Alone and Unobserved

Last night, for no particular reason, I found myself doing some online research on the Jewish practice of keriah, the rending of one’s garments due to grief or strong emotion. It is mentioned quite often in the Bible, due to all the wars and betrayal and kinslaying in that chronicle. Here are a few examples.

And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. (Genesis 37:32-34)

And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left. Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. (2 Samuel 13:30-31)

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. (Matthew 26:64-65)

Rending one’s clothes always had a morbid fascination for me; it seemed like something one would do in the grip of truly uncontainable grief or emotion, and I like to think that my emotions are just as uncontainable as King David’s, if only because they are more recent. In my more gothic fantasies, I imagine myself being dealt some terrible blow, falling to my knees and ripping my shirt right down the front, screaming “NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!” all the while. But there are too many rules for clothes-ripping, as you can see for yourselves, which takes a bit of the spontaneity out of it, so, in the event of some dreadful mischance, I think I will make do with a heartfelt “No. No. That’s not true. That’s impossible!”