Idle Talk in Front of the Deceased
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Question
Is it permissible to engage in idle talk in front of the deceased?
Answer
The custom is to be lenient in this matter, but one who wishes to be stringent should move beyond four cubits from the deceased, and the entire house is considered as four cubits.
Source
The Talmud, Tractate Berakhot, page 3b: "Rabbi Zerika said in the name of Rabbi Ami, in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: One should not speak in front of the deceased except for his own words. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: This applies only to words of Torah, but regarding worldly matters, there is no prohibition. And there are those who say, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: This applies even to words of Torah, and certainly to worldly matters."
Thus, there is a dispute between L"K and L"B on this matter. Rambam wrote that the law follows L"K, and it is permissible to speak of worldly matters in front of the deceased. This is also the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch, Siman 340, paragraph 15. However, the Rosh disagrees and holds that the Gemara refers to outside four cubits, but within four cubits, it is forbidden for everyone to speak in front of the deceased, as it appears as despair from burying him.
The Shach there, S"K 11, ruled according to the Rosh that worldly matters are permitted only outside four cubits, not within. See the commentary of the Gra, S"K 15, who wrote to correct the words of the Rosh, stating that this refers to within four cubits. Therefore, it is permitted to speak of worldly matters within four cubits, and he brought proof from the Jerusalem Talmud. The custom follows the Gra.