- Family and Society
- Burial and the Cemetery
517
Question
If a jew visiting Israel dies, is his or her body allowed to be sent to his country for burial. If not, then can the body be shipped back for reburial after a few years? If he or she is he victim of a terror attack and the body is dismembered can it be shipped for burial outside of Israel.
What about Israeli jews and/or israeli residents? Can they be buried in another country?
Answer
Every Jew's country is the Land of Israel even if exile has forced him to live elsewhere (Shu"t Avnei Nezer Yoreh Deah 126 4). Your question, therefore, is whether the body of a Jew who dies while visiting his own country- Israel- can be transferred back into exile for burial.
The halacha prohibits transferring a body from a city that has a Jewish cemetery except if it is to take the body from outside of Israel to bury it in the Land of Israel or to bury the man in proximity to the graves of his fathers or if there was an instruction- express or implied- from the deceased to be buried elsewhere (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 363 2). In most cases, therefore, it would be forbidden to remove the body of a Jew from Israel to bury him outside the country. In unusal circumstances, a halachic authority must be consulted.

Father at the burial of a stillborn
Rabbi Jonathan Blass | 14 Iyyar 5763

Moving a buried Tsaddik
Rabbi Yoel Lieberman | Cheshvan 6, 5780

Onein saying Kaddish
Rabbi David Sperling | Tishrei 8, 5773

Burial Question
Rabbi Yoel Lieberman | Iyyar 3, 5780

Cutting hair after lag bomer
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 17, 5772

Trimming the beard
Rabbi David Sperling | Iyyar 16, 5782

Dwelling in the Land of Israel
Rabbi David Samson | 11 Elul 5763

Talmud for Goyim
Rabbi Chaim Tabasky | 25 Elul 5764

Follow up to "outdated Mitzvot", Sanhedrin, morality etc.
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Nisan 18, 5785

Is the Shulchan Hatahor (Komarno) acceptable for halacha?
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Adar 25, 5785

Blessing for non jew
Rabbi Yoel Lieberman | Nisan 23, 5785
