In many ancient cultures, numbers have special meaning in the realm of literature. Instead of simply indicating quantity, numbers communicate messages that go beyond superficial content. Jewish culture was no exception to this rule. In the Hebrew Bible, different numbers occur so many times that it is undeniable that the numbers are devoid of some kind of cultural or theological meaning. One of these numbers is the number seven, which occurs nearly 400 times in the Hebrew Bible. Most uses are significant (e.g. the number of days of creation, the day of the Sabbath, etc.) and the number appears to denote various meanings, including holiness and completion. (This article will delve into this concept later.) There are many interesting and significant uses of this number scattered throughout the Bible, but one case in particular caught my attention. With my psychology background and interest in cultural studies, I was intrigued by the connection of the number seven to Jewish mourning practices. In the book of Job, the author tells of Job's great piety and the blessings of the Lord. A character (often identified as Satan) approaches the Lord and questions the strength of Job's faith. With the Lord's permission, this character subjects Job to countless devastations, including the loss of all his children. Hearing this news, Job tears his clothes, shaves his head and falls to the ground in worship. The character who cursed Job returns to Job again and, with the Lord's permission, inflicts Job's skin. However, Job does not curse the Lord. Some of Job's friends decide to “come so that they can console and comfort him. When they looked up from afar and did not recognize him, they cried loudly. Each tore his garment... in the middle of the paper... in Death: some examples from the Old Testament and the ancient world of the Near East." Verbum Et Eclessia 26,2 (2005): 398-411. PDF file. Kruger, Paul. “The Reverse World of Mourning in the Hebrew Bible.” Biblische Notizen 124. (2005): 41-49. PDF file. Ludman, Batya. “Jewish Burial: A Study in Psychological Healing.” and Counseling 26. 4 (2000): 6, Web.Moran, G. “A Case Study in Grief: Jewish Religion.” New York University Courses. Nd file PDF.Wein, Penina. “Shiv’ah: Psychology in Disguise.” Kol Hamevaser: A Journal of Jewish Thought by the Yeshiva University Student Body., May 20, 2012. Web.Winner, Lauren spiritual discipline. Brewster: Paraclete Press, 2003. Print. Note: All Bible passages are from the Plain English translation.