Chullin 72: Burials

A brief note about today's daf:

We learn from Rabbi Akiva that in Bamidbar (19:16) when one who touches a gollel, casket cover, or dofek, casket walls, s/he has been ritually defiled.  Or, as Rabbeinu Tam suggests, these are part of the tomb which extrude from the field.  The medieval period burial procedures are described.  In mishnaic times, corpses were placed in burial caves to decompose and then the bones were taken to a family burial cave.  The cave was sealed by a gollel, rolling rock held in place by a dofek, another stone.  Wax sealed by the owner demonstrated whether or not the tomb had been opened.