People who are grieving someone’s death (or anything else) may not scratch themselves to the point of bleeding or tear out their hair. As we read, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead” (ibid.), and “You are children of the Lord your God. You shall not gash yourselves or shave the front of your heads because of the dead. For you are a people consecrated to the Lord your God; the Lord your God chose you from among all other peoples on earth to be His treasured people” (Deut. 14:1-2). In other words, since you are children of God, you must remember that He watches over you and is concerned about you. Even your suffering will ultimately be beneficial to you in this world and the next. You are meant to be an example of faith for all nations. Therefore, you should never be so grief-stricken or anguished that you inflict bodily harm upon yourselves.
