From what I gather when you die in Israel it is prefered that you are buried before sunset on the day you died . I seem to remember that Robert Maxwell was and he was killed on his boat in the Med. If I am right what happens if an autopsy is needed or don't they have them over there.
Burial within hours of death is actually Muslim, rather than Jewish tradition - but if legal restraints meant a body had to be retained, then the law would take precidence. Otherwise, the tradition, probably based on preventing the early decomposition of the body in the heat, continues.
Jewish law requires that a burial take place within twenty-four hours after the death occurs but there are circumstances where a later burial is permitted see http://www.judean-norbeck.com/faq.html
If an Autopsy is required in Israel then it is carried out within a very short timespace (as is the case in this country for both Moslems and Jews)
- Just an aside re: Usage:-
I thought autopsy was an American word and that we English use the phrase; 'post mortem'. Not sure what they call it in Israel. If you are indeed American Quattro then please ignore my interruption. :-)
Thank you for your answers it may seem a morbid subject but it has puzzled me for some time . I'm not an American by the way I just could'nt think of the word at the late hour I posted the question