- Q. The MB (Mishna Berurah) 307/3 says not to say sad news on Shabbos. Someone I was eating by asked me about a familiar Rav and where does he live. The Rav is no longer alive. Should I have answered that he is in the Olam Haemes (World of Truth – namely he passed away) even though it will make the person sad, or better to lie and say that I don't know or similar?
A. On question 2923 we wrote:
Q. On this past Shabbos, would it have been permissible to tell a gabbai making a mishabayrach for Rav Dovid (Feinstein) zatzal, not to do so? (The Posek Hador was niftar an hour before Shabbos and not everyone was aware of this.) Was it permissible for a Rav to mention in his drasha something about the petira, or should one avoid discussing it at all and distressing people who may not have heard of it?
Is there a chiluk if the people already know about the petira, or if it’s news?
A. Taz (O.H. 307: 14) quotes Sefer Chasidim who prohibits reminding someone of a friend that perished. The reason is that one should not cause grief during Shabbos.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that in principle we are not allowed to say sad news on Shabbos. Therefore it is best to avoid mentioning all the sad news, and then even to stop an erroneous Mi Sheberach, as in our case.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit'a
Important Numbers
