Halakhah sa 2 Samuel 1:11: Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah

The extent of rending is a handbreadth.¹²M.K. 22b: ‘Said R. Abbahu, what text teaches this? Then David took hold on his clothes and rent them (II Sam. I, 11), and there is no taking hold of anything by less than a hand-breadth. Cf. Suk. 32b; Nid. 26a. If he rent [his garment] upon suffering a bereavement, and extends the rent, on sustaining another bereavement; if [the second bereavement] is after the seven [days, the additional rent] may be as small [as he wishes]; if during the seven [days], a handbreadth is required.¹³M.K. 26b. infra par 21. However, for his father and mother, [after having suffered a previous bereavement], even after seven [days], he rends until he bares his chest.¹⁴M.K. ibid. infra par. 18 and 2

One must rend [garments] on hearing evil tidings, e.g., when the majority [of the people] of the community gathered for war and a report was received that they were smitten before their enemies,¹³⁶M.K. ibid. Derived from, ‘Then David took hold of his clothes and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him. And they wailed and wept and fasted until even, for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they were fallen by the sword’ (II Sam. I, 11-12). From this verse it appears that one must observe mourning rites all day. Therefore, the rent should be stitched together the following day. Likewise, may the rent be resewn on the next day — ShaK. This latter statement of ShaK, viz., that ‘the rent may be resewn the next day’ is attacked by the commentators (v. P.Tesh.), for according to the Talmud (v. also infra par. 39), a rent made on hearing evil tidings must never be resewn. It is, however, possible, that ShaK refers not to this case, but to other cases, viz., where a rent may be resewn, and on the basis of the above-mentioned verse, he holds that this should be done, not on the day the mourning rites are over, but rather on the following day. even if [only] a minority of them was put to death.¹³⁷Thus N. Thus also if they went into captivity.¹³⁸N.Yos. to M.K. III — G.