Is There a Prohibition Against Placing Flowers on a Grave?
Question
By the grace of Hashem
Greetings and blessings,
We would like to ask about flowers at a funeral, God forbid
We encountered a discussion about placing flowers on a grave
As is well known, Judaism avoids this. Why?
And is there a real prohibition here?
Does it harm the deceased? And if not, what is wrong with placing them, since this is a common custom in the world, not necessarily "you shall not walk in their statutes"?
After all, we wear suits made in Italy and shoes from abroad that we buy, so is that not following the ways of the gentiles?
What is different about this from that? Why does the Torah so strongly avoid this? And not other things?
Thank you
Answer
Greetings,
It is the view of R. Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory, in his book Yabia Omer, volume 3 (Yoreh Deah, section 24), that there is no prohibition against placing wreaths of flowers on the coffin of the deceased because of "you shall not walk in their statutes," since the consensus of most early and later halachic authorities is that this prohibition applies only when one does something unusual that has no apparent reason. Here, however, there is a reason, since it is done for beauty and honor. Therefore, those who do so have upon whom to rely. Nevertheless, it is proper to inform them in gentle language so that they do not introduce this custom in our Holy Land, since it has not been practiced there.
Good news,
Hillel Meirs
