חולה שמת לו מת. ובו סעיף אחד:חולה שמת לו מת אין מודיעין אותו שמא תטרף דעתו עליו ואין קורעין חלוקו ואין בוכין ואין מספידין בפניו שלא ישבר לבו ומשתיקין את המנחמין מפניו:
One who is sick and suffered a bereavement, must not be informed thereof lest his mind become unclear; nor is his garment rent; nor is it permitted to cry or make lamentation [for the dead]1Whether for his dead or another’s dead. in his presence, so that his heart be not broken; and they silence the comforters in his presence.2M.K. 26b; Alfasi; Yad, Ebel VIII, 4 and Kes. Mish. a.l.; Tur; T.H., derived from Sem. de R. Ḥiyya(H) I, 3. Not found in cur. edd. of Sem. W.G. a.l. Not only must he not be informed, but even if it became known to him, he is not instructed to rend garments, so as not to aggravate his condition — ShaK. This applies even to a case where one lost a parent and would have to recite Kaddish — Beth Hillel.