[Avodah] Bizayon HaMeis

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 01:22:53AM -0500, T613K at aol.com wrote:
: Practically speaking, something like 90% of the taharos we do in our chevra 
: kadisha (I live in Miami) are for non-O Jews.  If their families had a C 
: or  R chevra kadisha to turn to, they might opt for that instead...
: In a town so small that it doesn't have a chevra kadisha, perhaps a non-O  
: CK which includes people who are not halachically Jews might be preferable 
: to  nothing at all -- certainly preferable to embalming or  cremation.  

I'm reminded of the person who is one step outside the Miqdash, but
still qualifies as having been sepaqared from Qorban Pesach by a "derekh
rechoqah", and thus may bring one on Pesach Sheini.

I think that unless C embraces the concept of performing a taharah,
many Jews will consider it something the O do, and even if available,
won't avail themselves. As for whether there would be a net gain,
I suppose that depends on the specifics of the town's population, and
on the meticulousness of the C's chevrah.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             When memories exceed dreams,
micha at aishdas.org        The end is near.
http://www.aishdas.org                   - Rav Moshe Sherer
Fax: (270) 514-1507