Holes in the Aron

QUESTION

When Chevros Kadisha are provided with a plain pine aron, it usually comes with pre-drilled holes in the bottom, while other caskets often do not. How important is it for all caskets used at a tahara to have holes?

ANSWER

The Shulchan Aruch¹ states that although burying a niftar in an aron fulfills the Torah obligation of burial, it is preferable to bury the body directly in the ground, even outside of Israel.

This preference is based on the pasuk “and to the dust you shall return.”² Direct burial in the earth, without the barrier of an aron, hastens the bodies return to its source, providing atonement for the niftar, as it states “and the earth atones for its people.”³

Despite this psak, it has been the prevalent minhag for centuries outside of Eretz Yisrael to use an aron.⁴ Additionally, many early Torah sources appear to support the use of an aron. How do we explain this deviation from the psak of the Shulchan Aruch?

Several explanations have been offered:

1. The minhag of placing pottery on the eyes and mouth fulfills the idea of direct contact with the earth.⁵
2. Similarly, the minhag of placing earth with the body and in the pillow serves the same purpose.⁶
3. The holes that were inevitably present in wood caskets are sufficient.⁷
4. Perhaps the wood of the aron itself can be considered like earth.⁸

In practice, different customs have emerged:

• In Eretz Yisrael, they do not use an aron at all, except in the military and in cases of traumatic death.
• In the US and Canada, the most common custom is to use a simple wood aron with pre-drilled holes in the bottom.
• In many Chassidic communities the aron is designed with removable bottom planks, which are taken out by someone who enters the kever after the aron is lowered into the ground.
• NASCK developed the Aron Mehudar, which allows the bottom planks to be lifted alongside the niftar using ropes pulled by those standing at the top of the kever.

For elaborate wood caskets that do not come with pre-drilled holes, there are several recommendations, depending on your Chevra, funeral director cooperation, and community standards:

1. Ask the casket manufacturer or distributor to drill holes in all traditional caskets.
2. Have the funeral home drill holes when a Tahara is performed.
3. With permission from the funeral home, the Chevra can drill the holes themselves.

Typically, there are 3 – 5 holes in plain wood aronos, each about 1” in diameter. This is the preferred model for all caskets. However, if a compromise is necessary, any number or size of holes will suffice.⁹

A strong note of caution: While striving to adhere to the standard of the Shulchan Aruch is a worthy goal, it’s important to avoid creating tension with funeral directors or among Chevra members. Damaging an expensive casket while drilling holes is also an important concern. Therefore, care should be taken to avoid causing any damage to the exterior of the casket in the process of drilling the holes. There are enough poskim who permit the use of caskets without holes who can be relied upon. It is therefore important to avoid creating machlokes over this issue.

1. YD 362:1
2. Bereishis 3:19
3. Devarim 32:43
4. See Kesef Mishnah on Rambam Hilchos Aveil 4:4
5. Shach 362:1
6. Be’er Heitev 362:1
7. Shach ibid.
8. Zichron Meir (Chapter 1, footnote 44)
9. As indicated by the Shach above.