Siman 354

When there are two deceased in a city – one may not bring them out together and bury them together, for it is necessary to accord honor to this one and to that one. Therefore, they bring out the one who died first and bury him, and afterward they bring out the second. In what case are these matters stated? When both are equal in status. But if one is a sage and the second is a talmid chakham – the sage takes precedence. A talmid chakham and an am ha'aretz – the talmid chakham takes precedence. A man and a woman – they bring out the woman first, because she is prone to degradation, as she may discharge blood and become degraded. And a talmid chakham and a woman, if the woman is old – the talmid chakham takes precedence. And if she is young – the woman takes precedence, unless he is a great sage, for the honor of the Torah is superior. However, if the latter is bloated, and they fear that his belly will burst – they bring him out first. And this is a simple matter that an adult and a minor – the adult takes precedence. And a young woman and an old woman – the young woman takes precedence because of the concern of degradation.

And when they have taken out the first and buried him – they do not stand for him in a shurah, and they do not say over him the blessing of mourners or the comforts of mourners, until they take out the second and bury him. And afterwards, they do not stand in a shurah for both of them as one, but rather they comfort this one first and afterwards the second, or if there is a large crowd, these comfort this one and these comfort that one. And the reason that they do not comfort two as one: for perhaps they are not equal in rank. Therefore, they do not comfort two mourners as one, unless their honor was equal and their praise was equal. And it is a simple matter that if one died – they delay his burial for his honor, as will be explained in siman 357, they take out the second immediately and bury him. And they do not follow ranks in this matter, whether this one is greater than that one or not. On the contrary, if they delay the burial of the great one for his honor, why should they delay the burial of the small one? And they bury the small one immediately.