איוב, פרק א׳, פסוק י״ג

A peaceful family gathering marks the final moment of normal life before sudden tragedy strikes. The children are dining together in their usual routine, unaware that this specific day will bring devastating events [רמב״ן, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This meal takes place at the beginning of the week, signaling the start of a brand-new cycle of family feasts [רמב״ן].

The location of this gathering—specifically at the home of the eldest brother—carries profound dramatic weight regarding the exact timing of the disaster. Because the eldest brother hosts the first meal of the rotation, the tragedy unfolds on the very day that the previous cycle of feasts concluded. That same morning, Job had already offered sacrifices to atone for his children. This precise timing makes it clear that the sudden loss is not a punishment for any past wrongs committed by the children, as they had just been cleansed and completely forgiven [מלבי״ם].

The timing of these events is far from a coincidence. It is a calculated move by Satan, designed to maximize Job's emotional and spiritual agony. The adversary's ultimate goal is to deeply provoke Job, pushing him to the point of abandoning his faith and cursing God. Satan calculates that once Job realizes his children perished on the very day he took such care to purify them and offer sacrifices on their behalf, a profound sense of injustice will overwhelm him. The realization that his children died despite being completely free of sin is intended to shatter Job's spirit entirely [מצודת דוד].