Dear Rabbi, thanks for your condolences for the recent Petira of my father zt’l. Can an Avel, like me who is a Bechor also (first born) attend a Siyum on Erev Pesach so I won’t have to fast. After all an Avel, should not learn Torah, is it then permitted? Can I zoom a Siyum from where the Shiva is?.

On question 2721 regarding a siyum by Zoom where each person eats his own food with his family, if it is considered a seudas mitzva we wrote: “On question 2621and 198 regarding a siyum Erev Pesach, if it can it be done by phone, online or Zoom, On question 198 we mentioned: If you learned together (a tractate of the Talmud) with a group but now are on vacation somewhere else, can you join (the siyum fleishig banquet during the nine days) via telephon. We answered; Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a ruled that if you learned the whole tractate you can join the siyum via telephone. However, if you did not study, you cannot just dial – a- siyum. Similar opinions are to be found in other Poiskim (Mekadesh Yisroel, Pesach 256, et al.). Likewise if one learned the Masechta to be finished and is on his way to the Siyum he could join the siyum via telephone or online. In our singular situation when a very dangerous pandemic is raging the Rov,s opinion is that since there are grounds as is for people not fasting, one may join in need, a siyum on the phone or online.” Therefore, if every participant in the siyum, eats his own seuda with his family and friends, it is considered a seudas mitzva