94 GERALD A. KLINGBEIL – CHANTAL J. KLINGBEIL not provide all the relevant data. In the following we will ask Neh 1,6 some of the questions that ritual theory is raising. What triggers Nehemiah’s prayer (which should be considered a ritual act) in Neh 1,5–11? Clearly, the news received by Hanani (1,2), a fellow Jew who had recently traveled with some companions from Jerusalem to the Persian capital Susa, describing the sad state of affairs in Jerusalem, triggered a strong ritual response by Nehemiah, highlighting the fact that ritual is often a recourse in crisis and a response when people feel overwhelmed by a crisis. It is interesting to note that while the main concerns regarding Jerusalem involved the broken walls and burnt gates of the city (Neh 1,3) and seemingly had no direct bearing on religious matters (such as temple worship, sacrificial procedures, priestly order, etc.), Nehemiah’s reaction is couched in religious garb and represents a ritualized response 13. Upon hearing this news report, Nehemiah sits down and weeps and for several days he mourns, which involved fasting and praying. The emotive response of sitting down (bvy) and weeping (hkb) appears regularly in the Hebrew Bible in response to bad news or lack of hope. Hagar and Ishmael are expelled from Abraham’s camp and wander about in the desert. When they cannot find any water Hagar moves away from Ishmael and sits down and weeps (Gen 21,16). Similarly, a female prisoner of war that married an Israelite had to stay (lit. “sit”) in the house for a full month and cry for her father and mother (Deut 21,13) 14, while the tribes of Israel (except Benjamin) sit and weep over the horrific crime that the Benjamites from Gibeah had committed (Judg 20,26) 15. This ritualized response seems to have served at least two purposes: first, it functions as a public signal that something was terribly wrong and Ritualization is an important strategy of constructing new power 13 relationships and dealing with new (and often disturbing) situations where no set ritual is available. Compare here BELL, Ritual, 77-83 and J. BRUMBERG- KRAUS, “‘Not by Bread Alone...’: The Ritualization of Food and Table Talk in the Passover Seder and in the Last Supper”, Semeia 86 (1999) 165-191. Compare also the helpful comments in F.H. GORMAN JR., “Ritualizing, Rite and Pentateuchal Theology”, Prophets and Paradigms. Essays in Honor of Gene M. Tucker (ed. S.B. REID) (JSOTSS 229; Sheffield 1996) 173-186. Compare here the insightful comments found in C.H. GORDON, “Father’s 14 Sons and Mother’s Daughters in Ugaritic, in the Ancient Near East and in Mandaic Magic Texts”, “Und Mose schrieb dieses Lied auf”. Studien zum Alten Testament und zum Alten Orient (FS Oswald Loretz) (eds. M. DIETRICH – I. KOTTSIEPER – H. SCHAUDIG) (AOAT 250) (Münster 1998) 319-324, and earlier J.P. WEINBERG, “Das beit ‘abot im 6-4 Jh v u z”, VT 23 (1973) 400-411. Other references from the Hebrew Bible containing the combination of 15 sitting (bvy) and weeping (hkb) can be found in Judg 21,2; 2 Kgs 22,19; 2 Chr 34,27 ; Ps 137,1; Isa 30,19; and Ezek 8,14.