Halakhic & Rabbinic Guidance
We presented a reading of the sources. Now we are asking for it to be examined properly.
Direct earth burial in linen shrouds is not an innovation - it is documented in the sources, and the Shulchan Arukh writes that it is proper to bury directly in the ground. We built the Yaar Ad plan on that basis. But a reading by a non-rabbinic team is no substitute for Halakhic examination, so this page does not try to persuade - it invites.
What we claim, and what we do not
We claim that the sources document direct earth burial in shrouds as practice, and that the Shulchan Arukh prefers burial directly in the ground. We do not claim to hold a ruling, do not presume to decide questions on which authorities differ, and do not present any of this as existing rabbinic consent.
Quotations on the site appear in their exact wording with links to the full text, so anyone can check them directly rather than rely on our phrasing.
The questions we want examined
- ●Planting trees above graves: the appropriate distance and species, and the limits of deriving benefit from the dead in this context.
- ●Marking a grave without a monument: whether permanent field marking plus precise registration meets the Halakhic need.
- ●Spacing between graves and questions of ritual impurity in open land also used for passage.
- ●Purification, shrouds and funeral procedures at a site that is not a traditional cemetery.
What we are asking for
Guidance, not automatic approval. We are looking for Torah scholars willing to review the plan, point out what does not meet requirements, and tell us when the answer is no. An initiative touching the dignity of the dead cannot rest on an independent reading alone.
What the sources say
In their exact wording, with a link to the full text.
For dust you are, and to dust you shall return
The verse behind the principle of returning to the earth, on which direct earth burial rests.
You shall surely bury him that day... so that you do not defile your land
The source of the burial obligation. In our reading, tying burial to keeping the land undefiled is precisely the spirit of ecological burial.
Until Rabban Gamliel came and treated himself lightly, and was taken out in linen garments, and the people followed his practice
The source for simple linen shrouds. Rabban Gamliel gave up ostentation so burial would not burden families - the same principle of simplicity we follow.
It is proper to bury directly in the ground
The explicit ruling preferring direct earth burial over a coffin - the basis for the burial method Yaar Ad plans.
The reading of the sources presented here is our own study, not a rabbinic ruling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Halakhic ruling or certification?
No. We hold no rabbinic ruling, which is precisely why this page exists. The reading presented on the site is our own study.
Is the plan burial without a coffin?
Yes, direct earth burial in shrouds, following the sources quoted on the site. The practical details are part of what we want clarified under Halakhic guidance.
Which trees are planned above graves?
Non-fruit forest species such as oak and terebinth. Fruit trees, if planted at all, are intended for paths and forest edges only, at a distance from graves.
A rabbi, decisor or Halakhic organization?
We would welcome your examination of the material, with no commitment on your part. Leave your details and we will send the full documents.
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