Tearing for a Father on the Left
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Question
It is known that when tearing for one's father and mother, one tears on the left side to the heart, and when tearing for other relatives, one tears on the right side. What is the ruling if one tore for one's father and mother on the right side, and also if one tore for other relatives on the left side, is this a hindrance?
Answer
This is not a hindrance after the fact, and there is no need to tear again.
Source
The Taz wrote in Siman 340, SK 6: "The Rema wrote that it is customary to tear for one's father and mother on the left side, and for other relatives such as sons and brothers on the right side, and so I found." However, in the Maharil it is written that he tore for his son on his mother on the right side. And my father-in-law, of blessed memory, wrote: "However, it is logical that since for one's father and mother one must tear until the heart is revealed, and the heart is on the left, therefore one must tear from the left to reveal the heart, and so it is customary in communities according to the Rema." And in the Shach, SK 19, that the custom is like the Maharshal, but by law it implies that from the side where one tears for one's father and mother, one also tears for other relatives, as implied in the Talmud and poskim, and in the Tur, later, paragraph 22, (meaning one can add to the tearing for one's father and mother and tear for other relatives) or it is possible that since one has already torn from one side, it is not customary to be strict to tear from the other side, but it suffices to add." And therefore, it is certainly not a hindrance after the fact. And so wrote the Birkei Yosef, SK 11. And the Keneset HaGedolah, response 14, Siman 238. And so wrote the Aruch HaShulchan, paragraph 8.
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