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SUMMARY
A person must rip his clothing for a Torah scholar that died, or for a kosher person that dies, or if he is present at the time a person passes away. (1)
The Mitzvah to rip clothing for a Torah scholar is at the time of the eulogy.
It is forbidden to sit on a bed that a Sefer Torah is placed on.
It is respectful to take the bier of a Torah scholar through a proper entrance and to take out the Torah scholar on the same bed that he was on when he passed away. (2)
If the bier is taken from place to place and the body is still intact it is a Mitzvah to pay respect to the deceased and the mourners.
When one rips one's clothes upon the passing of a Torah scholar, it may be stitched up as soon as he turns back from the bier of the deceased.
If a person's foot is bent upside down he may not perform the Mitzvah of Chalitzah.
A person only has to sit in mourning for one day if his Rav that taught him wisdom passes away.
A BIT MORE
1. Witnessing a person pass away is the same as witnessing a Sefer Torah get burned.
2. We learn out that a Torah scholar should be brought out on the same bed from David ha'Melech who transported the Aron of Hashem on the same wagon that was used by the Pelishtim.
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BRIEF INSIGHT
The Gemara says that one who stands next to a man or a woman at the moment of death must rip his clothing because it is similar to a Sefer Torah that was burned. Rashi in the Rif says that the similarity to a Sefer Torah is because the person that dies had the potential to learn more Torah. According to that reason it is only an obligation to rip clothing for a man that dies, not for a woman. However it would be an obligation to rip for a child that dies, even though he is not yet obligated in Mitzvos however he did have the potential to learn Torah. Rashi in Shabbos says a different reason for the analogy to a burned Sefer Torah that even an empty Jew has Torah and Mitzvah to his credit. According to that reason it would be an obligation top rip for a woman but not for a child. (Taz)
QUICK HALACHAH
It is an obligation to rip clothing for a kosher person that was not suspect to have committed any transgressions, did not fail to do any of the Mitzvos and there were no bad rumors about him. Even if the person was not a Torah scholar and you were not present at the time of his passing there would be an obligation to rip. The obligation only applies when you are present between the death and burial. Torah scholars are discharged from the obligation to rip. Some opinions hold that the obligation is only if you are present at the time of the passing; however there is an obligation to cry and mourn for him. The Minhag is like the latter lenient opinion.
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