Why do Jews place stones on tombstones instead of flowers?

Answer 1

The Jewish culture deals with death by accepting what has happened. When the loved one is buried the family are instructed to put the first few shovels of dirt on the casket. This helps remind the family that a loved one has died and the grieving process is started. At home all the mirrors are covered and the immediate family are supposed to sit on wooden crates as they sit Shiva (Jewish mourning ritual). The family are not allowed to go to parties or other celebrations and they wear black during this period I can't remember how long. After 1 year the grave marker is set and reveled to the family. When people come to visit the grave they place a stone on the tombstone to mark the visit. Flowers and other living adornments are for the living, not the dead. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Jews have been putting stones on tombstones for centuries before Christians started putting flowers on tombstones. When a Jewish person dies, they bury the body right away and have visiting hours after the funeral at the house of the deceased's family. When a Christian person dies, they have visiting hours at a funeral home before the burial, and the body is there in the casket. Before they invented embalment, the body would stink up the place so everyone brought flowers to mask the odor. When they buried the body the next day, they left the flowers at the grave, and this tradition continues today.
However, Jews don't have open casket wakes, so they never had to use flowers. I don't know why they use stones as opposed to something else, but that's why they don't use flowers.

Answer 3

Unlike people from other religions, Jews do not typically place flowers at gravesites. Instead, they often place stones on the grave or tombstone. The origin of the custom is uncertain, though it may relate to ancient times when a pile of stones was used as a marker. The most common explanation is that placing stones is a symbolic act that indicates someone has come to visit and the deceased has not been forgotten.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/graves.html

Read on:
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/lifecycle/Death/Burial_Mourning/GravesideService/WhyStones.htm

Answer 4

This is how it was explained to me by a Rabbi at a funeral a number of years ago for my step-father.

Back in bibical days, at some point after a body was buried wild animals would dig up the bodies and eat them. The people then covered the graves with rocks to discourage/prevent this.

Over time this evolved into people leaving small stones on the headstone (or marker) as "Stones of Remebrence" to show that a logved one or friend visted the grave site in respect to the one departed.

Answer 5

The origin of the custom is uncertain. It could possibly come from ancient times when stones where used as markers.

It is almost like asking why do people put flowers at a gravesite. The reason for doing so is unkown.

Answer 6

the unique Jewish graves were mounds of stones... stones might want to be added to "shore up" the grave stone pile on visits to keep the memory of the deceased alive. for that reason the custom survives to on the present time.

Answer 7

Stones last a little longer

Answer 8

I want to know this too. I do it and I am jewish and i dont know. I put them on my moms

Answer 9

It supposed to be so the dead know you came to visit.