Burying Religious Articles: Difference between revisions

#An Aron Kodesh that is worn out should be buried.<ref>Rava in Gemara Megillah 26b states that an Aron Kodesh is a tashmishei kedusha and can't be converted into a chair for a sefer Torah. This is codified in Shulchan Aruch O.C. 154:6 and Y.D. 282:13. Ginzei Hakodesh 5:8 writes that an Aron Kodesh that is worn out needs to be buried like every tashmishei kedusha. See Chatom Sofer 6:10 who explains that originally it was considered a tashmishei kedusha when the covering of the sefer torah was too short and didn't fully cover the klaf. </ref> It shouldn't be used to bury a person in it.<ref>The Chatom Sofer 6:10 writes that it is forbidden for a person to be buried in an Aron Kodesh since that is considered a mundane use of a tashmishei kedusha. He explains that even though the Gemara Megillah 26a permits burying a person with clothes that were used to wrap a sefer torah that is because a Jew after he dies has kedusha. Yet, burying a person with clothes is a valid use of kedusha for a cloth that used to wrap a sefer torah, but having an aron kodesh hold a person isn't being used for kedusha if the person is buried inside it since he is buried with clothing. Alternatively, it doesn't really enhance the burial to have the person buried in a coffin (see Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 362:1). Kaf Hachaim 154:39 quotes the Pitchei Teshuva who argues that the distinction of the Chatom Sofer isn't compelling. He adds that it is certainly forbidden to use an aron kodesh to transport a corpse if it isn't going to be used to bury him. </ref>

# It is possible to make a stipulation for an Aron Kodesh that it will be used for mundane purposes after it is finished being used to house the Sefer Torah.<ref>Shulchan Aruch O.C. 154:8, Ginzei Hakodesh 5:11</ref>

# Many poskim hold that the Aron Kodesh may not be used to house Neviim or Ketuvim even if they are written on a Klaf since they aren't the same status as a Sefer Torah.<reF>Ginzei Hakodesh 5:9 writes that the Aron Kodesh can't be used for Neviim or Ketuvim on Klaf. He cites the Taz 154:7 citing the Bach and Or Letzion 2:45:61 as strict as well as Rav Nissim Karelitz. He also quotes Rav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg as being lenient since there is an implicit stipulation of the congregation that the Aron Kodesh will also be used for the purpose of housing the Neviim and Ketuvim.</ref>

===Parochet===

#A parochet is something used for a secondary degree of kedusha, that is, it adorns the Aron which houses the Torah, therefore it doesn't require genizah. As long as it is in use it can't be used for mundane purposes.<ref>Ginzei Hakodesh 5:14 clarifies that today when the parochet isn't used for covering the bimah, when a sefer Torah is brought to the bimah it isn't considered a tashmish of kedusha, rather it is a tashmish d'tashmish d'kedusha which doesn't require geniza. He adds that it has kedusha of the shul which, while it is being used, can't be used for mundane purposes.</ref>