Halacha2goThe one minute halacha

Should schools take children to a levayah of a prominent person?

The halachah is that despite the fact that, under certain conditions, mevatlin talmud Torah (the study of Torah is interrupted) for hachnasas kallah (participating in a wedding) and halvayas hameis (attending a funeral), the Torah learning of tinokos shel beis raban (children studying Torah) should never be interrupted for any reason, even for building the Beis Hamikdash. Nevertheless, it’s not uncommon for yeshivos to allow their students to attend levayos of certain prominent individuals. Poskim agree that there’s room for leniency if the levayah is for an exceptional gadol b‘Yisroel (a great Torah leader), or a major supporter of the yeshiva whom it’s important to show recognition to. The reality is that schools today often close for far less important reasons. However, each case should be given serious consideration to determine whether the particular funeral calls for making an exception; otherwise, regular classes should continue without interruption even when there is a levayah. #518^?