Daily Chumash & Rashi Parshas Vayeishev Revi’i – Yehuda and Tamar

Post Views: 886

*The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from  qualifying purchases.

Donate
Buy in Paperback or Kindle
Buy on Apple Books
Purchase on our website
Sign up for Daily Distribution

Revi’i

  1. Yehuda moves away, gets married and has children:
    • At that time, Yehuda descended from amongst his brothers, and arrived to an Adulami man, whose name was Chira.
    • The marriage: Yehuda saw there the daughter of a Canaanite man called Shua. He took the daughter and married her.
    • The children: She became pregnant and had a son, who was named Er. She again conceived and had a son who was named Onan. She again conceived and had a son who was named Shailah. She was in Keziv when she had him.

 

  1. The marriage of Yehuda’s sons to Tamar, and their eventual death:
    • Er marries Tamar and dies: Yehuda took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. Er performed evil in the eyes of Hashem, and Hashem therefore put him to death.
    • Onan marries Tamar and dies: Yehuda told Onan to be intimate with the wife of his brother, and perform Yibum to her, and establish offspring for his brother. Onan knew that the child would not be considered his. Therefore, each time he was intimate with his brother’s wife, he would destroy [his seed by spilling it] onto the earth, in order not to give offspring to his brother. What he did was evil in the eyes of Hashem, and He put also him to death.
    • Tamar returns home: Yehuda told Tamar, his daughter in-law, to stay in the home of her father until Shailah is old enough [to marry her]. Yehuda said this because he feared for the life of Shailah. Tamar did as she was told.

 

  1. Yehuda is intimate with Tamar:
    • After the passing of many days, the wife of Yehuda, the daughter of Shua, passed away. Yehuda was comforted, and traveled with his friend Chirah to graze the flock in Timna.
    • Tamar dresses like a harlot: Tamar was informed that her father in-law is traveling to Timna to graze the sheep. She removed her widow garments and covered herself with a veil. She sat at the crossroads leading to Timna, being that she saw that Shailah had already grown up and she was still not given to him as a wife. Yehuda saw her and mistook her for a harlot, being that her face was covered.
    • The negotiations and agreements: Yehuda came towards her and asked if he could be intimate with her, as he did not know that she was his daughter in-law. She asked him “What will you give me,” and he replied that he will send her a young goat from amongst his sheep. She replied that she will only accept his offer if he gives her something as collateral until he brings her the goat. He asked what collateral she wanted, and she asked to be given his signet ring, jacket, and staff. He gave it to her and was intimate with her and she became pregnant from him.
    • Tamar returned home, removed her veil, and put back on her widow garments
    • Yehuda tries to find the harlot: Yehuda sent the young goat with his friend to bring to the harlot and receive his collateral back, although she could not be found. They asked the townspeople as to the whereabouts of the harlot who sat by the crossroads and they replied that they know nothing of a harlot in that location. The friend told Yehuda that she could not be found and Yehuda replied that she should keep what she was given, as they tried to find her and if they continue searching, the matter will become publicized and humiliate them.

 

  1. A pregnant Tamar is almost burnt at the stake:
    • Three months later Yehuda is informed that his daughter in-law Tamar is pregnant due to a promiscuous relationship. Yehuda ordered that she be burned to death.
    • Yehuda confesses and saves her from death: As she was being brought to be burnt she sent her father in-law the items which he gave her, and told him “I am pregnant from the man whom these items belong to, please recognize them.” Yehuda recognized the items and responded that she be vindicated of any wrong doing being that he refused to give her to Shailah as a wife, and she is pregnant from him.
    • Yehuda discontinued being intimate with her.

 

  1. Tamar gives birth to twins:
  • Tamar gave birth to twins.
  • When she gave birth, one of the children stuck out his hand. The midwife took it and tied a red string onto it, as a sign that he came out first.
  • After he returned his hand, his brother came out. The [midwife] exclaimed “Why have you burst forth” and he was named Peretz.
  • Afterwards, his brother, which had the red string on his hand, was born and he was named Zarach.

✅ Genesis 38 – Yehudah and Tamar (Based on Rashi)

 

Q1: Why is the story of Yehudah placed here, interrupting Joseph’s narrative?

Rashi: To teach that Yehudah was demoted from his leadership role when his brothers saw their father’s grief. They said: “You told us to sell Joseph—if you had told us to return him, we would have listened.”

 

Q2: What does “וַיֵּט” (he turned aside) mean?

Rashi: He moved away from his brothers and entered into a business partnership with an Adullamite named Chirah.

 

Q3: What does “כְּנַעֲנִי” mean in this context?

Rashi: It means “merchant,” not ethnic Canaanite.

 

Q4: Why was the place called Keziv?

Rashi: Because she ceased giving birth there. The root is related to “failing” or “ceasing,” as in “a failing spring” (Jeremiah 15:18).

 

Q5: Why did Er die?

Rashi: He was evil in God’s eyes because he wasted his seed to prevent Tamar from becoming pregnant and losing her beauty.

 

Q6: Why did Onan die?

Rashi: For the same sin as Er—he “threshed inside and let the seed scatter outside,” refusing to produce offspring for his brother.

 

Q7: What does “וְהָקֵם זֶרַע” mean?

Rashi: The child would be called by the name of the deceased brother.

 

Q8: Why did Yehudah delay giving Shelah to Tamar?

Rashi: He made an excuse, fearing Shelah might die like his brothers. He suspected Tamar was “fatal” to her husbands.

 

Q9: What does “וַתִּתְעַלָּף” mean when Tamar disguised herself?

Rashi: She covered her face completely so Yehudah would not recognize her.

 

Q10: What is “פֶּתַח עֵינַיִם”?

Rashi: Literally “opening of the eyes,” meaning a crossroads. The sages interpret it as the entrance to Abraham’s tent, which all eyes long to see.

 

Q11: Why did Yehudah mistake her for a prostitute?

Rashi: Because she was sitting at the crossroads and had covered her face.

 

Q12: What is the meaning of “הָבָה־נָּא”?

Rashi: It means “prepare yourself,” not simply “give.” Every use of הָבָה implies readiness.

 

Q13: What is “עֵרָבוֹן”?

Rashi: A pledge for security until the payment (the goat) arrives.

 

Q14: What were the pledge items?

Rashi: His signet ring, his cloak, and his staff. Onkelos translates: “your ring and your garment.”

 

Q15: Why does the verse say “וַתַּהַר לוֹ” (she conceived to him)?

Rashi: It implies she conceived strong and righteous men like him.

 

Q16: Why did Yehudah say “פֶּן נִהְיֶה לָבוּז” (lest we become scorned)?

Rashi: If he kept searching for her, the matter would become public and cause disgrace.

 

Q17: What lesson do we learn from Tamar’s words “הַכֶּר־נָא”?

Rashi: She did not shame Yehudah directly. She said, “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” From this, the sages teach: Better to be thrown into a fiery furnace than to publicly humiliate someone.

 

Q18: What does “צָדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי” mean?

Rashi: She is right; she acted correctly because I did not give her to Shelah. The sages add: A Divine voice declared, “From Me these events came about—so that kings would descend from her.”

 

Q19: Why is “תְאוֹמִים” (twins) written in full here?

Rashi: Because both were righteous, unlike Rebecca’s twins where one was wicked.

 

Q20: Why was Peretz named so?

Rashi: Because he “broke through” ahead of his brother with strength.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

Leave A Comment?

You must be logged in to post a comment.