A Jew buried in a non-Jewish cemetery

Hi,

Where a Jew is buried among non-Jews, he may be exhumed to be moved to a cemetery of Jews.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:241)

שנראה בנחמת ירושלים,
Mordechai

Exhuming to avoid mixed burial

Hello,

According to Rav Moshe Feinstein in this responsum, popular practice is to bury men beside men and women beside women, other than in the case of a husband and wife. Therefore, where a man and woman who were not married to each other were accidentally buried side-by-side, the second one buried there should be exhumed and moved.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:241)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Separating stacked graves

Hi,

Graves which are layered require 6 tefach (21.6 inches) of height between them. This does not depend on the type of material between them; even where impermeable material separates the grave, this space is required.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:234)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Minimum depth of a grave

Hi,

The minimum depth of a grave is such that there will be three tefach (10.8 inches, per Rav Moshe Feinstein's measure of a tefach) of dirt atop the casket.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:233)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai