as they found him, [viz.,] without shrouds, and they do not even remove his shoes. Rema: Thus they do [ with respect ] to a woman in confinement who died, or regarding a person who fell down and died. Some say that they wrap them over their garments [ with ] shrouds. The accepted practice is that one makes no shrouds for them as [ for ] other dead, but one buries them in their garments over which [ they place ] a sheet as [ in the case ] of other dead.
ה קֶבֶר הַמַּזִּיק אֶת הָרַבִּים, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהוּא סָמוּךְ לַדֶּרֶךְ, אֲפִלּוּ נִקְבַּר שָׁם מִדַּעַת בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה, מֻתָּר לְפַנּוֹתוֹ, וּמְקוֹמוֹ טָהוֹר, וְאָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה אִם קָדַם הַקֶּבֶר; אֲבָל אִם קָדַם הַדֶּרֶךְ, מְקוֹמוֹ מֻתָּר בַּהֲנָאָה.
5 A grave which injures the public, e.g., it is close to the [public] road, even if he was buried therein with the knowledge of the owner of the field, may be cleared, but is prohibited for use, [provided] the grave was there first; but if the road was there first, the place thereof is permitted for use.
ו קֶבֶר שֶׁפִּנָּהוּ, הֵיכָא דְּמֻתָּר בַּהֲנָאָה, לֹא יַעֲשֶׂנּוּ בֵּית הַתֶּבֶן וְלֹא בֵּית הָעֵצִים וְלֹא בֵּית הָאוֹצָרוֹת.
6 A grave which one cleared, where it is permitted for use, one may not make of it a shed for straw, or a shed for wood or a storehouse.
ז הַחוֹצֵב קֶבֶר לְאָבִיו וּקְבָרוֹ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, לֹא יִקָּבֵר בּוֹ הוּא עוֹלָמִית, מִשּׁוּם כְּבוֹד אָבִיו; אֲבָל אַחֵר, מֻתָּר לִקָּבֵר בּוֹ.
7 One who hews a grave for his [dead] father and [then] buried him elsewhere, may himself never be buried therein, on account of his father's honour, but another [person] is permitted to be buried therein.
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