Keriah is the Jewish practice of tearing one’s clothes during mourning. It has strict rules and is performed by certain relatives. It may have originated from hair-pulling or skin-clawing. Keriah is cathartic and can be done with a knife but must be completed by hand. It is an important part of Jewish mourning, which also includes shiva. Seeking advice from a rabbi is acceptable.
In Jewish tradition, keriah is the practice of cutting one’s clothes as part of the mourning practice. A number of strict rules and traditions surround keriah, dictating exactly how it is to be performed, who is allowed to do it, and how long people are allowed to wear torn or torn clothing. Depending on one’s personal practice of Judaism, these laws may be followed to a greater or lesser extent; it is assumed that God will understand and forgive slight deviations, especially when keriah is undertaken in a state of genuine pain.
The concept of tearing off one’s clothes during the grieving process is quite ancient and different cultures have a similar tradition. Keriah may be rooted in the original tradition of hair-pulling or skin-clawing in mourning; as these practices are prohibited by Jewish law, people tear their clothes instead. In addition to being a ritual process and an acknowledgment of extreme grief, keriah can also be very cathartic for the bereaved, allowing them to express their anger and sadness in a visible and physical way.
According to tradition, only certain relatives perform keriah in response to a death: sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, spouses, mothers and fathers. People are typically expected to rip their clothes off when they hear of a death, and keriah may also be performed just before services or internment, sometimes under the supervision of a rabbi, to ensure it is done properly . Parents are encouraged to tear their clothing on the left side, just above the heart, to symbolize that their hearts are torn apart by pain, while other relatives tear their clothing on the right side. Some people prefer to wear a keriah ribbon, a black ribbon that is symbolically cut, instead of tearing off the clothes.
Traditionally, the rent may be initiated with a knife and by any person present, but the tear must be completed by the mourner, by hand. Anyone over the age of 13 who is sane participates in keriah, although sometimes parents may rip the clothes off of younger children so they can participate in the grieving process, expressing their complex emotions with the rest of their families . Keriah is practiced on the outer layers of clothing that would be worn at room temperature, such as blouses or waistcoats, rather than overcoats or undergarments.
Keriah is an important part of Jewish mourning, which also includes shiva, a time when people sit in mourning. During shiva, people typically wear torn clothing and are not allowed to change clothes, wear leather shoes, or participate in a variety of activities, because they are considered to be in deep mourning.
The rules governing the keriah are quite complex and even people of the Jewish faith are not always aware of them. It is perfectly acceptable to seek the advice of a rabbi to ensure that you are performing the keria correctly, and many rabbis are happy to make house calls to talk to bereaved families, during which they can also show people how to perform the keria correctly.
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