וּפְאֵרֵכֶ֣ם עַל־רָאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם וְנַֽעֲלֵיכֶם֙ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תִסְפְּד֖וּ וְלֹ֣א תִבְכּ֑וּ וּנְמַקֹּתֶם֙ בַּעֲוֺנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּנְהַמְתֶּ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ אֶל־אָחִֽיו׃
и ваши покрышки будут на ваших головах, а ваши ботинки на ваших ногах; не плачь и не плачь; но вы покоряетесь в своих беззакониях и стонете друг другу.
Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah
A mourner is required to overturn the couch.1M.K. 15a-b, 27a: ‘A mourner is required to overturn his couch (bed), for Bar Kappara taught. “I (the Lord) had placed my image among you, and for your sins I upset it; upset now your beds”’ (cf. Ez. XXIV, 23). In Y.Ber. III, 1(6a); Y.M.K. III, 5(83a) this is derived from Job. II, 13, ‘So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days.’ It was customary in those days for people to sit on couches or beds throughout the year. Hence, the mourner is required to overturn his couch and sit on the ground. Cf. however, M.K. 27a where it is stated that in a case of mourning, on the eve of the Sabbath, from the time of the Minḥa (afternoon) service and onwards, the couches were placed in erect position, but the mourner did not sit down on them until it was dark. This shows that the overturning of the couches or beds was on account of the prohibition against sitting on them (v. ibid., Tosaf. s.v. מן המנחה ולמעלה). According to the opinion of Bar Kappara, even if the mourner sat or slept on the ground, he had to overturn all the beds or couches in his home save a couch used specifically for vestments (ibid. 27a). When the time for sleeping or eating [arrives], he may sit [or sleep] on an overturned couch, but during the entire day he may not sit even on an overturned couch save on the ground. So too, the comforters are not permitted to sit save on the ground.2On overturning the couch, consult the following sources: Sem(H). XI, 10-19; Tosef. M.K. II, 9; Y.Ber. III, 1(5b-6a); Y.M.K. III, 5(82c-83a) ; Y.San. II, 1(20a); M.K. 27a; San. 20a-b; M.K. 20a, 21a; Asheri to M.K. III; RIBaSh, Resp. s. 69; Toldoth Adam we-Ḥawah II, 266a; Tur a.l.; T.H.; Shaare Simḥah p. 46; B.B. 144a, Tosaf. s.v. אודייני; Yalkut Shimoni II Sam. s. 149; Sem(H). VI, 2; W.G. a.l. for variant readings not found in cur. edd. of Talmud.