Must an adopted son observe mourning for the death of his adoptive father?

Greetings,

1. It is very proper for an adopted son to recite Kaddish for his adoptive parents, out of gratitude for having raised him and brought him to this point; however, this is not an actual obligation as it is for one’s father and mother (see Chazon Ovadia, Mourning, part 1, pages tav-kuf-nun-aleph to tav-kuf-nun-gimmel, and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Yalkut Yosef, Honoring Father and Mother, chapter 6, section 9).

2. An adopted son is not obligated to tear his garment for his adoptive parents; however, he is permitted to do so, and it is even proper and fitting that he do so, and there is no concern of the prohibition of bal tashchit. He should recite the blessing of Dayan HaEmet with Hashems name and kingship at the time of the tearing (see Chazon Ovadia there, page tav-kuf-nun-bet).

3. An adopted son is not obligated to sit shivah for his adoptive parents, even if they raised him from early childhood. However, he should show himself to be in mourning over their passing, and if possible he should not shave throughout the seven days or thirty days. Nevertheless, he is permitted to sit shivah out of gratitude to those who raised him and were to him like a father and mother, except that he is obligated in Torah study at times when there are no mourners comforting. Only when mourners come is he exempt from Torah study. Likewise, on the first day he is obligated to don tefillin, and he is not to observe the laws of aninut at all (see there, pages tav-kuf-nun-aleph to tav-kuf-nun-gimmel, and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Yalkut Yosef there, section 8).

Wishing you good news,

Hillel Meirs