Do jewish people get cremated?

Answer 1

I don't think so..

Answer 2

Judaism forbids cremation, and is considered a disgrace; let's understand why.

Upon death, the soul goes through a painful separation from the body, which until now had housed the soul. This process of disengagement occurs as the body decays. When the body is buried, it decays slowly, thereby giving comfort to the soul as it disengages from the body.

This decay is crucial, which is why Jewish law forbids embalming or burial in a mausoleum, which would in fact delay the decaying process. Also, Jews are buried in a wooden casket, which decays more rapidly. Similarly, Jewish law dictates that burial take place as soon as possible after death. (In Israel, funerals are often on the same day as the death.) All this is for the benefit of the soul.

One reason that Judaism prohibits cremation is that the soul would suffer great shock due to the unnaturally sudden disengagement from the body. As the Talmud says: Burial is not for the sake of the living, but rather for the dead. (Sanhedrin 47a)

Regarding the execution of the wicked Achan and his sons and daughters the verse states: "And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them in the fire.So G-d rescinded His anger" (Joshua 7:25). Similarly, the righteous King Yoshiyahu executed the priests of idol worship upon their altars and burned their bones upon them (2 Kings 23:20). The Talmud relates how after evil Yehoyakim suffered a donkeys burial, his skull was eventually found and degradingly burnt. Burning the human body is so disgraceful that G-d declared, I will not turn away [Moavs] punishment, because he burned the bones of the King of Edom into lime (Amos 2:1).

Not only is burning the body a disgrace, it is explicitly forbidden. The Talmud asserts, Anything that requires burial [Rashi: including a dead body] shall not be burned. Further, our Sages noted one who says burn me [after death] and give my field to a certain person, the field may not have to be given since it is forbidden to cremate him in the first place. Therefore, one who is intentionally cremated not only uproots a positive Torah requirement to bury, and transgresses a negative Torah prohibition of leaving a body unburied, but also transgresses a prohibition against cremation. In addition, just as the soul suffers great agony when its departure from the body is unnecessarily prolonged (as when the body is put in a Mausoleum), so too the soul suffers tremendously from the extremely abrupt process of cremation.

Furthermore, one who has his body cremated will not merit resurrection a fundamental belief of Judaism expressed in Maimonides' 13 Principles of Faith: I believe with complete faith that there will be a resurrection of the dead, when the wish emanates from the Creator. One explanation is that cremation destroys even the extremely hard luz bone from which a buried body is reconstituted. This may be understood by an analogy: while a planted seed fully rots and even provides nutrient for the sprout, a burnt seed doesnt even sprout. In truth, cremation is less a physical impediment to resurrection than a spiritual one. G-d can do anything He chooses, and in fact all Jews who were burned against their will throughout history will certainly merit resurrection. Rather, one who willfully has his body cremated asserts his disbelief in the future reunification of body and soul. Regarding this our Sages warn, One who rejects the idea of resurrection will have no part in it.

Answer 3

Reform Judaism accepts cremation, but Orthodox and Conservative Judaism are opposed. My great-grandfather was cremated but he was also reform. However, in Israel it's pretty much unheard of due to its connections with the Holocaust.

Answer 4

No. In the Torah, only the heathen and pagan peoples would cremate. Therefore, they would buy fields for their families and bury each member's body there.

Answer 5

Does it matter? I'm sure if they wanted to they would. Is this some sort of horrible joke pertaining to the Holocaust? If it is, you seriously need help.

Answer 6

They used too way back in the 40's

Answer 7

Absolutely not. We are buried in as little as the law allows. In Israel we are buried in the ground with no casket. In the US, which requires a casket by law, we are buried in one that decomposes as quickly as possible.

Answer 8

No. It is against the religion according to my friends.

Answer 9

Burial is preferable

Answer 10

Yes but not till they get to hell.

Answer 11

wouldn't that bring back bad memories?