## Kitzur Shulchan Arukh Siman 207

###### Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:1
[Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kitzur%20Shulchan%20Arukh/r/207:1)

מִצְוָה גְדוֹלָה לְנַחֵם אֲבֵלִים. וּמָצִינוּ בְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶנִּחֵם אֲבֵלִים, דִּכְתִיב, וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי מוֹת אַבְרָהָם, וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ. וְהוּא גְמִילוּת חֶסֶד עִם הַחַיִּים וְעִם הַמֵּתִים (וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל סִימָן קצג סָעִיף יא). אֵין הַמְנַחֲמִים רַשָּׁאִים לִפְתּוֹחַ פִּיהֶם עַד שֶׁיִפְתַּח הָאָבֵל תְּחִלָּה, כִּדְמָצִינוּ בְאִיּוֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וְאֵין דֹּבֵר אֵלָיו דָּבָר. וּכְתִיב, אַחֲרֵי כֵן פָּתַח אִיּוֹב אֶת פִּיהוּ, וַהֲדָר, וַיַעַן אֱלִיפַז הַתֵּמָנִי. כְּשֶׁרוֹאִים הַמְנַחֲמִים שֶׁהָאָבֵל פּוֹטֵר אוֹתָם, אֵינָן רַשָׁאִים לֵישֵׁב אֶצְלוֹ.

**Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, trans. Rabbi Avrohom Davis, Metsudah Pub., 1996:**
It is a great mitzvah to console mourners. We find that the Holy One blessed is He, consoled mourners, as it is written, "And it came to pass after the death of Avraham, that God blessed his son,"¹ 25:11. Yitchak, This is an act of kindness to the living as well as to the deceased.² 14a. The comforters are not allowed to speak before the mourner begins to speak, as it is said concerning Job, "And none spoke a word to him;"³ 2:13. and it is written, "And after this Job opened his mouth;"⁴ 3:11. and later it is written "*Eliphaz Hateimani* answered."⁵ 25b. If the comforters perceive that the mourner wishes them to leave, they are not allowed to remain there.

footnotes:
¹ Genesis
² Maseches Sotah
³ Job
⁴ Job
⁵ See Maseches Mo’ed Kattan


###### Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:2
[Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kitzur%20Shulchan%20Arukh/r/207:2)

אָבֵל אוֹ חוֹלֶה, אֵינָן צְרִיכִין לַעֲמוֹד אֲפִלּוּ מִפְּנֵי נָשִׂיא. דֶרֶךְ אֶרֶץ הוּא שֶׁאִם אֶחָד רוֹצֶה לְכַבֵּד אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ וְלָקוּם מִפָּנָיו, אוֹמֵר לוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ, שֵׁב. אֲבָל לְאָבֵל אוֹ לְחוֹלֶה, לֹא יֹאמַר כֵּן, מִשּׁוּם דְּמַשְׁמָע, שֵׁב בַּאֲבֵלוּת שֶׁלָּךְ, שֵׁב בָּחֳלִי שֶׁלָךְ.

**Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, trans. Rabbi Avrohom Davis, Metsudah Pub., 1996:**
A mourner or a sick person is not required to rise even before a *Nasi*.⁶ [Under normal circumstances] it is mannerly, when someone wants to honor his friend, and rise before him, his friend should say, "Sit." However to a mourner or to a sick person, he should not say this, for it might be construed as "Sit in your mourning" or "Sit in your illness".

footnotes:
⁶ The head of the great Sanhedrin.


###### Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:3
[Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kitzur%20Shulchan%20Arukh/r/207:3)

לֹא יֹאמַר אָדָם, לֹא נִפְרַעְתִּי כְּפִי מַעֲשַׂי הָרָעִים, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ, שֶׁלֹּא יִפְתַּח פֶּה לְשָׂטָן (עַיֵן לְעֵיל סוֹף סִימָן לג)

**Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, trans. Rabbi Avrohom Davis, Metsudah Pub., 1996:**
A person should not say, "I have not been punished sufficiently for my evil deeds," or similar expressions, so as not to open the mouth of the Satan.⁷ chapter 33:14; note 7.

footnotes:
⁷ See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch


###### Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:4
[Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kitzur%20Shulchan%20Arukh/r/207:4)

לֹא יֹאמַר אָדָם לָאָבֵל, מַה לְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת, אִי אֶפְשָר לְשַׁנּוֹת מַה שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כִּי זֶהוּ כְּעֵין גִּדּוּף, דְמַשְׁמָע, הָא אִם הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁנּוֹת, הָיָה מְשַׁנֶּה. אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו גְּזֵרַת הַשֵּׁם, יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, בְּאַהֲבָה (עַיֵן לְעֵיל סִימָן נט סָעִיף ב).

**Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, trans. Rabbi Avrohom Davis, Metsudah Pub., 1996:**
You should not say to the mourner, "What can you do? It is impossible to change what the Holy One blessed is He has done," for this is like blasphemy, for it implies that were it possible to change it, he would do so. Rather a person must accept upon himself the decree of the Almighty, blessed is He, with love.⁸ chapter 59:2.

footnotes:
⁸ See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch


###### Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:5
[Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kitzur%20Shulchan%20Arukh/r/207:5)

הָאֲבֵלִים, יֵשׁ לָהֶם לְהִתְאַבֵּל בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁיָצְאָה נִשְׁמָתוֹ שֶל הַמֵּת, כִּי בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם, נֶפֶשׁ הַמֵּת מִתְאַבֶּלֶת וְשָׁם צְרִיכִין לִתֵּן לָהּ תַּנְחוּמִין. וּמִצְוָה לְהִתְפַּלֵל שָׁם בַּעֲשָׂרָה שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית (וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל סִימָן ו', שֶׁאֵין אוֹמְרִים בְּבֵית הָאָבֵל, אֱלֹקֵינוּ וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בָּרְכֵנוּ בַּבְרָכָה וְכוּ'), וַאֲפִלּוּ אֵין שָׁם אָבֵל, כִּי יֵשׁ בָּזֶה נַחַת רוּחַ לַנְּשָׁמָה. וְאִם יֶשׁ שָׁם אָבֵל, מִצְטָרֵף לַמִּנְיָן. וְיָבִיאוּ לְשָׁם סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה מִקֹּדֶם, וְיָכִינוּ לוֹ מָקוֹם כָּרָאוּי עַל זְמַן שֶׁיִתְפַּלְלוּ שָׁם. אִם יֵשׁ בִּשְׁנֵי בָתִּים מֵתִים, בְּאֶחָד יֶשׁ שָׁם אָבֵל וּבְאֶחָד אֵין שָׁם אָבֵל, וְאֵין בָּעִיר הַהִיא כְּדֵי לְחַלֵּק שֶׁיִתְפַּלְלוּ כָּאן וְכָאן בָּעֲשָׂרָה, יִתְפַּלְלוּ בְּבַיִת שֶׁאֵין שָׁם אָבֵל. נוֹהֲגִין לוֹמַר בְּבֵית הַנִפְטָר לְאַחַר תְּפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית וּמִנְחָה, אֶת הַמִּזְמוֹר לַמְנַצֵחַ וְגוֹ' שִׁמְעוּ זֹאת כָּל הָעַמִּים וְגוֹ' (תהילים מ״ט:ב׳). וּמַה טּוֹב לִלְמוֹד שָׁם מִשְׁנָיוֹת לְתִקּוּן הַנְשָׁמָה (מִשְׁנָה אוֹתִיּוֹת נְשָׁמָה).

**Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, trans. Rabbi Avrohom Davis, Metsudah Pub., 1996:**
Mourners should observe their mourning in the place where the soul of the deceased departed, for in that place, the soul of the deceased grieves, and that is the place to comfort it. It is a mitzvah to pray there with a *minyan* of ten men in the morning and evening, even if there is no mourner present, for it is a consolation for the soul. If there is a mourner present, he may be counted in the *minyan*. A *Seifer Torah* should be brought there earlier, and a suitable place should be prepared for it, for the entire time they will pray there. If two deaths occurred in two separate houses, in one of which there is a mourner, while in the other there is no mourner, and there are not enough worshipers in the city to have a *minyan* of ten pray in each house, they should pray in the house where there is no mourner. In the house of the deceased it is customary to say, *Psalm*,⁹ 49. "*Lamanetzeach*, etc. *Shimu Zoss Kol Ha'ammim*" etc. after *Shacharis* and *Minchah*. And it is certainly good to study *Mishnayos* there, for the benefit of the soul. (The Hebrew letters of the word *Mishnah*. are the same as the word *neshoma* (soul).)

footnotes:
⁹ Psalms


###### Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:6
[Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kitzur%20Shulchan%20Arukh/r/207:6)

אֵין אוֹמְרִים הַלֵּל בְּבֵית הַנִּפְטָר, אִם יֵשׁ שָׁם אָבֵל תּוֹךְ שִׁבְעָה (מִשּׁוּם דַּהֲוֵי כְּמוֹ לוֹעֵג לָרָשׁ, שֶׁאוֹמְרִים בּוֹ, לֹא הַמֵּתִים יְהַלְלוּ יָהּ). וְאִם יֶשׁ שָׁם חֶדֶר אַחֵר, יֵלֵךְ הָאָבֵל לְחֶדֶר אַחֵר, וְהַצִּבּוּר יֹאמְרוּ הַלֵּל. וְאִם אֵין חֶדֶר אַחֵר, אֲזַי בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, אֵין צְרִיכִין לוֹמַר אַחַר כָּךְ הַלֵל בְבֵיתָם. אֲבָל בַּחֲנֻכָּה, צְרִיכִין לוֹמַר הַלֵּל בְּבֵיתָם. וְאִם מִתְלְפַּלְּלִים בְבֵית הַנִּפְטָר וְאֵין שָׁם אָבֵל, אוֹ בְבֵית הָאָבֵל שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְבֵית הַנִּפְטָר, אוֹמְרִים גַּם בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ הַלֵּל, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָאָבֵל לֹא יֹאמַר (משּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ, זֶה הַיוֹם עָשָׂה ה' נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בוֹ). אִם יוֹם הַשְׁבִיעִי הוּא בַחֲנֻכָּה, אֲזַי לְאַחַר שֶׁהָלְכוּ הַמְנַחֲמִים שֶׁפָּסְקָה הַאֲבֵלוּת, יֹאמַר גַּם הָאָבֵל הַלֵּל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא חִיּוֹב (עַיֵן בְפִתְחֵי תְשׁוּבָה סִימָן שעו סָעִיף קָטָן ב). וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, דְּבַחֲנֻכָּה אוֹמְרִים הַלֵּל גַּם בְּבֵית הָאָבֵל בַּצִּבּוּר. בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁחָל בְּשַׁבָּת, אוֹמְרִים הַלֵּל בַּצִּבּוּר גַּם בְּבֵית הָאָבֵל, דְּאֵין אֲבֵלוּת בְּשַׁבָּת.

**Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, trans. Rabbi Avrohom Davis, Metsudah Pub., 1996:**
*Hallel* is not said in the house where the death occured, if the mourner is present during the first seven days of mourning, (because it is considered like mocking the poor, for in *Hallel* we say, "The dead do not praise God.") If there is another room, the mourner should go into that room, and the congregation should say *Hallel*. And if there is no other room, then on *Rosh Chodesh*, those who prayed there need not say *Hallel* at home afterwards. But on Chanukah, they must say *Hallel* in their homes. And if they are praying in the house where the death occured but where there is no mourner present, or in the mourner's house, but the death did not occur there,¹⁰ 131:20 does not agree with this. *Hallel* should be recited even on *Rosh Chodesh*, but the mourner should not recite it, (because in it, it is said, "This day was made by Adonoy; let us exult and rejoice in Him.") If the seventh day of mourning occurs during the days of Chanukah, then after the comforters leave, at which time mourning ceases, the mourner, too, must recite the *Hallel*, because it is obligatory. Other *Poskim* are of the opinion that on Chanukah, *Hallel* should be recited even in the house of a mourner¹¹ in any case. with the *Minyan*. If *Rosh Chodesh* occurs on Shabbos, *Hallel* should be recited with the *Minyan*, even in the house of a mourner, for on Shabbos, public mourning is not observed.

footnotes:
¹⁰ It appears the Mishnah Berurah
¹¹ The mourner himself, however, certainly is not allowed to say Hallel


###### Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:7
[Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 207:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kitzur%20Shulchan%20Arukh/r/207:7)

בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים שֶׁבְּבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, לָא נְהִיגֵי עַכְשָו, כִּי סוֹמְכִים עַל הַפּוֹסְקִים דִּסְבִירָא לְהוּ דְּלָא נִתְקְנָה אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁמְּבָרְכִין בַּעֲשָׂרָה (עַיֵן בְּאֵר הַגּוֹלָה סִימָן שעט).

**Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, trans. Rabbi Avrohom Davis, Metsudah Pub., 1996:**
The special *berachos* for mourners in the *Birkas Hamazon* is not part of our custom today, because we rely on the opinion of the *Poskim* who maintain that these *berachos* were enacted to be said only when *Birkas Hamazon* is recited with a *minyan* of ten.