643 | On a Small Coin for Charity and Atonement During a Funeral This is presumably an echo of the old Jewish custom of distributing charity during the funeral . But, of course, it also reminds us of the ancient Greek practice of putting a small coin in the dead person’s mouth to pay for his journey across the river Styx on his way to Hades . 3 And as to this practice in first and second century Palestine, in addition to our reference to Rachel Hachlili’s finding, mentioned above, we should also note what L . Y . Rahmani wrote in his “ANote on Charon’s Obol,” Atikot 22, pp . 49 - 50 . He writes in conclusion : 993, To sum up, coin finds answering the rigorous definition of Charon’s obol have come to light in only three Jewish burials of the time and place in question . One may wonder how far they exceed the limits of individual superstitious impulse, hardly to be construed to represent the custom of a community . 4 But apparently in later times, and in Jewish communities in the Greek o...
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