Comforting the Mourners: Difference between revisions
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==Over the | ==How to Comfort the Mourner== | ||
# There are two components to comforting the mourner; one, easing the pain of the living relatives and two, showing a last honor to the deceased.<ref>Rambam (Avel 14:7)</ref> There's an additional productive aspect of going to the house of mourners; it reminds a person of the fragility of life.<ref>Ketubot 72a</ref> | |||
# Just listening and enabling the mourner to relieve some of his pain by expressing his emotions is a form of comfort. <ref>Yoma 75a</ref> | |||
==Over the Phone== | |||
# Many authorities hold if a person can go to the house of the mourner he should not exempt himself by calling on the phone. However, if a person can't make it to the mourner's house because of an illness or involvement in a mitzvah there is an obligation to fulfill what he can by calling on the telephone. <ref> | # Many authorities hold if a person can go to the house of the mourner he should not exempt himself by calling on the phone. However, if a person can't make it to the mourner's house because of an illness or involvement in a mitzvah there is an obligation to fulfill what he can by calling on the telephone. <ref> | ||
* Sh"t Igrot Moshe 4:40 | * Sh"t Igrot Moshe 4:40:11 writes there's two purposes of comforting the mourner. One is to comfort and speak to the living relatives who are very distressed. The other purpose is to show respect to the deceased. Comforting a mourner over the phone only fulfills the first purpose and even in that respect it's much better to go to the mourners house. Therefore, if a person can go to the house of the mourner he should not exempt himself by calling on the phone. However, if a person can't make it to the mourner's house because of an illness or involvement in a mitzvah there is an obligation to fulfill what he can by calling on the telephone. Rav Moshe also has a similar idea regarding [[Visiting the sick|visiting the sick]] ([[Bikur Cholim]]) in Sh"t Igrot Moshe 1:223. Minchat Yitzchak 2:84 agrees with Rav Moshe regarding [[Bikur Cholim]]. Bear Moshe 2:104, 106 agrees with Rav Moshe both regarding comforting mourners and [[visiting the sick]]. | ||
* However, Rav Yitzchak Hutner (Pachad Yitzchak Igrot #33) writes that calling a sick person on the phone basically accomplishes the purpose of [[Bikur Cholim]] to investigate in a fellow Jew's situation and see how one can help, however, calling a mourner one doesn't fulfill the mitzvah properly because [[Nichum Aveilim]] is supposed to create a [[gathering]] of comforters to surround the mourner (see Ketubot 69b) and a phone doesn't accomplish that. See Peni Baruch 11:12 who quotes Sh"t Minchat David 72-3 who says that one shouldn't comfort mourners over the phone.</ref> | * However, Rav Yitzchak Hutner (Pachad Yitzchak Igrot #33) writes that calling a sick person on the phone basically accomplishes the purpose of [[Bikur Cholim]] to investigate in a fellow Jew's situation and see how one can help, however, calling a mourner one doesn't fulfill the mitzvah properly because [[Nichum Aveilim]] is supposed to create a [[gathering]] of comforters to surround the mourner (see Ketubot 69b) and a phone doesn't accomplish that. See Peni Baruch 11:12 who quotes Sh"t Minchat David 72-3 who says that one shouldn't comfort mourners over the phone.</ref> | ||
==On Shabbat== | ==On Shabbat== | ||
# It is permitted to visit a mourner on [[Shabbat]]. However, one should not plan to visit a mourner specifically on [[Shabbat]]. <ref>Shulchan Aruch 287:1 writes that it's permitted to comfort a mourner on [[Shabbat]]. However, Mishna Brurah 287:1 points out that the Rabbis only permitted this with difficulty. Thus, says the Mishna Brurah, those who only comfort mourners on [[Shabbat]] are not acting correctly. [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/m/halacha.aspx?id=2230 Rabbi Mansour on Dailyhalacha.com] says therefore one shouldn't specifically plan to visit on [[Shabbat]]. </ref> | # It is permitted to visit a mourner on [[Shabbat]]. However, one should not plan to visit a mourner specifically on [[Shabbat]]. <ref>Shulchan Aruch 287:1 writes that it's permitted to comfort a mourner on [[Shabbat]]. However, Mishna Brurah 287:1 points out that the Rabbis only permitted this with difficulty. Thus, says the Mishna Brurah, those who only comfort mourners on [[Shabbat]] are not acting correctly. [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/m/halacha.aspx?id=2230 Rabbi Mansour on Dailyhalacha.com] says therefore one shouldn't specifically plan to visit on [[Shabbat]]. </ref> | ||
# If one comforts a mourner on [[Shabbat]] one should say "[[Shabbat]] Hiy MeLeNachem VeNechama Krova Lavo" and some are lenient to say HaMakom Yinachamecha. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 287:3 </ref> | # If one comforts a mourner on [[Shabbat]] one should say "[[Shabbat]] Hiy MeLeNachem VeNechama Krova Lavo" and some are lenient to say HaMakom Yinachamecha. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 287:3 </ref> | ||
==Who | ==Who Should Comfort the Mourner== | ||
# An enemy of the mourner shouldn't comfort the mourner so that people don’t think that he’s happy because of his downfall, however, he may be involved in the | # An enemy of the mourner shouldn't comfort the mourner so that people don’t think that he’s happy because of his downfall, however, he may be involved in escorting the funeral procession. <Ref>Kitzur S”A 193:1 </ref> | ||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Between Man And His Fellow]] | [[Category:Between Man And His Fellow]] | ||
Revision as of 20:35, 19 April 2015
How to Comfort the Mourner
- There are two components to comforting the mourner; one, easing the pain of the living relatives and two, showing a last honor to the deceased.[1] There's an additional productive aspect of going to the house of mourners; it reminds a person of the fragility of life.[2]
- Just listening and enabling the mourner to relieve some of his pain by expressing his emotions is a form of comfort. [3]
Over the Phone
- Many authorities hold if a person can go to the house of the mourner he should not exempt himself by calling on the phone. However, if a person can't make it to the mourner's house because of an illness or involvement in a mitzvah there is an obligation to fulfill what he can by calling on the telephone. [4]
On Shabbat
- It is permitted to visit a mourner on Shabbat. However, one should not plan to visit a mourner specifically on Shabbat. [5]
- If one comforts a mourner on Shabbat one should say "Shabbat Hiy MeLeNachem VeNechama Krova Lavo" and some are lenient to say HaMakom Yinachamecha. [6]
Who Should Comfort the Mourner
- An enemy of the mourner shouldn't comfort the mourner so that people don’t think that he’s happy because of his downfall, however, he may be involved in escorting the funeral procession. [7]
Sources
- ↑ Rambam (Avel 14:7)
- ↑ Ketubot 72a
- ↑ Yoma 75a
- ↑
- Sh"t Igrot Moshe 4:40:11 writes there's two purposes of comforting the mourner. One is to comfort and speak to the living relatives who are very distressed. The other purpose is to show respect to the deceased. Comforting a mourner over the phone only fulfills the first purpose and even in that respect it's much better to go to the mourners house. Therefore, if a person can go to the house of the mourner he should not exempt himself by calling on the phone. However, if a person can't make it to the mourner's house because of an illness or involvement in a mitzvah there is an obligation to fulfill what he can by calling on the telephone. Rav Moshe also has a similar idea regarding visiting the sick (Bikur Cholim) in Sh"t Igrot Moshe 1:223. Minchat Yitzchak 2:84 agrees with Rav Moshe regarding Bikur Cholim. Bear Moshe 2:104, 106 agrees with Rav Moshe both regarding comforting mourners and visiting the sick.
- However, Rav Yitzchak Hutner (Pachad Yitzchak Igrot #33) writes that calling a sick person on the phone basically accomplishes the purpose of Bikur Cholim to investigate in a fellow Jew's situation and see how one can help, however, calling a mourner one doesn't fulfill the mitzvah properly because Nichum Aveilim is supposed to create a gathering of comforters to surround the mourner (see Ketubot 69b) and a phone doesn't accomplish that. See Peni Baruch 11:12 who quotes Sh"t Minchat David 72-3 who says that one shouldn't comfort mourners over the phone.
- ↑ Shulchan Aruch 287:1 writes that it's permitted to comfort a mourner on Shabbat. However, Mishna Brurah 287:1 points out that the Rabbis only permitted this with difficulty. Thus, says the Mishna Brurah, those who only comfort mourners on Shabbat are not acting correctly. Rabbi Mansour on Dailyhalacha.com says therefore one shouldn't specifically plan to visit on Shabbat.
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 287:3
- ↑ Kitzur S”A 193:1
