1,258. Mourning for Two Relatives

195:10 What should a person do if he tore his garment for a relative who died and, while he was sitting shiva for that person, another relative died? In such a case, he moves about three finger-widths from the first tear and tears one handbreadth. Alternately, he may lengthen the first tear by a handbreadth. After shiva, however, so long as the torn garment is on him, he only needs to lengthen the existing tear by any amount and it is sufficient. However, if the first deceased was a relative other than a parent and the second was a parent, then even after shiva he must move three finger-breadths away from the first tear and tear again. This is because the loss of a parent is not considered an extension of his existing mourning. The same is the case if one's father died and then his mother, or vice versa.

195:11 If one learned at the same time that both his father and his mother died, or two of his other close relatives, then he tears once for both of them. However, if he hears that both a parent and one of his other relatives died, then he tears first for the parent, after which he moves away three finger-widths and tears for the other relative.