Stones on graves?

I was watching a program about cemeteries a bit ago and it showed a tour group going through... the tour guide mentioned that they were in a section where lots of Jewish people were buried, and pointed out that stones had been left on top of the graves. Would you guys explain what the significance of that is?

I would be interested in this also. I noticed it while I was at Bergen Belsen and at the end of Schindler's List.

Jensa said:

I was watching a program about cemeteries a bit ago and it showed a tour group going through... the tour guide mentioned that they were in a section where lots of Jewish people were buried, and pointed out that stones had been left on top of the graves. Would you guys explain what the significance of that is?

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It's a mitzvah. It's a way to show respect to someone who has passed by placing the stone or a -marker- at the site on which they were buried. Let's say that a tombstone has been erected, people can still do the act of the mitzvah of making a marker at a grave by adding to the stone. It has a lot to do with the symbolism of the mitzvah.

Binyamin said:

It's a mitzvah. It's a way to show respect to someone who has passed by placing the stone or a -marker- at the site on which they were buried. Let's say that a tombstone has been erected, people can still do the act of the mitzvah of making a marker at a grave by adding to the stone. It has a lot to do with the symbolism of the mitzvah.

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Just to add something that came to my mind.


Bereishis 35:20 וַיַּצֵּב יַעֲקֹב מַצֵּבָה, עַל-קְבֻרָתָהּ--הִוא מַצֶּבֶת קְבֻרַת-רָחֵל, עַד-הַיּוֹם
Genesis 35:20 And Jacob erected a monument on her grave; that is the tombstone of Rachel until this day.

Matzevah is the stone that was made, so placing the pebbles or the rock is a reminder of this mitzvah that Jacob did for his wife, Rachel.