flowed from his eyes, while he himself broke out in violent
weeping. The sons of Jacob and their wives all sought to
comfort their father. They arranged a great memorial service,
and they wept and mourned over Joseph's death and
over their father's sorrow.[64] But Jacob refused to be
comforted.

The tidings of his son's death caused the loss of two
members of Jacob's family. Bilhah and Dinah could not
survive their grief. Bilhah passed away the very day
whereon the report reached Jacob, and Dinah died soon
after, and so he had three losses to mourn in one month.

He received the tidings of Joseph's death in the seventh
month, Tishri, and on the tenth day of the month, and therefore
the children of Israel are bidden to weep and afflict
their souls on this day. Furthermore, on this day the sin
offering of atonement shall be a kid of the goats, because the
sons of Jacob transgressed with a kid, in the blood of which
they dipped Joseph's coat, and thus they brought sorrow
upon Jacob.[65]

When he had recovered somewhat from the stunning blow
which the tidings of his favorite son's death had dealt him,
Jacob rose up from the ground and addressed his sons, tears
streaming down his cheeks all the while. "Up," he said,
"take your swords and your bows, go out in the field, and
make search, perhaps you will find the body of my son, and
you will bring it to me, so that I may bury it. Keep a lookout,
too, for beasts of prey, and catch the first you meet.