1,318. Learning of a Death After Maariv

204:9 If a person learned of a relative's passing and the congregation has already davened maariv, though it is still daytime, then if he has not yet recited maariv, he is not drawn after the congregation and this day counts for him. If he has already said maariv, however, then the day doesn't count for him. In such a case, he would begin counting shiva and shloshim from the next day.

We only use this principle to act stringently, not leniently. Therefore, if he heard of the passing on the thirtieth day after davening maariv, we don't say that it's already night and this is like hearing delayed news, which would be more lenient for him (as will be discussed in chapter 206). Rather, we say that it is still day and he is hearing timely news. Therefore, this day would count for him.

When it comes to wearing tefillin, if he heard about the passing after reciting maariv and it's still day, then he should put them on the next day without a bracha and cover them. If it was the thirtieth day, then he should put on tefillin the next day and recite a bracha.

If a woman heard that a close relative died and the congregation has already davened maariv but it's still daytime, then if it's not her practice to say maariv, she follows the congregation stringently and this day doesn't count for her.

204:10 When there's a plague, G-d forbid, the practice is not to mourn so as not to cause a panic. If the wrath passes during the shloshim (the thirty-day mourning period), one must mourn then. If it only passed after the thirty days, or if a yom tov interrupted in the interim, then one no longer needs to mourn.