Raise a Glass to Freedom
1 min read
Due to some unfortunate circumstances, my father, who was in a different country from me, was unaccounted for for a full week before his body was found in his apartment. This happened years ago but now that I’m becoming more religious I would like to know the date I should observe as his yahrtzeit. No one had been in touch with him since 9 Cheshvan (2011), and he was discovered on the 17th.
I’m sorry to hear of the upsetting situation. You should observe the last date that he might have died – which would be the day that they found him. The reason for this is because Jewish law maintains that a living person can be assumed to still be alive until it’s determined otherwise.
If the doctors at the time were certain he had not been alive for a certain number of days when he was found, then keep the latest possible date he might have been alive. (For example, if they were able to confidently conclude he had passed no less than 3 days earlier, then keep the 14th instead of the 17th.) The above is true if a person may have died anywhere within a range of 3 days or more. If, however, the doubt is limited to two days, then both days are observed.
(Source: Teshuvot V’Hanhagot, I 698.)
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