Jewish Burial

Now, for a little lesson on burials:  From the time a person passes away until their body is interned, the family members, who are responsible to bring their loved one to his or her final resting place, have a weird status of no mans land.  On the one hand, they aren't yet "mourners," as that status starts after burial, and don't have the regular restrictions of mourners.  On the other hand, they are exempt from all mitzvahs, including blessings, studying Torah, putting on tefillin etc. until the deceased is buried.

The reason is:  when you are the one responsible for burying someone, nothing else in the world exists!  You shouldn't be distracted with anything else, even things that are very important.  The one and only thing on your mind should be burying this person, and everything else should be put on hold until the job is done. 

When someone passes away without any money or family, everyone in the city become like family (after all, we are all related) and have this status.  The mitzvah to bury the dead is because we are instructed to emulate G-d.  Just as G-d visited the sick (Abraham, after his circumsicion), we should visit the sick.  Just as G-d buried the dead (Moses), we should bury the dead.