Obligation of Guarding the Deceased
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Question
Why is the deceased guarded, and is it obligatory?
Answer
It is obligatory to guard the deceased out of respect. The Babylonian Talmud explains that guarding the deceased is due to the concern of mice, while the Jerusalem Talmud explains it is out of respect for the deceased, so that they are not left like an object of no significance.
Therefore, if the deceased is in a house where there is a concern for mice, it is forbidden to leave the room even for a short time. However, if they are in a coffin or a cooling room where there is no concern for mice, guarding is still required due to the reason in the Jerusalem Talmud, but one may leave occasionally, even for non-essential matters.
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