Unveiling of a Matzevah (tombstone)

The service at the unveiling of a Matzevah (tombstone) at Beth Haim in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel.

A Matzevah may only be unveiled on days that techinot are read.
Thus not on Friday afternoon, incoming Rosh Chodesh, Rosh Chodesh, the entire month of Nissan, Yom Haatzmaut, Pescah Shenie, Lag Langomer, Yom Jerushalaim, 1 to 12 Sivan, incoming 9 vb, 9 and 15 Av, incoming Rosh Hashanah, 9 -30 Tishri, incoming and every day Chamukkah, 15 Shevat, 14 and 15 Adar I, incoming Purim, Purim and Purim Shushan.

All gather in the Vega huis or another nearby hall. In contrast to the Mizsvah (Levaya), there is no singing. All texts are recited.

Printable pdf version of this page can be downloaded,

Recordings: JBS, LAV (Hashkavot) & SVD (Tefilah at the grave)

All prayers can be found in the ומחה דמעה prayer book on pages 166-192

• Description, made by LAV (manuscript in Dutch), transcription.

The Matzevah (tombstone) text and shape need approval by the rabbinate.
An old custom, dating back at least to the 19the century, is to make a small dimple in the stone and fill it with rice. It then fills with rain, attracting birds (visitors?) to the grave. Putting a small stone on a grave is not our custom, although it is sometimes done.

    
 19^th century        20^th century       21^th century

In 17^th and 18^th century we often  see the letters SAGDG on tombstones (picture 1). This stands for “Sua Alma Goze Da Gloria”, which mans His Soul Enjoys Glory. This is a translation of the common Hebrew text found on many tombstones: תנצבה, which stands for תהי נשמתתו צרורה בצרור החיים

Some end 19th century – early 20th century tombstones have the letters HARIV (picture 2) or ZRZA. According to some, the “A” stand for “Ash”. But as we don’t cremate, “ash” is not possible.
According to rabbi Serfary, the “A” indeed doesn’t stand for “Ash” but rather for the Latin word “Animus”, which means “Soul”. The word Animus was used in Dutch as a foreign-language word.
Concluding:
HARIV – Haar Animus Ruste In Vrede means: her soul rests in peace.
ZRZA – Zalig Ruste Zijn Animus means: blissful rests his soul.
To avoid future confusion rabbi Serfaty proposes not to use the abbreviation but the words.

    
     picture 1                picture 2

(*) LAV refers the Ashkenazi קצור ספר חיים לנפש edition 1923 page 63. Indeed this text is “strange” and I couldn’t find it in any of our books. Further, London and New York also don’t have it. According to SVD, LAV told him that this was introduced in the 19^th century under kabalistic influences. I didn’t manage to find a conformation for this.