I really want a tattoo, but I'm jewish, what's the whole deal with the burrial thing?

Question

So ever since I was about 12 or 13 I've always wanted a tattoo. And now that I am older I keep hearing the whole, "you can't be burried in a jewish cemetery when you have a tattoo" and I've always wondered why. I know it says it somewhere in the old testiment but I can never find where it says so. Can someone explain the whole deal to me?

Answer 1

just because i can chop my fingers should i do it

or i can pierce 2000 rings all over my body should i do it

question isn't weather can we do these things of course we can

but should you of course not

if you choose to do you are only proving your weakness that you can not resist pressure

the real challenge if you are able to keep your body holy as in the scriptures as god wants you to be only way to please god it is easy to please man but it takes great effort to please god

god bless

Answer 2

answer: From what I've learned from my Jewish friends, that was once the case but not any more.  Jews do frown on tattoos but won't deny a Jew a burial in a Jewish cemetery.  

Many Jews, Christians and Muslims feel that it's defiling the body which should be treated as a temple (wonder what most of them think about the rampant obesity rate in the UK and US).

Answer 3

treat your body as a temple

graffiti on your body is bad, in their opinion

Answer 4

I think you need to talk with a rabbi.

Find one whose faith is in line with where you are. No point in talking to a rabbi whose orthodox views would not be in accord with yours. Find out what's up with the various restrictions.

Of course, you can just have your body burned and the ashes tossed somewhere important to you.

Or you can donate your body to science, which ends up in a cremation as well when they have used you to the max.

Answer 5

Borat Sagdiyev: Okay, Bigot.

Now, onto answering your question, I think the first answer is correct.  I was not raised in the Jewish religion, but I think that the reason you should not tattoo yourself is because you should treat your body like it is a temple.  

Answer 6

Oy.

Okay, here's the actual answer:

It is prohibited in the Torah for Jews to get a tattoo.  As in, Jews are not allowed to do so.  Not because your body is a temple or for health reasons, but because that's what it says - it was probably a reference to a form of idol worship.  If you care about what the Torah says, the cemetery thing shouldn't make a difference to you.  If you don't care, then chances are you are already breaking far more important prohibitions, regardless.

There was never any law saying that if you have a tattoo you could not be buried in a Jewish cemetery.  That is an old wives' tale with no basis in Jewish law.  It probably came about because tattoos were starting to get popular and parents used it to try to keep their kids in line, knowing they would never do the research.  But it isn't the case.

There are a handful of violations of Jewish law that can keep you from being buried in a Jewish cemetery - marrying a non-Jew is one.  But they are relatively few and far between.

Answer 7

tattoos are forbidden in Torah;

You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:28)

In order to deserve to be buried among other Jews, you must have lived a pious life, getting a tattoo is a clear challenge to Jewish law. don't do it.