Disinterment and Reburial

This teshuvah concerns the permissibility of disinterring a body so as to rebury a parent in a cemetery closer to where the children reside. Doing so will permit them to visit the grave, which now is at a great distance from their home. The halachah is quite clear on this matter. Disinterring Jewish dead is not permitted unless it is done for the honor and dignity of the deceased. The intent of this disinterment is to facilitate visits by the children. Hence, it is for their benefit, not for the benefit of their deceased parent.

It should be noted that there is no halachic obligation to visit the cemetery where a parent is buried. Admittedly, it has become customary to do so, and people consider it a sign of respect to honor their parents both in life and after life. Nevertheless, it is not an honor that would permit violating the law which states that it is forbidden to disinter a body once it is buried. The Shach in Yoreh De'ah 363:2 permits the reburial of a deceased person if it is to be in a family plot next to his parents, which is considered to be an honor. Therefore in this case, where the reburial is planned only to facilitate visits by the children, it is not permitted to do so.