[HANASHIR:11040] Re: shivah & purim

[Lynda Casden <lyndaC...>]

Winston:
In reading your email to Meris, I am saddened to hear about the passing of their
father-in-law. I have just lost my mother as of last Saturday and Shivah was
over Purim.
In the book of Jewish law, one can wear leather and one does not have to sit low
to the ground. We are also not able to participate in Purim but Shivah is
permitted over Purim.
Just wanted to hear your viewpoint on this since this Rebbe is with the Chabbad.
My brother's Conservative Rabbi said we can not technically sit on Monday but
Sunday and Tuesday was okay.
Also, did you receive my CD and are you going to be playing it on your radio
station shortly?
Please email back with your viewpoint. Thank you!
Lynda Casden

WINSTON WEILHEIMER wrote:

> Dear Meris
>
> may you be comforted amongst the mourners of our people.
>
> I concur with Rabbi Schachet.  You have two responsibilites.  The first is
> to your family.  You should in every way attend to the needs of the family.
> Therefore shivah and other mourning observances as your family requires
> would come as a first priority.
>
> However, even during mourning, the hearing of the megillah is an obligation.
>   If you were not in your position, and if a shivah night were to come on
> the night of the megilla reading, it would be permissible to attend the
> minyan at shul and listen to the megillah and say kaddish during ma ariv.
>
> Therefore, with your second obligation as sheliach tzibur, you would not be
> in violation of the shivah obligations, to provide others with the
> opportunity to hear the book of esther.
>
> With a heavy heart, your performance of  the mitzvah of reading the megillah
> so that others can fulfill their obligations does not mean that you have to
> enjoy or celebrate....merely that you allow others to do so will be
> sufficient...
>
> just my 2cents worth
>
> Rabbi Winston Weilheimer
>
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