Bereshis 37:34

34 And Ya’akov made the keriah of his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for beno yamim rabbim.

Bereshis 37:34 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 37:34

And Jacob rent his clothes
As expressive of his grief and mourning for the death of his son, as he supposed: and put sackcloth upon his loins;
put off his usual apparel, and put on a coarse garment on his loins next to his flesh, as another token of his great trouble and affliction for the loss of his son; which though afterwards was frequently done in times of public or private mourning, yet this is the first time we read of it; whether Jacob was the first that used it, whom his posterity and others imitated, is not certain; however it appears that this usage, as well as that of rending clothes on sorrowful occasions, were very ancient: and mourned for his son many days:
or years, as days sometimes signify; twenty two years, according to Jarchi, even until the time he went down to Egypt and saw him alive.

Bereshis 37:34 In-Context

32 And they sent the kesones hapassim, and they brought it to Avihem; and said, This have we found; examine for identification purposes now whether it be the kesones Binecha or no.

33 And he recognized it, and said, It is the kesones beni; a chayyah ra’ah hath devoured him; Yosef is without doubt torn in pieces.

34 And Ya’akov made the keriah of his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for beno yamim rabbim.

35 And all his banim and all his banot rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down to beni mourning to Sheol. Thus Aviv wept for him.

36 And the Midyanim sold him into Mitzrayim unto Potiphar, a seris Pharaoh (courtier of Pharaoh), a sar hatabbachim (a captain of the slaughterers, executioners, i.e., captain of the guard).