Question:
Dear Rabbis,
In the first year after a parent’s passing – and when it is a leap year – I understand that mourning customs are observed for twelve months while the yahrzeit itself is held after 13 months. Can you please advise as to until when mishnayot should be learned: for twelve months or until the yahrzeit is held? Also: after the first yahrzeit, is it still considered important to continue learning mishnayot or is this now reserved only for the yearly yahrzeit?
Thank you very much.
Answer:
After 12 months the aveilus is finished, and the yahrtziet is observed after thirteen months only because until then it isn’t the correct calendar date, (yahrtziet means the yearly time). Therefore the mishanyos should be learned until 12 months.
All torah learning that is done by a child is a big merit for the parent, therefore you can learn mishnayos even afterwards, however the main time for learning it is during the twelve months and on the yahrtziet.
