Jewish Tradition of Placing Stones on a Grave
The placing of stones atop a Jewish grave is an old tradition, with uncertain origins. Although building a cairn over graves in not unique to Jewish tradition, the taking of small pebbles to a grave when visiting is. There are many variations as to why and how the tradition began, but it is one that is still practiced by Jewry the world over.
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Origins
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According to Temple San Jose website, the origin of the tradition of placing stones on a grave is not certain, but it is noted in an early Scripture that the sons of Jacob each placed a stone on the grave of Rachel to mark her tomb. In this way, they all contributed to the building of Rachel’s tombstone.
Significance
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According to Kolel, The Adult Center for Liberal Jewish Learning, the placing of a stone on the grave signifies the erection of a new tombstone to honor the deceased and is a note to others than someone else has been to remember the dead. A rock in Judaism also has a special relationship with God, as a name for God is "the Rock of Israel."
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Variations
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According to Jewish learning center, Ohr Somayach, the traditional may have arisen after a devout Jew broke the Sabbath in order to save the lives of other Jews--in repentance he asked for his grave to be stoned, but the people, not wanting to dishonor such a devout man instead placed stones on his grave and upon all the Jewish graves in Jerusalem, and the custom spread from there.
The Temple San Jose website also states that the custom is a form of counter--the more stones a grave has on it, the more honor, as it means that more people have visited the grave.
Superstition
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According to Temple San Hose website, a superstition around this tradition is that it started in order to keep the souls of the deceased in the grave. Originally a large bolder was placed over the grave, but failing the procurement of such a stone, a mound of pebbles and smaller stones would help keep the dead man’s soul in place.
Similarities
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Before the days of marble tombstones with inscriptions, graves were marked in many cultures by building a cairn of stones over the grave site. The cairn served as a marker, but also as a practical protection to stop animals digging up the deceased.
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