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Is it permissible to attend a "wake" with a an open casket for a non-Jew held in a funeral home, not a church?

Harel13
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user14120
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    Good question! You might want to consider editing into it why you think that doing so might possibly be a problem? (Is it the presence of the deceased in an open casket? Is the recitation of prayers? Is it the seating arrangements? etc) – Shimon bM Feb 01 '17 at 22:04
  • FWIW, I have heard that a wake is somewhat similar (in form) to a shiv'a call, except that the body is still present (eg. unburied). This is from the explanation that אמי מוריתי שת”י gave me when I was younger and enquired on the subject. – Noach MiFrankfurt Feb 01 '17 at 22:19
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    Please define a "wake" in th body of the question as I have heard different explanations as to wake goes on their. – sabbahillel Feb 02 '17 at 01:21
  • @sabbahillel, see my comment. The guf is there, but otherwise, it's got almost all of the trappings of a shiva call (less any Torah) – Noach MiFrankfurt Feb 02 '17 at 02:40
  • related: Is one allowed to attend a wake for a Jew? – mbloch Jul 10 '18 at 08:46

1 Answers1

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Rav Elchanan Lewis answers your question saying,

A Jew can enter a non Jewish cemetery and attend a non Jewish funeral. (see Bava Metziah 114a) The only prohibition is to enter a church if the ceremony takes place there.

See here for a discussion of a Kohen attending such a funeral/wake.

NJM
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