A Friday afternoon onein

Hi,

The following halachah is a bit more complex than the pieces I usually cite, but I bring it here because I find it particularly interesting:

One whose parent passes away is an 'onein', and exempt from many mitzvot, until burial. However, on Shabbat the period of being an onein is waived for many purposes.

Therefore, one whose parent passes away on Friday afternoon ר"ל will not daven minchah. However, should the burial not take place before Shabbos then he will daven normally on Shabbos.

If the onein had the opportunity to daven minchah before the parent passed away, and knew that the parent was in danger of dying, then he should daven a second, make-up amidah after maariv that evening, because missing minchah was partially a product of his personal decision.

On the other hand, if the death was sudden, then the onein is entirely exempt from minchah and he does not daven a second amidah after maariv.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 5:24:11)

Have a good day,
Mordechai