Shulchan Arukh Yoreh De'ah · Siman 379

Shulchan Arukh Yoreh De'ah 379 — English translation

Translation: Code of Hebrew Law by Chaim N. Denburg, Montreal, 1955. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 1When grace is recited after meals in the house of mourning, one recites in the fourth benediction the following version: 'Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe, O God our Father, our King, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Holy One, the Holy One of Jacob, [our Shepherd, the Shepherd of Israel, the good King, who does good to all, who day by day has dealt kindly and will deal kindly with us], Siddur of Daily Services and also Oẓar Hat. Vol. I, p. 765. the living King, who is good and does good, God of Truth, Judge of Truth, who judges in righteousness. Gloss : Who takes away souls in judgment, who is Ruler in His Universe to do as it pleaseth him in it, for all his ways are judgment and we are His people and His servants and for everything we are dutibound to give thanks unto Him and to bless Him. He who fences in the breaches of Israel will fence in this breach from upon us and from upon this mourner for the sake of life and peace .' on the authority of Asheri — G. Thus also Ber. 46b, Tosaf. s.v. מר . After inserting this version, the mourner continues with the regular text, ‘Thou hast bestowed etc.’ — ShaK. The mourner is given the priority to lead in the saying of grace and to recite the benediction over the cup of grace, even if he arrived towards the end of the meal, — only during the seven days of mourning, for then he sits at the head (v. supra § 376), but not after the seven days. Furthermore, this (viz., that during the seven days the mourner has priority) applies only if both the mourner and the comforter are of equal distinction, but if the head of the house is a mourner and there is a guest present, or even if the guest is a mourner, then the law is that if the head of the house desires to lead in the saying of grace and to recite the blessing over the cup (even after the seven days), he has a right to do so — P.Tesh. and Later Codifiers.
2. 2Some s. 115. Thus also R. Amram; Tanya s. 68; Abudraham, Laws of Benedictions. Cf. the prayer נחם recited on the ninth day of Ab. add in the third benediction, ['and rebuild Jerusalem, the Holy City speedily in our days,' — the words], 'Comfort, O Lord our God, the mourners of Jerusalem and the mourners who are observing this mourning. Comfort them from this mourning and make them rejoice from their sorrow, as it is said, one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. Blessed art Thou, O God, who comfortest Zion in the rebuilding of Jerusalem.' rebuildest Jerusalem,’ for the closing formula must never contain two subjects. One may, however, say, ‘Blessed art Thou … who comfortest Zion and rebuildest Jerusalem, for both these subjects relate to the same idea. This latter closing formula is said at the Minḥa service on the ninth day of Ab in the נחם prayer — Shak.
3. 3Some say in the introductory benediction to say grace, 'Let us bless the Comforter of mourners whose food we have eaten.' on the authority of R. Amram. Thus also N in T.H. In introducing the grace, the leader says, ‘Let us bless the Comforter of mourners whose food we have eaten and through whose goodness we live,’ after which they respond, ‘Blessed is the Comforter of mourners whose food we have eaten and through whose goodness we live.’ This is repeated by the leader. When ten people are present, the leader includes the words, ‘our God’ after ‘Blessed be.’
4. 4On the Sabbath [during the seven days of mourning], if the [mourner] said grace privately or even if grace was said with three mourners [present], one recites the benediction in the same manner as it is recited during the weekdays, for this is [considered mourning of domestic] privacy; and if others ate with him and said grace, one does not mention the nature of the occasion, for since there are others present, it is no longer [considered] private mourning. on the authority of N in T.H. Cf. M.K. 20b, Tosaf s.v. קורע end. infra § 400.
5. 5A mourner is counted in the number [requisite] for Tefillah and the saying of common grace s.v. בברכת and Tosaf., ibid. s.v. כי . However, at the first mourner’s meal which is provided by others, the mourner is not counted in the number required to say common grace. Thus it follows from Mord. ibid. and also Rokeaḥ. This is derived from Ket. 8b where it is stated that the mourners are not included in the number with respect to the benediction recited in the ‘open space’ ( ברכת רחבה ). The ‘open space’ is explained by Rashi ( ibid. ) to have reference to the place where the mourners were provided with the first meal by others (v. Meg. 23b). In the case however, of other meals that are partaken of by the mourners during the seven days of mourning, they are counted in the required number to recite grace in unison — ShaK. both with respect to the number of three and ten.

License: CC-BY