Debunking & Discussing Jewish Concepts in the Wake of RBG z'l Passing

In the wake of the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg z'l, a number of Jewish concepts have circulated around social media and news outlets. Many of these concepts have been confusing and unclear.... as is common with a faith like Judaism that is not so black and white. Let's take a moment here to debunk and discuss the textual evidence behind ideas including:
-The timing of RBG's death-- does it matter that she died on erev Rosh Hashanah? Does it make her a Tzaddik/Tzadeket?
-What is a Tzaddik anyway and does RBG fit the mold (politics aside)?
-How did RBG feel about Judaism and how (if at all) did it guide her work?
-Is it "kosher" for RBG to be laying in repose, I thought we had to bury right away?
-"RIP", "May her memory be a blessing", What's disrespectful and what's not?

Does the timing of RBG's death matter? The answer is.... yes AND no.
Numerous sources have highlighted the idea that "A person who dies on Rosh Hashanah is considered to be a Tzaddik because God wished to keep them in the world as long as possible". There's no textual evidence of this concept, it's likely an oral teaching--a drash or homily if you will. These featured texts are the most commonly cited in current discussions on the issue. But there have been a number of guesses as to the texts that might have inspired such an idea.
In particular, these texts point ideas surrounding the death of a Tzaddik-- particularly of note is a death on Shabbat, on the deceased's birthday and on Yom Kippur. It's also important to note that while this text does not mention Rosh Hashanah, RBG did die on Shabbat.

This second text below which has been commonly referenced in discussion of this topic is not a direct reference to the death of a Tzaddik but rather to the treatment of Tzaddikim on Rosh Hashanah and as a unique set of people.

כתובות ק״ג ב:ט״ו

והתניא כשחלה רבי נכנס ר' חייא אצלו ומצאו שהוא בוכה אמר לו רבי מפני מה אתה בוכה והתניא מת מתוך השחוק סימן יפה לו מתוך הבכי סימן רע לו פניו למעלה סימן יפה לו פניו למטה סימן רע לו פניו כלפי העם סימן יפה לו כלפי הכותל סימן רע לו פניו ירוקין סימן רע לו פניו צהובין ואדומים סימן יפה לו מת בע"ש סימן יפה לו במו"ש סימן רע לו מת בערב יוהכ"פ סימן רע לו במוצאי יוהכ"פ סימן יפה לו מת מחולי מעיים סימן יפה לו מפני שרובם של צדיקים מיתתן בחולי מעיים

Ketubot 103b:15

The Gemara asks: But isn’t it taught in a baraita: When Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi fell ill, Rabbi Ḥiyya entered to be with him and found him crying. He said to him: My teacher, for what reason are you crying? Isn’t it taught in a baraita:
If one dies while laughing, it is a good sign for him; while crying, it is a bad sign for him.
If one dies with his face upward, it is a good sign for him; with his face downward, it is a bad sign for him.
If one dies with his face facing the people standing around him, it is a good sign for him; with his face facing the wall, it is a bad sign for him.
If one’s face is sallow, it is a bad sign for him; if his face is yellow or ruddy, it is a good sign for him.
If one dies on the Shabbat eve it is a good sign for him, because he is heading straight into the Shabbat rest; if one dies at the conclusion of Shabbat it is a bad sign for him.
If one dies on the eve of Yom Kippur, it is a bad sign for him, as his sins have not yet been forgiven; if one dies at the conclusion of Yom Kippur it is a good sign for him, because he died after his sins have been forgiven.
If one dies due to an intestinal disease, it is a good sign for him, because most of the righteous die due to intestinal disease.

ראש השנה ט״ז ב:י״ב

א"ר כרוספדאי א"ר יוחנן שלשה ספרים נפתחין בר"ה אחד של רשעים גמורין ואחד של צדיקים גמורין ואחד של בינוניים צדיקים גמורין נכתבין ונחתמין לאלתר לחיים רשעים גמורין נכתבין ונחתמין לאלתר למיתה בינוניים תלויין ועומדין מר"ה ועד יוה"כ זכו נכתבין לחיים לא זכו נכתבין למיתה

Rosh Hashanah 16b:12

§ The Gemara goes back to discuss the Day of Judgment. Rabbi Kruspedai said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Three books are opened on Rosh HaShana before the Holy One, Blessed be He: One of wholly wicked people, and one of wholly righteous people, and one of middling people whose good and bad deeds are equally balanced. Wholly righteous people are immediately written and sealed for life; wholly wicked people are immediately written and sealed for death; and middling people are left with their judgment suspended from Rosh HaShana until Yom Kippur, their fate remaining undecided. If they merit, through the good deeds and mitzvot that they perform during this period, they are written for life; if they do not so merit, they are written for death.

So what is a Tzaddik (or Tzadeket in RBG's case) anyway? According to the Torah, Noah was our first Tzaddik, a righteous person without blame. Below this first piece of Torah from Genesis, is some drash from two well known rabbis that elaborate on what it means to be a Tzaddik--not only righteous and without blame, but someone who is righteous not for himself but for the sake of others.

בראשית ו׳:ה׳-ט׳

(ה) וַיַּ֣רְא יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ (ו) וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֙אתִי֙ מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם׃ (ח) וְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (פ) (ט) אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃

Genesis 6:5-9

(5) Adonai saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how every plan devised by his mind was nothing but evil all the time. (6) And Adonai regretted that Adonai had made man on earth, and Adonai's heart was saddened. (7) Adonai said, “I will blot out from the earth the men whom I created—men together with beasts, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I regret that I made them.” (8) But Noah found favor with Adonai. (9) This is the line of Noach.—Noach was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noach walked with God.—

קדושת לוי, בראשית, נח א׳

(א) אלה תולדות נח (בראשית ו, ט). נראה דהנה יש שני מיני צדיקים שעובדים את הבורא, צדיק אחד יש שעובד הבורא ברוך הוא בהתלהבות גדול והוא לעצמו ואינו מקרב הרשעים להיותם גם כן מעובדי הבורא ברוך הוא רק שהוא בפני עצמו לבדו עובד הבורא, ויש צדיק אחד שעובד הבורא ומחזיר הרשעים להיות גם כן מעובדי הבורא כמו אברהם אבינו שהיה מגייר גרים. ואיתא בכתבי האר"י ז"ל שעל זה נענש נח על שלא היה מוכיח הרשעים שבדורו והוצרך לגלגל במשה ומשה היה מתקן שהיה מוכיח תמיד כל ישראל. וזהו הפירוש שאמרו חכמינו ז"ל (קידושין מ.) טוב לשמים וטוב לבריות, כי זה הצדיק שעובד ה' ומקרב את הרשעים גם כן להיות עבדי ה' נקרא טוב לשמים משום שהוא עובד הבורא ברוך הוא וטוב לבריות גם כן בשביל שהוא מקרב הבריות לעבוד ה' אבל נח לא היה מקרב הבריות לעבוד ה' כנ"ל. וידוע מה שאמרו חכמינו ז"ל (סנהדרין יט:) כל המלמד בן חבירו תורה כאילו ילדו, כמו שכתוב אצל אברהם אבינו ואת הנפש אשר עשו בחרן (בראשית יב, ה) נמצא לפי זה אברהם אבינו שהיה מגייר גרים הרבה לכך לא נאמר אצל אברהם אלה תולדות כמו שנאמר אצל נח משום שלא היה לו תולדות רק מה שאמר הכתוב ויולד נח שלשה בנים את שם וכו', ולא יותר כנ"ל (וזהו פירוש הכתוב אלה תולדות נח נח איש צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו וכו' ויולד נח וכו', רק אלה תולדות נח מה שאמר הכתוב להלן ויולד נח שלשה וכר). והטעם את האלהים התהלך נח, רצה לומר רק את האלהים היה מתהלך נח, נח לבדו היה עובד הבורא ברוך הוא אבל לא היה מתהלך עם הבריות לקרבם להיות מעובדי הבורא ברוך הוא לכן נאמר שוב ויולד נח רק שלשה בנים את שם וכו', ושייך שפיר אלה תולדות נח. וזהו פירוש ונח מצא חן בעיני ה', היה לו לומר ונח היה לו חן בעיני ה', ולפי הנ"ל אתי שפיר, כי ידוע שאנשי דור המבול שטופי זימה היו ונח היה צדיק תמים והיה מעלה אותו החן לקדושה כי דור המבול הביאו אותו חן לקליפה ונח לא היה מוכיח אותם. וזה פירוש ונח מצא חן בעיני ה'. ונח מצא חן, רצה לומר ראה שיש מציאת חן בזה העולם והוא מצא אותו חן בעיני ה', רצה לומר היה מעלה אותו לקדושה אבל לא היה מעלה רק בעיני ה' אבל לא בעיני הבריות כנ"ל:

Kedushat Levi, Genesis, Noach 1

Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev (Poland/Ukraine, 1740-1810)

“These are the generations of Noach" there are two types of righteous people, both of whom serve God. The first category does so with enthusiasm and profound devotion, but does so as an individual only, not endeavoring to draw other people, admitted sinners, nearer to their Creator. There is a second category of tzaddik, righteous person, who not only serves God, but who also is instrumental in leading sinners back to their Creator.

Adapted from Rabbi Elimelech of Lizensk (Poland, 1717-1786)
There are two kinds of “righteous” people: one who is truly righteous and one who just dresses like a righteous person in a fur coat. Each of them faces the winter in a different way. One will go out and collect wood for the fire; the other will wrap himself in his fur coat. The one who collects wood lights a fire and invites others to join him. He not only warms himself, but others as well. The one who makes himself cozy in his own heavy coat is secure, but those around him will freeze. The genuinely righteous person is the one who shares his warmth with others.

This word Tzaddik sure seems familiar..... that's because it shares the same root with a few words you might have heard before: tzedakah-- charity, and tzedek, justice. It seems interesting and fitting that the first discussions following RBG's passing were about her status as a tzaddik when the term "tzedek" played a core role in her own Jewish identity. In one of the numerous times she discussed her Jewish heritage, Justice Ginsburg mentioned the text below being hung on her office wall and being the Jewish text that particularly stood out to her...

דברים ט״ז:י״ח-כ׳

(יח) שֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק׃ (יט) לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם׃ (כ) צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ (ס)

Deuteronomy 16:18-20

(18) You shall appoint magistrates and officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that Adonai your God is giving you, and they shall govern the people with due justice. (19) You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just. (20) Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that Adonai your God is giving you.

The pursuit of justice clearly was a defining factor in RBG's life and work. But it's not the only way her Jewish identity influenced her. Her negative experiences with the Jewish community also had a lasting impact. In particular, RBG was raised in an observant home and a conservative non-egalitarian community. While attending Camp Che Ne Wa she was often called the "Junior Rabbi" due to her love of leading prayer services. But she, as a woman could not become a Rabbi in her community at that time. Perhaps most impactful was her experience mourning the loss of her beloved mother at age 17, when she found herself unable to say Kaddish (the mourner's prayer) for lack of 10 men, a minyan, present as shown in the text below from the Mishnah. One can only imagine how these early experiences might have shaped her passion for women's equality. After all, this text itself and it's original source texts in the Torah don't explicitly define a minyan as MEN, it is the rabbinic interpretations that have explicitly outlined that only men traditionally constituted a minyan. The source texts of the minyan concept refer to the term "congregation" which first appears in reference to the 10 spies of Israel which gives us the magical number of 10 adult Jews. It is the rabbis who later determine that when we say adult Jew, we mean adult Jewish MAN.

משנה מגילה ד׳:ג׳

(ג) אֵין פּוֹרְסִין אֶת שְׁמַע, וְאֵין עוֹבְרִין לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, וְאֵין נוֹשְׂאִין אֶת כַּפֵּיהֶם, וְאֵין קוֹרִין בַּתּוֹרָה, וְאֵין מַפְטִירִין בַּנָּבִיא, וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין מַעֲמָד וּמוֹשָׁב, וְאֵין אוֹמְרִים בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים וְתַנְחוּמֵי אֲבֵלִים וּבִרְכַּת חֲתָנִים, וְאֵין מְזַמְּנִין בַּשֵּׁם, פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה. וּבַקַּרְקָעוֹת, תִּשְׁעָה וְכֹהֵן. וְאָדָם, כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן:

Mishnah Megillah 4:3

(3) They do not recite the Shema responsively, And they do not pass before the ark; And the [the priests] do not lift up their hands; And they do not read the Torah [publicly]; And they do not conclude with a haftarah from the prophets; And they do not make stops [at funeral] processions; And they do not say the blessing for mourners, or the comfort of mourners, or the blessing of bridegrooms; And they do not mention God’s name in the invitation [to say Birkat Hamazon]; Except in the presence of ten. [For redeeming sanctified] land nine and a priest [are sufficient], and similarly with human beings.

Is it "Kosher" that she's laying in repose? You might have heard that Jews seek to bury their dead as soon as possible and/or within 24 hours with few exceptions (primarily Shabbat and Yom Kippur). The only real reason we can glean from the Torah for this is for lack of modern technology and science, a concern for the decomposition of the body. One early reference to a swift burial is found in the text below from Genesis 50 in which Joseph is concerned over the long mourning period for his father Jacob. The commentary that follows is particularly interesting for it's small reference to Jacob's status as a Tzaddik-- perhaps a first small answer to the halachic question pertaining to RBG's repose.

בראשית נ׳:ב׳

(ב) וַיְצַ֨ו יוֹסֵ֤ף אֶת־עֲבָדָיו֙ אֶת־הָרֹ֣פְאִ֔ים לַחֲנֹ֖ט אֶת־אָבִ֑יו וַיַּחַנְט֥וּ הָרֹפְאִ֖ים אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Genesis 50:2

(2) Then Joseph ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel.

העמק דבר על בראשית נ׳:ב׳:א׳

(א) ויצו יוסף וגו׳. ידוע ברבה שהי׳ תרעומות על יוסף ע״ז עד שאמרו בפ״ק דסוטה למה מת יוסף לפני אחיו רבי א׳ על שחנט את אביו א״ל הקב״ה לא הייתי יכול לשמור את צדיקי לא כך אמרתי לו אל תיראי תולעת יעקב אל תראי תולעת את יעקב :

Haamek Davar on Genesis 50:2:1

Joseph was concerned lest his father’s body begin to decompose during the unusually long mourning period that preceded his interment..According to the Sages, God criticized him for this, saying, “Do you think that I am unable to preserve my righteous ones?” It was on account of this that Joseph died before all his brothers...

We see below yet another text from the Torah that explicitly refers to a speedy burial in this case, of a criminal. Here, a defiled body is considered an affront to the creator.

דברים כ״א:כ״ב-כ״ג

(כב) וְכִֽי־יִהְיֶ֣ה בְאִ֗ישׁ חֵ֛טְא מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֖וֶת וְהוּמָ֑ת וְתָלִ֥יתָ אֹת֖וֹ עַל־עֵֽץ׃ (כג) לֹא־תָלִ֨ין נִבְלָת֜וֹ עַל־הָעֵ֗ץ כִּֽי־קָב֤וֹר תִּקְבְּרֶ֙נּוּ֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא כִּֽי־קִלְלַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים תָּל֑וּי וְלֹ֤א תְטַמֵּא֙ אֶת־אַדְמָ֣תְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָֽה׃ (ס)

Deuteronomy 21:22-23

(22) If a person is guilty of a capital offense and is put to death, and you hang them on a tree (23) you must not let their corpse remain on the stake overnight, but must bury them the same day. For an impaled body is an affront to God: you shall not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Perhaps the most explicit address of this issue of prolonging burial particularly in RBG's case as an honor, can be found in the Shulchan Aruch text below. One can easily argue that Justice Ginsberg having been honored by laying in repose falls under this note of "for the sake of his honor". One might even further argue that the following reasons, in particular to "assemble the township" might apply here if we were to view RBG as "of our nation". In which case she is laying in repose as the nation assembles to mourn her.

יורה דעה שנ״ז:א׳

(א) איסור הלנת המת ומתי מותר להלינו. ובו ב' סעיפים:
אסור להלין המת אלא אם כן הלינו לכבודו להביא לו ארון ותכריכין או מקוננות או כדי שיבאו קרובים או להשמיע עיירות:

Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah 357:1

(1) It is prohibited to leave the corpse [unburied] over night, unless they left him over night for the sake of his honour, [viz.,] to provide for him a coffin or shrouds,¹Mishna San. 46a: ‘Whoever leaves his dead lie over night, transgresses both the positive command, “but thou shalt surely bury him the same day,” and the negative command, “his body shall not remain all night upon the tree” (Deut. XXI, 23). Cf. ibid. 46b. Some hold that only the negative command is transgressed, since the positive command refers only to those executed by Court. Cf. Yad, Sanhedrin XV, 8 and v. Leḥem Mish. Yad, Ebel IV, 8. however, Sifre Deut. ibid. and Torah Temimah a.l. Cf. also A.R.N. § IV; Zohar, Emor 88a-b; Naso 142b-144a. The prohibition is only against keeping the corpse over night until the morning, but if kept over only part of the night, there is no transgression involved, only that it is considered a praiseworthy act to bury the corpse as soon as possible (v. infra par. 2) — P.Tesh., Yad Abraham. Even if one was a completely wicked person throughout his life, he must not be kept over night. If there is a government law in force, forbidding burial immediately after death, the above prohibition does not apply. If a corpse was found and it is not known for sure who the individual is, the law is that it is permissible to keep him over until he is identified — P.Tesh. or [professional] lamenting women,²San. 47a. or in order that relatives should [have time] to come,³Who live in another locality. Sem(H). XI, or to assemble [surrounding] townships [for his funeral].⁴ San. ibid. where Pi‘el form (שמע) is found. Our text has the Hiph‘il form. Both may be used. I Kings XV, 22; I Sam. XV, 4.

RIP? Z'l? Baruch Dayan HaEmet, May her memory be a blessing..... what the heck are we supposed to say and what should I be offended by?
There's been a lot of talk about HOW people should mourn the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and what is the right and wrong thing to say. Many in the Jewish community feel particular sensitive about ensuring that RBG's Jewishness is not erased. Many have taken particular aim at the use of "RIP, Rest in Peace" following her name as an "un-Jewish" epitaph. The reasoning behind this argument is due to the gray area that is the Jewish afterlife. Many are arguing that to say RIP implies a belief in an afterlife which Jews do not ascribe to. This argument is an oversimplification that this text sheet and our time together isn't possibly long enough to unpack. The short answer-- Jews most certainly do believe in something after death, but it's not as black and white as some big white pearly gates in the clouds or a fiery pit below. That's a whole other text sheet and session-- but trust me, we have thoughts on what happens after you die, on the soul, on a "good place' (in fact the TV show The Good Place is a pretty Jewish concept) and even a whole bunch of angels too.
We could have yet another text sheet and session on why we say zichrona levracha, Baruch Dayan HaEmet and "May her memory be a blessing" too.... but to say RIP is entirely un-Jewish would be a mistake. It's not our go-to phrase in the same way as our Christian brethren but it can actually be found in one most significant mourning prayers. While the Kaddish gets more pop culture reference, perhaps one of the most powerful moments of a Jewish funeral is the chanting of the El Malei Rachamim. Check out the translation below and take special note of the highlighted line.

אל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים שׁוֹכֵן בַּמְּרוֹמִים, הַמְצֵא מְנוּחָה נְכוֹנָה עַל כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה בְּמַעֲלוֹת קְדוֹשִׁים וטְהוֹרִים כְּזוֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ מַזְהִירִים (אֶת נִשְׁמַת (פלוני בת פלוני ,שֶׁהָלַכָה לְעוֹלָמה בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁנָדְבוּ צְדָקָה בְּעַד הַזְכָּרַת נִשְׁמָתה .בְּגַן עֵדֶן תְּהֵא מְנוּחָתה לָכֵן בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים ,יַסְתִּירֵהוּ בְּסֵתֶר כְּנָפָיו לְעוֹלָמִים ,וְיִצְרֹר בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֶת נִשְׁמָתה ה' הוּא נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְיָנוּחַ ,בְּשָׁלוֹם עַל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן

Version said for a woman (translation from Shiva.com)

God, full of mercy, Who dwells above, give rest on the wings of the Divine Presence , amongst the holy, pure and glorious who shine like the sky, to the soul of (Hebrew name of deceased) daughter of (Hebrew name of her father), for whom prayer was offered in the memory of her soul. Therefore, the Merciful One will protect her soul forever, and will merge her soul with eternal life. The Everlasting is her heritage, and she shall rest peacefully at her lying place, and let us say: Amen.