Tearing a Sweater for a Deceased Brother
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Question
Am I required to tear the sweater upon the death of a brother?
Answer
For Ashkenazim, it is required to tear the sweater, and it is also required to tear the shirt even for other relatives (one can remove it and not wear it at the time of tearing and then wear it without tearing, even when tearing for one's father and mother), while Sephardim have the custom to be lenient with the sweater even when wearing it at the time of tearing.
Source
Gemara Moed Katan, page 22b: "For all the deceased, even if wearing ten garments, only the outer one is torn. For one's father and mother, all are torn, and the outer garment does not prevent it."
Rema writes in Siman 340, section 10: "In these countries, the linen shirt, which is a garment for sweat, and the outer coat are not torn; but other garments are torn for one's father and mother; and for other deceased, the outer garment under the coat."
The sweater is an outer garment, which is not a garment of honor, but a garment to protect from the cold, and it seems more like a complete garment. However, some have written that a garment made for cold is not considered a garment and does not need to be torn, but for Ashkenazim who are accustomed to tearing the suit, it is certainly no less than a suit made for honor.
And what is written that one can wear even for one's father and mother is from the words of Orchot Chaim, part 2 (page 506) in the name of the Raavad, who exempts from tearing a garment worn after the time of tearing due to the cold.
And the shirt underneath is the main rule of tearing, as it is the main garment.