Question Is it acceptable under the Law to bury two family members in the same plot,
Mother above Son?
Answer Paul,
Thank you for the kind and interesting question. I was unable to find any specific ruling on the subject although there may be some out there that I am not aware of.
In my opinion, such a burial would be prohibited based upon appearances and good taste. Since Jews are not embalmed and often holes are drilled in the bottom of the wooden casket to accelerate decomposition, there very likely would be some mixing of their materials as the "To dust you shall return" process takes place. There is a prohibition against a son lying with his mother (in a sexual sense) and this would likely be a mental image hard to forget of those visiting the grave. Finally, mass graves were often the fate of executed criminals and of our unfortunate brethren who died in the holocaust.
The flip side of the coin might include mass casualty situations, epidemics, natural disasters and the financial situation of the family. The case should be discussed directly with a qualified Rabbi for a ruling in this particular case.
