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When and why did we stop wearing sackcloth in times of mourning and other times of distress (e.g., when fasting for rain)? (I presume sackcloth was quite uncomfortable.) Sackcloth is mentioned in the Torah in Bereshis 37:34 (Yaakov put on sackcloth after getting Joseph's coat of many colors dipped in blood), and is also mentioned in a couple of dozen places in various other Books of the Bible.

(Since writing this, I've heard that in recent past (in memory of the living) when fasts were called in Israel, at least some wore sackcloth.)

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    related judaism.stackexchange.com/q/33903/759
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Aug 9, 2015 at 21:39
  • Probably it was a thing that everyone used to do, Jews and non Jews, as a sign of mourning. Just the society changed. Just like we don't do a lot of things society used to do. I don't think it was specifically a Jewish custom.
    – user613
    Commented Aug 10, 2015 at 5:29
  • I take back my previous suggested answer in the comments. Just checked on wikipedia, it was primarily a Jewish thing.
    – user613
    Commented Aug 10, 2015 at 16:13
  • Bavli Taanit 14b, cf judaism.stackexchange.com/a/9292/759
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented May 21, 2017 at 13:21

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It is specifically mentioned in the siddur of Rabbi Shabtai of Rashkov for during the time between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. That means it was being practiced in Poland around 1700-1740. Although not widespread, it is still in practice in some Charedi communities just like kapparot and malkot are still practiced.

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    +1 a link or at least exact citation would be much appreciated.
    – mevaqesh
    Commented Aug 12, 2015 at 5:04
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    Here's another link connected with Breslav that is dealing with how to make the garment and the specific kavannot when wearing it. truekabbalah.org/pages/Documents4/k00209.htm
    – Yaacov Deane
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 0:33
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    Here is a link to a news report from the Kotel this past year, 2014. Please note the many photos of men davening in sack cloth. This was from the 17th of Tammuz. kooker.co.il/צפו-בגלריה-יהודים-מתאבלים-עם-לבוש-שק-בכ
    – Yaacov Deane
    Commented Aug 13, 2015 at 2:04
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    As mentioned to you repeatedly, you should include exact references (e.g. page numbers) along with your claims.
    – mevaqesh
    Commented Dec 28, 2016 at 7:47
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    FWIW I just looked through the 5626 edition (Lamburg) and I found one line discussing lashes before Mikva (after the Kavanot for eating on Erev YK) and some discussion earlier about Kapparot (something about Gevurah), but nothing about sackcloth. Perhaps editing a page number isn't as stupid as you make it sound. It's possible I just missed it, but as a user I'd rather you give me a page number or something rather than reading through it five more times to check myself.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Dec 28, 2016 at 17:08

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