Siman 348

We learn in "Lifnei Ideihen" (Avodah Zarah 11a): We burn for kings, and there is no concern therein of the ways of the Amorites, as it is said regarding Zedekiah: "In peace shall you die, and with the burnings of your fathers, the kings, etc." And just as we burn for kings, so too we burn for princes. And what do we burn? Their bed and their utensils of use. And it happened that when Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, Onkelos burned for him the value of one hundred maneh. And this is to demonstrate that a commoner shall not use his possessions. And it was taught in the Tosefta (Shabbat, chapter eight) that for commoners, it is forbidden to burn. And there is in this a concern of "bal tashchit" and arrogance, for only for the honor of kings did they permit this, as the honor of a king takes precedence, but not for a commoner. And from this we have learned that it is forbidden to destroy any garment for the sake of the deceased, and only what is necessary for tachrichim.

One who says that they should not bury him from his assets – we do not listen to him, for it is not within his power to leave to his heirs and cast the expenses of his burial upon the community. Rather, we extract from the heirs all his burial needs against their will. And likewise, everything that is customary to do for members of his family – we extract from them, even the stone placed upon the grave, and likewise other expenses according to the custom of that place. And specifically when they inherited money or the equivalent of money. But when they inherited nothing – the expenses are not incumbent upon them but rather upon the community. And there is one who says that this is when he commanded not to bury him from his assets. But when he did not command, if the son is wealthy or other relatives are wealthy – we compel them to give for burial needs even though he left nothing (Be'er Heitev in the name of the Knesset HaGedolah). And in my humble opinion, even when he commanded – we extract from them, for his statement neither adds nor subtracts. And only that they should not take a large amount of burial money from the heir, even if the heir is wealthy, if he did not leave assets. And likewise, the husband is obligated in the burial of his wife, according to his honor and her honor. And see Choshen Mishpat siman 253.

A poor person who died, and said that he does not want to cast himself upon the community, and they should not bury him at all – we do not listen to him. And we bury him at the expense of the community according to the custom. And know that there are those who say that we do not compel a husband to hire a kaddish for his wife. And in my humble opinion, it is not so.