יורה דעה ש״מYoreh De'ah 340

Se’if 1א׳

מִי שֶׁמֵּת לוֹ מֵת, וְהוּא מֵהַמֵּתִים שֶׁרָאוּי לְהִתְאַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם, חַיָּב לִקְרֹעַ עָלָיו. וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּקְרַע מְעֻמָּד; וְאִם קָרַע מְיֻשָּׁב, לֹא יָצָא, וְצָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וְלִקְרֹעַ (טוּר בְּשֵׁם רי"ץ גֵּאוּת וְהָרֹא"שׁ וְהַגָּהוֹת מַיְמוֹנִי וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לְדַעַת ראב"ד ורי"ף וְרַמְבַּ"ן וּמָרְדְּכַי פא"מ). וּלְכַתְּחִלָּה צָרִיךְ לִקְרֹעַ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּסְתֹּם פְּנֵי הַמֵּת. (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם סמ"ק).

LAWS OF RENDING GARMENTS One who suffered a bereavement, namely, [one] of [his] near-of-kin1 infra § 374. [died], for whom he is required to observe mourning rites, must rend [his garments] for him.2M.K. 24a: ‘A mourner who does not rend his garments, is guilty of a mortal offense.’ The requirement is Rabbinical and the Rabbis gave it support by reference to a Biblical verse — ShaK. It is customary that another person rends the garment, for then the mourner endures more grief, and on seeing a stranger rend his garment, and remaining silent he thereby acknowledges Divine Justice. The stranger must not rend more than is required. Otherwise, he is held responsible for damages. Even when the mourner himself rends the garment, he must not rend more than the law requires. If he rends more, he transgresses the law forbidding one to ruin anything wantonly (v. Deut. XX, 19) — P.Tesh. One must also rend garments when he collects the bones of a near-of-kin — G.Mah. (v. infra § 403, 2). The benediction recited when rending garments must contain the ‘Divine Name’ and the word ‘King’ — Bir. Yos. One must rend [his garments] while standing;3M.K. 20b, derived from the verse, ‘Then Job stood up and rent his mantle’ (Job I, 20). also II Sam. XII, 31. and if one rent [his garments] while sitting, he has not discharged his duty;4M.K. ibid. and he must rend again.5Tur citing Ghayyat; Asheri; Hag. Maim.; B.Yos. according to opinion of RaBaD; N; Mord. M.K. III — G. Some authorities state that if he had already rent in a sitting position, the reading is considered valid. A.H. In the first instance one must rend [his garments] before he conceals the face of the corpse.6B.Yos. citing SeMaK — G. Cf. supra § 339 according to which the mourner rends his garments when he reaches the words, ‘Judge of Truth.’ There is no contradiction between these rulings, since the former rule is in accordance with the custom to recite the Ẓidduk Haddin when the soul departs — Ba’er Heteb. If one has not rent garments after death, he may still do so throughout the seven days of mourning, for during this period it is still regarded as a ‘moment of excitement’ (v. M.K. 24a).

Se’if 2ב׳

מְקוֹם הַקְּרִיעָה, בְּכָל מָקוֹם בְּבֵית הַצַּוָּאר לְפָנָיו; אֲבָל אִם קָרַע לְאַחֲרָיו, אוֹ בְּשׁוּלֵי הַבֶּגֶד (טוּר) אוֹ מִן הַצְּדָדִין, לֹא יָצָא. הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁיּוֹצֵא אִם קוֹרֵעַ בְּשׁוּלֵי הַבֶּגֶד, וְכֵן נָהֲגוּ לְהָקֵל לִקְרֹעַ בְּשׁוּלֵי הַבֶּגֶד, (אֵלּוּ מִנְהָגִים תִּמְצָא בִּסְמַ"ק ובמהרי"ו וּבְחִדּוּשֵׁי אֲגֻדָּה וּבְכָל בּוֹ), כְּשֶׁקּוֹרְעִין עַל שְׁאָר מֵתִים שֶׁאֵינָן מִתְאַבְּלִין עֲלֵיהֶם; אֲבָל עַל הַמֵּתִים שֶׁהֵם קְרוֹבָיו, וּמִתְאַבְּלִים עֲלֵיהֶם, אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא בִּקְרִיעָה זוֹ וְצָרִיךְ לִקְרֹעַ בְּבֵית הַצַּוָּאר, וְכֵן נָהֲגוּ.

The region for rending is all along the neck of the garment in the forepart; but if he rent in the back part, or in the lower parts of the garment,7Tur — G. or on the sides, he has not discharged his duty.8M.K. 26b. Yad, Ebel VIII, 1. Likewise if the garment is rent widthwise, one does not discharge his duty — P.Tesh. Gloss: Some say that one discharges his duty if he rends in the lower parts of the garment; and thus is the common practice to adopt the more lenient view, [viz.,] to rend in the lower parts of the garment,9These customs you will find in SeMaK, MaHaRIW, Ḥid. Agud. and Kol Bo — G. when rending for all other dead, for whom one does not observe mourning rites;10When one is present during the departure of the soul — ShaK. but for near-of-kin, for whom one must observe mourning rites, he does not discharge his duty with this rending, but must rend in the neck of the garment. And thus is the common practice.11SeMaK on the basis of Sem(H). IX, 18: ‘One who rends in the lower parts or on the sides of the garment has not discharged his duty. R. Judah says, that he has discharged his duty.’ In the case of other dead, who are not his near-of-kin, we accept R. Judah’s view.

Se’if 3ג׳

שִׁעוּר קְרִיעָה, טֶפַח. וְאִם קָרַע עַל מֵת, וּבָא לְהוֹסִיף בְּאוֹתָהּ קְרִיעָה עַל מֵת אַחֵר, אִם אַחַר ז', סָגֵי בְּכָל שֶׁהוּא. וְאִם הוּא בְּתוֹךְ ז', צָרִיךְ טֶפַח. וְעַל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ אַחַר ז', קוֹרֵעַ עַד שֶׁיְּגַלֶּה אֶת לִבּוֹ.

The extent of rending is a handbreadth.12M.K. 22b: ‘Said R. Abbahu, what text teaches this? Then David took hold on his clothes and rent them (II Sam. I, 11), and there is no taking hold of anything by less than a hand-breadth. Cf. Suk. 32b; Nid. 26a. If he rent [his garment] upon suffering a bereavement, and extends the rent, on sustaining another bereavement; if [the second bereavement] is after the seven [days, the additional rent] may be as small [as he wishes]; if during the seven [days], a handbreadth is required.13M.K. 26b. infra par 21. However, for his father and mother, [after having suffered a previous bereavement], even after seven [days], he rends until he bares his chest.14M.K. ibid. infra par. 18 and 2