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Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1999 21:07:54 -0400 (EDT)
From: Russell Hendel <  rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu>
Subject: Re: Placing Stones on Graves

Just a short comment on Rabbi Books comment that we place stones on the
grave because STONE=EVEN = BEN (without the AlEPH) = SON. (Torah Forum Vol
4 Number 71).

Actually Rav Hirsch explains that ALEPH = Thing. Thus STONE = EVEN = The
Thing (ALEPH) you build with (BNH) Rav Hirsch followed Rashi (Job 38:28)
who translated DROPLET = EGEL = A Thing (ALEPH) that is ROUND (GLL).

Thus the EVEN = STONE is that which you build a house with. Similarly a son
placing a stone on the fathers grave would symbolically affirm that thru
him the father built a house in this world.

Russell Hendel; Phd ASA Math & Comp Science, Drexel
http://www.shamash.org/rashi/