Mourning Clothes And Customs

Consider these expressions of grief. 

Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief.  Genesis 37:29

Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not show your grief by leaving your hair uncombed or by tearing your clothes. If you do, you will die, and the LORD's anger will strike the whole community of Israel. However, the rest of the Israelites, your relatives, may mourn because of the LORD's fiery destruction of Nadab and Abihu.  Leviticus 10:6 

A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show lhis grief. 1 Samuel 4:12 

Tremble, you women of ease; throw off your complacency. Strip off your pretty clothes, and put on burlap to show your grief.  Isaiah 32:11 

Tombs at the Mount of Olives
Jerusalem, Israel

Over thousands of years people have been expressing their grief with customs including these few examples of people's action in Scripture. Tearing their clothes, uncombed hair, and wearing sackcloth. During the Roman Empire people started wearing dark colored togas during mourning and that custom now continues with people wearing black clothes to funerals. We don't see people going about unwashed, or sprinkling dust on their heads. In May 2013 Kate Torbgovnick May presented a TED talk about death customs around the world although she only covered eleven countries customs, there are certainly some unusual custom out there. Grief is not easy for anyone anywhere to deal with--no matter where they are.

As Isaiah wrote...throw off your complacency. ...and put on burlap to show your grief. How do you show your grief?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, show us how we should deal with death and grief. Your example of weeping at your loss of friend Lazarus gives us a clue that is OK to cry. 

© 2020 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of 

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