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<font size=3>At 04:26 PM 11/28/2011, R. Micha wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">On Mon, Nov 28, 2011 at
11:55:52AM -0500, Prof. Levine wrote to Areivim:<br>
> Is it not the minhag that one does not say anything to the
person <br>
> sitting Shiva unless s/he speaks to you first?<br><br>
YD 376 is named "Minhag haMenachanim veDin Meis sheEin Lo
Menachamim". It<br>
opens, "Ein hamenachamim resha'im liftoach, ad sheyiftach
ha'avel<br>
techilah."<br><br>
So, is this one rule minhag? Is the whole concept of nichum aveilim<br>
"only" minhag? And if either, why does se'if 4 begin
"achshav nohagim"<br>
if the prior 3 se'ifim are also minhag?</blockquote><br>
The following is from Mourning in Halachah, Chapter 17, Consoling
Mourners.<br><br>
1. To console mourners is a major precept. Some consider this
mitzvah to be Scripturally ordained (deOraysa). <br><br>
2. It is not enough merely to console the mourner; one must also
say good things to him until one makes him happy, and his face becomes
cheerful.<br><br>
Please see
<a href="http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/consoling_mourners.pdf" eudora="autourl">
http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/consoling_mourners.pdf</a> for
the relevant pages. <br><br>
YL</font></body>
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