Midrash su Deuteronomio 21:23

(Fol. 46) MISHNAH: "How was one hung?" etc. And should he be left [hanging] over night, he transgressed a negative commandment, as it is said (Dent. 21, 23) Thou shalt not leave his corpse on the tree over night, but thou shalt surely bury him on that day [for he that is hung] is a dishonor to God, etc. This means as much as people [would say] Why has this man been hung? Because he is a blasphemer. Hence the name of Heaven is dishonored. R. Maier said: "When a man suffers punishment, what does the Shechina say? I am lighter than my head, than my arm; (i.e., my head is heavy, it grieves me). Now, if the Omnipotent grieves so much over the blood of the wicked which is shed, how much more so doth He grieve over the blood of the upright! And not only of him who was executed was it said that he should not remain over night, but even anyone who leaves [unburied a corpse] over night transgresses the negative commandment. However, if he left it over night for the sake of its honor, as for instance to prepare a coffin or shroud for it, he does not transgress."

R. Jochanan, in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai, said: "Whence do we learn that if one leaves a dead body over night he violates a prohibitory law? It is said (Deut. 21, 23) Thou shalt not leave over night his corpse on the tree." R. Jochanan said again in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai: "Where is to be found in the Torah an intimation for burying a dead body. It is said. But thou shalt surely bury him." King Sabur questioned R. Chama: "Whence do you deduce from the Torah that one must be buried?" And the latter remained silent — without an answer. R. Acha b. Jacob said: "He is delivered into the hands of fools. Why did he not answer from the above-cited verse?" Because the above is to be explained to mean that a coffin and shroud are to be prepared for him, and the doubling of the word Kabor he thinks does not refer to anything. But let him say: Because all the righteous were buried. This is only a custom, and not a command of the Torah. And why not say: Because the Holy One, praised be He! buried Moses? It may be said that this also was not to change the custom. Come, listen! (I Kings 14, 13) And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him. This also, was not to change the custom. But is it not written (Jer. 16, 4) They shall not be lamented for; nor shall they be buried? Jeremiah cautioned them, that with them there will be a change of custom.

... “And David went and he took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh- gilead… And he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son…” (Shmuel II 21:12-13) What did David do? He went and gathered all the elders and great ones of Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and came to Yavesh-gilead. He found the bones of Shaul and his son Yonatan, placed them in a casket and crossed back over the Jordan, as it says “And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father and they did all that the king commanded…” (Shmuel II 21:14) What does ‘in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father’ mean? It comes to teach us that they brought them to the border of Jerusalem and buried them there. Zela is next to Jerusalem, as it says “And Zelah, Eleph, and the Jebusite, which is Jerusalem…” (Yehoshua 18:28) ‘and they did all that the king commanded’ And what did the king command? He commanded that they carry Shaul’s casket from tribe to tribe. As Shaul’s casket entered each tribe’s territory all the men, women and children came out in order to perform an act of loving kindness to Shaul and his sons and thereby all of Israel would fulfill its obligation to loving kindness. This went on until they reached the land of his portion on the border of Jerusalem. Since the Holy One saw that they did loving kindness to Shaul and fulfilled the judgement of the Givonites He was immediately filled with mercy and sent rain upon the land, as it says “And God was entreated for the land after that.” (Shmuel II 21:14) From this we learn how close the Holy One brings those that are far away, even though they converted not for the sake of heaven. There is no need to even mention how he draws near righteous converts, “O Lord, all the kings of the earth will acknowledge You…” (Tehillim 138:4)