Chayei Olam [responsa concerning cremation]

LERNER, MEIR

Z. H. Itzkovsky

Berlin

1905

Additional German title

Meir Lerner (1857-1930) Chief Rabbi of Altona was a vigorous opponent of the Reform movement, especially their practice to permit cremation instead of traditional full burial. Subsequently, Lerner refused to permit the burial of these ashes in a Jewish cemetery. In order to support his position, Lerner gathered responsa from approximately 200 Rabbis from all over the world, running the gamut from Lithuanian authorities such as R. Yechiel Michal Epstien, author of Aruch HaShulchan to Chassidic Rebbes such as R. Chaim Elazar Shapiro of Munkatch, German Rabbinical scholars such as R. Asher Marx of Darmstadt and from Eretz Israel, The Adereth and the author of the Sdei Chemed