What is the significance of putting stones on graves

When someone visits a grave, the site of rocks on the tombstone shows this is a site visited frequently. As you see from the list of meanings above, there is a lot of diversity in the reasons why Jewish people continue to place stones on graves. Ultimately, the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle. Historically, placing stones on graves was a practical solution. This likely began because things like flowers, food, and other materials decompose quickly.

Pebbles and rocks symbolize the legacy of the deceased in the hearts of family members. While flowers have become the symbol of death today, this was previously a pagan custom. There is no single start date for this practice. Like the stone itself, this is a tradition that endures through time and change. They fade quickly, leaving behind nothing at all. The soul is solid like stone.

It lives on forever, and this is the legacy Jewish people want to leave for their families. Mourners in Judaism act quickly. Burials typically take place within 24 hours of death, if possible. Unlike other religions, music and flowers are not permitted as part of the funeral ceremony. The event is usually very simple and straightforward. The burial casket itself is plain, usually just wood. The family takes part in helping fill the grave with dirt. It may be a stone from a place that was significant to the deceased, a stone that was chosen at an event during which the deceased was especially missed, or simply an interesting or attractive rock.

Because there is no commandment to fulfill here, placing a stone on a grave is an opportunity for you to create your own ritual, or do things in the way that feels most meaningful to you. Comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, it contains the opinions of thousands of rabbis from different periods in Jewish history. Mourning Rituals. The Jewish priests kohanim became ritually impure if they came within four feet of a corpse.

The Talmud, also referred to as the Shas, mentions that after a person dies, his or her soul continues to dwell in the grave where he or she was buried. Jews believed that placing the stones on a grave would keep the soul down in this world.

Some people find comfort in this. Another interpretation suggests that the stones will keep demons and golems from getting into the graves. Flowers, though beautiful, will eventually die.

A stone can symbolize the permanence of memory and will not die. It may be from a place of meaning to the deceased, or simply an interesting or attractive rock.

Because there is no commandment behind placing a stone, this action serves as an opportunity for you to create your own, meaningful ritual. Skip to content. I spoke to the beautifully carved monuments, reflective of a life once lived. It was as if I was speaking directly to my great-grandparents.

I told them who I was, whose child I was, and how much I knew about them. I stood there alone on a windy autumn day reciting the ancient words of the Kaddish for two people I had never met, but felt I knew. It was a wonderful, uplifting moment for me.