Rashi writes about the sadeh bochim, that it was a place where the niftar was transfered from one group to another and "they would bathe him there". As far as I know, this is one of the earlier sources for the minhag of the chevra kadisha to wash the meisim. The Rambam also mentions this (Avel 4:1) and it is recorded in the Tur and Shulchan Aruch 352:4. The Kol Bo brought in Beis Yosef explains that the purpose is to wash him so that he doesn't smell so that the people carrying him won't be disgusted by the smell. However, the Darkei Moshe (also in Rama) quote the Binyomin Z'ev who adds that we are meticulous to wash between the hands, feet, ears, and even comb his hair.... "so that he comes b'tahara to his resting place like one is accustomed to doing every shabbos before going to shul".
It seems that the source for washing found in Rashi and the Rambam was for practical purposes of the living, but our minhag is more mystical to prepare the meis for where he is going.
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