Tearing of Clothing

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1. The Storm (Part 11)

   After Eliyahu's Ascent (I)

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   The act of rending by Elisha is an outward manifestation of his sense that something inside has been rent; part of his own personality has been lost. A rending that is never sewn together expresses mourning that has an element of permanence to it. The image of Eliyahu will continue to accompany Elisha, his heir and successor, throughout his prophetic career. In all of his future actions, he will have Eliyahu in mind, and all of his aspiration will be to follow in the footsteps of his master and to realize his legacy, revealed to him as he witnessed him being carried up in a storm to heaven.

2. The Storm (Part 12)

   After Eliyahu's Ascent (II)

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   The first part of our story concludes with Elisha's mourning. The second half of our story begins with the opposite action: the lifting and taking of Eliyahu's mantle.  The contrast seems to be an expression of the ambivalent nature of the situation. On one hand there is sorrow and mourning. At the same time, Elisha feels joy at the privilege of being Eliyahu's heir and successor as prophet in Israel. The apprentice prophets see Eliyahu's mantle, with all that it implies, in Elisha's hand, and they see what Elisha does with it, repeating the miracle of crossing the Jordan River as Eliyahu had previously done. Despite the tension that prevailed between Eliyahu and Elisha after the mantle was cast for the first time, and before it falls for the second time, the transfer of the mantle from master to disciple is what ultimately defines the nature of the bond between them.

3. The Rebellion of Yerovam

   Part 1

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   Yerovam was a man who demonstrated impressive management and leadership skills.  His outstanding reputation led him to a high office when Shlomo appointed him as head of the administrative region of Yosef. However, at the point that Milo is built, Yerovam decided to confront Shlomo.  Ahiya HaShiloni's traumatic prophecy, involving the tearing of a new garment, may have come to Yerovam as a result of his confrontation with Shlomo or it might have been the catalyst that caused him to rebel.  

4. For a Decree which is Written in the Name of the King May not be Revoked

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman and Rabbi Dr. Yehoshua Reiss

   The reversal and upheaval in the megillah is particularly evident in the parallel between the letters written by Mordechai and those written by Haman. These parallels point to the thoughtlessness of King Ahashverosh who is willing to hand the royal signet ring to Mordechai as easily as he gave it to Haman.

5. Siege and Salvation in Shomron

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   Judaism does not always present redemption as flawless. We learn about the story of the siege and salvation of Shomron via characters who are ethically compromised: the cruel child-eating mothers and the selfish leprous outcasts. Moreover, God's salvation is discovered almost by accident. The study of this chapter leads to contemporary thought on a flawed redemption in modern day Israel.

6. The Scroll of Yirmiyahu

   Rabbi David Sabato

   The fourth year of the reign of Yehoyakim is a pivotal one for the prophecies of Yirmiyahu. Babylon’s victory over Egypt made Babylon the most powerful empire in the region. This victory was a clear proof of the validity of Yirmiyahu's prophecies over the course of twenty three years. Now it became clear to all that Babylon was the primary enemy threatening the kingdom of Yehuda. Yirmiyahu is commanded to summarize all of the prophecies that he delivered until that time and to record them in a scroll. This scroll is read in Beit Hamikdash and ultimately in the ears of King Yehoyakim. The account of the reading of the scroll in the ears of Yehoyakim brings to mind a similar event involving his father, Yoshiyahu, when the Torah was read in his ears.

   There is an enormous difference between the responses of the two kings. While Yoshiyahu rends his garments when they read the scroll before him, Yehoyakim abstains from rending his garments, and instead tears up the scroll itself! Yoshiyahu is shocked to the depths of his soul, and he drags his princes and the entire people after him to take dramatic action to change the decree. In contrast, Yehoyakim demonstrates terrible scorn. While his princes are shocked by the scroll and bring it before the king, the king himself holds it in contempt, tears it up, and burns it. Rather than the king influencing his princes and dragging them after him, the reverse takes place here; the king stops his princes and refuses to listen to the princes who plead with him not to burn the scroll. Yoshiyahu immediately sends a delegation to seek the word of God from the mouth of Chulda the prophetess, whereas Yehoyakim sends his emissaries to kill the prophet and prevent him from sounding the word of God.

   Yehoyakim is absolutely impervious to the words of the prophet; he is not prepared to listen even after the Babylonian enemy begins to go up against Yehuda, and all of his behavior demonstrates scorn and contempt. Yehoyakim's conduct, which is described here and in other places in the book of Yirmiyahu, brings the people one step closer to the destruction.

    

7. Ripping Scrolls or Tearing Clothes: Yehoyakim is not Yoshiyahu

   Rabbi David Sabato

8. Adoniyahu's Insurrection and the King's Clothing

   Rabbi David Silverberg

9. The Importance of Fraternity: Parashat Mikeitz and the Story of Haman

   Rabbi David Silverberg

10. The Symbolic Meaning of Clothing in Tanakh

    Dr. Avigail Rock |

    The Tanakh generally minimizes in the description of detail. Therefore, when we are privy to extra details we always have to wonder why these details are given, as they are always significant to the story. However, when it comes to clothing, the Tanakh often goes into great detail. Why is this? Why does the Tanakh give so many descriptions of specific clothing? By closely examining specific Tanakh texts we can see that clothing plays many roles in the Tanakh narrative, besides being simply what people wore. Clothing has a significant metaphorical meaning as well, reflecting a person’s identity and character. Clothing transfers the identity and emotion of a character, and provides the reader with the much deeper subtext of a story. Therefore, understanding the nature of clothing in Tanakh on a much deeper level can help shed light on the Tanakh narrative as a whole.