Defilement of a Kohen for a Son Born Stillborn

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Question

Is it permissible for a Kohen to become impure for his son who was born stillborn?

Answer

Even though there is an obligation to bury stillborns, a Kohen is not permitted to become impure for them until they are no longer considered possibly stillborn.

Source

It is stated in the Mechilta, Parashat Emor: "For his son and daughter, perhaps even stillborns, it teaches that for his father and mother, just as his father and mother are alive, so too his son and daughter are alive, excluding stillborns."

Similarly, the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah, laws of mourning, Siman 373, Se'if 4, states that one may become impure for his son and daughter only if it is known that they have completed their months, or if they are thirty days old and onward, and from this, the Magen Avraham, 266, Se'if Katan 20, proved that there is an obligation to bury stillborns.

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