[Avodah] Subject: Re: a troubling halacha

[Danny Schoemann]

> Okay, here's my guess: Could it be that this halacha is based on the
> presumption that people would prefer to observe the relatively easy
> halachos of delayed information, and that they did not want to observe
> the relatively difficult halachos of timely information?

Here's a data point:

My late grandfather was the second-to-youngest of 9 siblings; most of
which emigrated from Germany to the USA (and Americanized their
surname) before he got married, harassed by the SS and escaped to
South Africa.

He was rarely in touch with them and - when in his 70's - he had to
sit Shiva twice in a year for a "forgotten" sibling he was not
impressed.

So for the 3rd sibling we simply didn't tell him until it was "old
news" at which time he only had to sit for an hour. He really
appreciated that.

Maybe we're simply too young to appreciate not having to sit Shiva
every few months for people we barely know.

- Danny, who has siblings in 3 continents.