Shiva (Judaism) - Leaving The Shiva House

Leaving The Shiva House

Leaving the shiva house is permitted when traveling between two locations where shiva is being observed by different members of the family, in cases of pikuach nefesh, i.e., a human life is in danger, whether that of the mourner or someone else; when something must be done to prevent another person from suffering and no one else can do it, such as caring for a child or an elderly or sick person; to feed or care for one's animals if there is no one else to do so; if another relative for whom the mourner is required to sit shiva dies, the mourner may attend the funeral. Leaving the house is also permitted on Shabbat.

Generally, one does not work or conduct business during shiva, although an exception may be made for those whose duties involve pikuach nefesh (doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians). The same is true for mourners who are liable to suffer serious economic loss. If a mourner shares a business with a partner, and the partner can operate the business alone, the partner shall run the business. The partner is entitled to keep all profits made during the time, but if the partner does not exert additional effort, and the mourner will suffer economic loss, the partner is encouraged to donate the profits to the mourner, considering it tzedaka. A mourner may do the minimal amount of work necessary in order to assure the survival of a business, or if his position is important in meeting the needs of the public and no substitute can be found. This includes elected officials whose work is necessary for the citizens. During the shiva period, the mourner is permitted to give instructions on how to handle business in his absence.

Read more about this topic:  Shiva (Judaism)

Famous quotes containing the words leaving the, leaving and/or house:

    A leaping tongue of bloom the scythe had spared
    Beside a reedy brook the scythe had bared.

    The mower in the dew had loved them thus,
    By leaving them to flourish, not for us,

    Nor yet to draw one thought of ours to him,
    But from sheer morning gladness at the brim.
    Robert Frost (1874–1963)

    And they heaved a mighty breath, every soul on board but me,
    As they saw her nose again pointing handsome out to sea;
    But all that I could think of, in the darkness and the cold,
    Was just that I was leaving home and my folks were growing old.
    Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

    Yet the day wears,
    And door succeeds door;
    I try the fresh fortune—
    Range the wide house from the wing to the centre,
    Still the same chance! she goes out as I enter.
    Spend my whole day in the quest,—who cares?
    Robert Browning (1812–1889)