{"id":11234,"date":"2007-11-29T01:23:00","date_gmt":"2007-11-29T01:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/production.ou.org\/life\/other\/vayeishev_murky_messianic_beginnings\/"},"modified":"2015-10-27T15:31:03","modified_gmt":"2015-10-27T20:31:03","slug":"vayeishev_murky_messianic_beginnings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/vayeishev_murky_messianic_beginnings\/","title":{"rendered":"Vayeishev: Murky Messianic Beginnings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Back in 5th grade, I remembered we skipped the story. Never has a teacher sparked such interest; the particular episode being one of the great and difficult pieces of the written Torah, that of the story of Yehuda and Tamar\u00a0(1)<\/a>. What follows is one piece in the puzzle.<\/p>\n

Context<\/span>:<\/b><\/p>\n

Immediately, following Yosef\u2019s sale and descent<\/b> to Egypt, our story commences: (2)<\/a><\/p>\n

And it came to pass at that time that Yehuda went down from his brothers<\/i><\/p>\n

Yosef and Yehuda\u2019s twin fates of decline are midrashically linked. (3)<\/a><\/p>\n

R. Yochanan said: \u201cdescent\u201d is juxtaposed with \u201cdescent\u201d. Yosef\u2019s descent and Yehuda\u2019s descent [\u201cAnd Yosef went down to Egypt\u201d and \u201cYehuda went down.\u201d] <\/i><\/p>\n

Rav Yochanan implies causality (4)<\/a>. Yosef\u2019s fall necessitates Yehuda\u2019s plunge \u2013 for it is only appropriate that Yehuda, prime engineer of Yosef\u2019s fall, should share a similar fate.<\/p>\n

Momentary Decisions, Monumental Reverberations<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Tamar loses two husbands, Er and Onan, both sons of Yehuda. Ramban finds notions of minhag yibum<\/i> (levirate marriage) predating matan torah<\/i> lurking in the background. Tamar dutifully waits for Shelah, Yehuda\u2019s third son. Alas, it is a fruitless wait (6)<\/a> – for Yehuda has no plans to allow Tamar to marry Shelah (7)<\/a>. Tamar, who eventually realizes this, seizes the moment. The Torah describes the scene: (8)<\/a><\/p>\n

And in process of time the daughter of Shuah, Yehuda\u2019s wife died and Yehuda was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnath, \u2026 And it was told to Tamar, saying, behold your father-in-law goes up to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she took off her widow\u2019s garments and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; \u2026 When Yehuda saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, because she had covered her face. And he turned to her by the way, and said, come, I beg you, let me come in to you, for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, what will you give me, that you may come in to me? And he said, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, will you give me a pledge, until you send it? And he said, what pledge shall I give you? And she said, your signet and your bracelets and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.<\/i><\/p>\n

Three months later, Tamar is visibly pregnant with apparently illegitimate children. Yehuda is informed and convenes a multigenerational beis din:<\/p>\n

She (Tamar) would enter the bathhouse saying to her friends: \u201cmake way for me for I am bearing kings\u201d\u2026 And sitting there in judgment were Yitzchak, Yaakov and Yehuda. <\/i><\/p>\n

Imagine for but a moment: Yehuda is sitting with his father and grandfather on the beis din<\/i>. His brothers serve as the courtroom audience (9)<\/a>. Yehuda feels absolute disgust \u2013 something along the lines of: \u201chow my immoral daughter-in-law has shamed me and all of Israel\u201d. In sum, an overwhelming air of righteous indignation pervades.<\/p>\n

The beit din<\/i> then paskens: hotziuha v\u2019tisareif<\/i> \u2013 she is to die.<\/p>\n

And then in a sharp Purimesque turnabout, Tamar presents Yehuda with the evidence: (10)<\/a><\/p>\n

She was being taken out, and she sent [word] to her father-in-law saying, “By the man to whom these belong am I pregnant.” She said, “Please recognize (haker na) to whom this signet, wrap and staff belong.”<\/i><\/p>\n

Suddenly pride yields to shame, and indignation to indignity. Yehuda\u2019s ire must be redirected inward. With every passing second, the enormity of his error grows in stature. Further, Tamar\u2019s language \u05d4\u05db\u05e8 \u05e0\u05d0 (please recognize) evokes the memory of another haunting event. (11)<\/a><\/p>\n

They sent the long, colorful coat and brought it to their father, and said, “We found this. Please recognize [haker na] it. Is it your son’s coat or not?” <\/i><\/p>\n

In all of Tanach,\u05d4\u05db\u05e8 \u05e0\u05d0 appears but twice, both within two chapters. Indeed, according to R. Yochanan, this is intentional. (12)<\/a> Yehuda could not fail to sense the Divine irony. (13)<\/a><\/p>\n

The Holy One, Blessed be He said to Yehuda: you stopped the innards of your father and you said to him \u05d4\u05db\u05e8 \u05e0\u05d0 . By your life, you must also hear such \u2026<\/i><\/p>\n

Yehuda must reflect and consider the unfolding events in a broader context. Will his momentary clarity spur teshuva, or will he shunt his conscience aside?<\/p>\n

Crisis<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Tamar forces Yehuda\u2019s hand. She does not embarrasses Yehuda, nor does she want to confront him(14)<\/a>. Her tact is to simply present the evidence, thus leaving Yehuda to ponder his fate.<\/p>\n

Consider the dilemma: Yehuda\u2019s inner turmoil is surely magnified by the presence of his father, grandfather, and brothers. It would be oh so expedient for Yehuda to remain quiet. A few moments of uneasy passivity and the whole matter, including Tamar, would be history and he could then move on. Thus the wrenching choice becomes: Will Yehuda opt for eternal excellence or ephemeral ease? Does Yehuda squirm? Perhaps. Ultimately, his decision (15)<\/a> serves as a paradigm of gevurah<\/i>, and defines his very essence.<\/p>\n

And Yehuda recognized (\u05d5\u05b7\u05d9\u05bc\u05b7\u05db\u05bc\u05b5\u05e8) them, and said, \u05e6\u05b8\u05d3\u05b0\u05e7\u05b8\u05d4 \u05de\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b6\u05e0\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 she has been more righteous than I because I did not give her to Shelah my son. <\/i><\/p>\n

\u05e6\u05b8\u05d3\u05b0\u05e7\u05b8\u05d4 \u05de\u05b4\u05de\u05bc\u05b6\u05e0\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9. (She is more righteous than I) two words of moral clarity and ultimate responsibility. No excuses. Yehuda\u2019s accepts guilt and endures the consequences. The text does not present the fallout, the midrash<\/i> does: (16)<\/a><\/p>\n

They all heard his words \u2013 Yitzchak, Yaakov and all the brothers of Yehuda and they disgraced him: \u201cYou have embarrassed us, Yehuda.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

Monarchy<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

For Yehuda, this key moment ultimately lands him the eternal monarchy and the messiah. (17)<\/a><\/p>\n

Why did God give the crown to Yehuda<\/u>? Surely, he was not the only brave one of all his brothers; were not Simeon and Levi and the others valiant \u2026 But because he dealt justly with Tamar did he become the judge of the world.\u2026 but Yehuda recognised the place and said, ‘ The thing is correct; She is more righteous than I\u2019 For this, God made him a prince. This is what Ben Zoma used to say and teach: If thou hast been put to shame in this world, thou wilt not be put to shame before God in the World to Come,<\/i><\/p>\n

And for us non kings? Yehuda\u2019s dilemma serves to remind that life is replete with \u201cmirror\u201d moments; situations that call for wrenching reflection, forcing us to define our ultimate values and determine our soul mettle.<\/p>\n

Often, these are times of extreme discomfort; they may entail preempting a piece of lashon hara<\/i> from the mouth of a friend, offering difficult, albeit necessary criticism to a loved one; standing up for what is right at the risk of one\u2019s livelihood, or “simply” confronting and acknowledging one\u2019s own weaknesses. What unites them all is they force one to choose the good over the expedient \u2013 no matter the cost.<\/p>\n

True monarchy, says Ibn Ezra (18)<\/a> happens when one exhibits dominion over the self. Let us strive for Yehuda’s brand of royalty, for not only does it bring national salvation, but within it lies the secret of ultimate personal redemption.<\/p>\n

Notes:
\n<\/a>1. The halachic issue of Yehuda\u2019s actions and psak din is not within the scope of discussion. See Ramban, Bereishit 38:24 for several approaches.
\n<\/a>2. Bereishit, 38:1.
\n<\/a>3. Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev, 11
\n<\/a>4. \u05d0\u05ea \u05d8\u05d9\u05e0\u05e0\u05ea \u05de\u05e2\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e9\u05dc \u05d0\u05d1\u05d9\u05da \u05d5\u05d4\u05d8\u05e2\u05d9\u05ea \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d5 \u05d7\u05d9\u05d4 \u05e8\u05e2\u05d4 \u05d0\u05db\u05dc\u05ea\u05d4\u05d5, \u05e2\u05db\u05e9\u05d9\u05d5 \u05ea\u05d3\u05e2 \u05de\u05d4\u05d5 \u05e6\u05e2\u05e8 \u05e9\u05dc \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd, \u05d5\u05de\u05d4 \u05db\u05ea\u05d9\u05d1 \u05d0\u05d7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d5, \u05d5\u05d9\u05d4\u05d9 \u05d1\u05e2\u05ea \u05d4\u05d4\u05d9\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d9\u05e8\u05d3 \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 \u05de\u05e2\u05ea \u05d0\u05d7\u05d9\u05d5 ‘
\n<\/a>5. Ramban, Bereishit 38:8\u05d0\u05d1\u05dc \u05d4\u05e2\u05e0\u05d9\u05df \u05e1\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05dc \u05de\u05e1\u05d5\u05d3\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05ea\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d1\u05ea\u05d5\u05dc\u05d3\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05d3\u05dd, \u05d5\u05e0\u05db\u05e8 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05dc\u05e2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9 \u05e8\u05d5\u05d0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05e0\u05ea\u05df \u05dc\u05d4\u05dd \u05d4\u05e9\u05dd \u05e2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05e8\u05d0\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05d0\u05d6\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05e2. \u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d4\u05d7\u05db\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05e7\u05d3\u05de\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05dd \u05d4\u05ea\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d9\u05d5\u05d3\u05e2\u05d9\u05dd \u05db\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e9 \u05ea\u05d5\u05e2\u05dc\u05ea \u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05dc\u05d4 \u05d1\u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05dd \u05d4\u05d0\u05d7, \u05d5\u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d4\u05e8\u05d0\u05d5\u05d9 \u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05e7\u05d5\u05d3\u05dd \u05d1\u05d5 \u05d5\u05d0\u05d7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d4\u05e7\u05e8\u05d5\u05d1 \u05d1\u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d7\u05d4, \u05db\u05d9 \u05db\u05dc \u05e9\u05d0\u05e8\u05d5 \u05d4\u05e7\u05e8\u05d5\u05d1 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05d5 \u05de\u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d7\u05ea\u05d5 \u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d0 \u05d9\u05d5\u05e8\u05e9 \u05e0\u05d7\u05dc\u05d4 \u05d9\u05d2\u05d9\u05e2 \u05de\u05de\u05e0\u05d5 \u05ea\u05d5\u05e2\u05dc\u05ea: \u05d5\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e0\u05d5\u05d4\u05d2\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05d9\u05e9\u05d0 \u05d0\u05e9\u05ea \u05d4\u05de\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05d7 \u05d0\u05d5 \u05d4\u05d0\u05d1 \u05d0\u05d5 \u05d4\u05e7\u05e8\u05d5\u05d1 \u05de\u05df \u05d4\u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d7\u05d4. \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05d9\u05d3\u05e2\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d0\u05dd \u05d4\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d4\u05de\u05e0\u05d4\u05d2 \u05e7\u05d3\u05de\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4. \u05d5\u05d1\u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05e8\u05d1\u05d4 (\u05e4\u05d4 \u05d4) \u05d0\u05de\u05e8\u05d5 \u05db\u05d9 \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 \u05d4\u05ea\u05d7\u05d9\u05dc \u05d1\u05de\u05e6\u05d5\u05ea \u05d9\u05d1\u05d5\u05dd \u05ea\u05d7\u05dc\u05d4, \u05db\u05d9 \u05db\u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05e7\u05d1\u05dc \u05d4\u05e1\u05d5\u05d3 \u05de\u05d0\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e0\u05d6\u05d3\u05e8\u05d6 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e7\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d5.
\n<\/a>6. Bereishit, ibid, 11.
\n<\/a>7. Ibid.
\n<\/a>8. Bereishit, ch. 38.
\n<\/a>9. Shemot Rabbah 30:19
\n<\/a> 10. Bereishit 38:25.
\n<\/a> 11. Bereishit, 36:32
\n<\/a> 12. \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05e8\u05d1\u05d4 \u05e4\u05d4: \u05dc\u05de\u05d9\u05de\u05e8 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d0 \u05d5\u05d9\u05d5\u05e1\u05e3 \u05d4\u05d5\u05e8\u05d3 \u05de\u05e6\u05e8\u05d9\u05de\u05d4 \u05e8’ \u05dc\u05e2\u05d6\u05e8 \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05db\u05d3\u05d9 \u05dc\u05e1\u05de\u05d5\u05da \u05d9\u05e8\u05d9\u05d3\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d9\u05e8\u05d9\u05d3\u05d4, \u05e8’ \u05d9\u05d5\u05d7\u05e0\u05df \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05db\u05d3\u05d9 \u05dc\u05e1\u05de\u05d5\u05da \u05d4\u05db\u05e8 \u05e0\u05d0 \u05dc\u05d4\u05db\u05e8 \u05e0\u05d0,
\n<\/a> 113. \u05d0\u05d2\u05d3\u05ea \u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea (\u05d1\u05d5\u05d1\u05e8) \u05e4\u05e8\u05e7 \u05e1\u05d0 \u05d3”\u05d4 [\u05d0] \u05d5\u05d9\u05d5\u05e1\u05e3 \u05d4\u05d5\u05e8\u05d3 Cf. Sotah 10b \u05d1\u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05e8 \u05d1\u05d9\u05e9\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d0\u05d1\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d1\u05d4\u05d9\u05db\u05e8 \u05d1\u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d5\u05d4\u05d5
\n<\/a> 4. Cf. Brachot 43b.
\n<\/a> 15. Bereishit 38:26.
\n<\/a> 16. See Sefer Haparshiyot by R’ Eliyahu Kitov, Vol. 2, p.224. I have been unable to locate the original source of the midrash.
\n<\/a> 17. Shemot Rabbah 30:19. See also Bereishit Rabbah 99:8 -\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 \u05d0\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d9\u05d5\u05d3\u05d5\u05da \u05d0\u05d7\u05d9\u05da, \u05d0\u05de\u05e8 \u05dc\u05d5 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d1”\u05d4 \u05d0\u05ea\u05d4 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05ea \u05d1\u05de\u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05ea\u05de\u05e8 \u05d9\u05d5\u05d3\u05d5\u05da \u05d0\u05d7\u05d9\u05da \u05dc\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05de\u05dc\u05da \u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd
\na name=”fn18″> 18. Bamidbar , 6:7 v’hamelech b’emes sheyeish lo neizer v’ateres malchus b’rosho, kol mi shehu chafshi min hata’avos<\/p>\n

\n

Rabbi Asher Brander is the Rabbi of the Westwood Kehilla, Founder\/Dean of LINK (Los Angeles Intercommunity Kollel) and is a Rebbe at Yeshiva University High Schools of Los Angeles<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Back in 5th grade, I remembered we skipped the story. Never has a teacher sparked such interest; the particular episode being one of the great and difficult pieces of the written Torah, that of the story of Yehuda and Tamar\u00a0(1). What follows is one piece in the puzzle. Context: Immediately, following Yosef\u2019s sale and descent<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":223,"featured_media":42949,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-torah"],"yoast_head":"\nVayeishev: Murky Messianic Beginnings<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Yehuda\u2019s dilemma reminds us life is replete with "mirror" moments; situations that call for wrenching reflection, forcing us to define our ultimate values\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/torah\/vayeishev_murky_messianic_beginnings\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vayeishev: Murky Messianic Beginnings\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Yehuda\u2019s dilemma reminds us life is replete with "mirror" moments; 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