Genesis Rabbah 85

¹“It was at that time; Judah descended from his brothers and turned to an Adulamite man, and his name was Ḥira” (Genesis 38:1). “It was at that time; Judah descended from his brothers” – “Judah has betrayed, and an abomination has been performed…” (Malachi 2:11). [God] said to him: ‘You have denied, Judah; you have lied, Judah’ – “and an abomination has been performed in Israel” (Malachi 2:11). ). This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Neḥemya (see Bereshit Rabba 84:21). ‘Judah has become profane’ – “for Judah has profaned the holy of the Lord that He loves” (Malachi 2:11). “It was at that time.” “I will yet bring to you a dispossessor, inhabitant of Maresha; [the glory of Israel] will come as far as Adulam” (Micah 1:15) – the King and Holy One of Israel. ). [Alternatively,] should the glory of Israel have “come as far as Adulam”? ). “Come as far as Adulam” – as it is written: “And turned to an Adulamite man.” “It was at that time” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman began: “For I have known the thoughts” (Jeremiah 29:11) – the tribes were engaged in the sale of Joseph, Joseph was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Reuben was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Jacob was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Judah was engaged in taking a wife for himself, and the Holy One blessed be He was engaged in creating the light of the messianic king: “It was at that time, Judah descended from his brothers.” “Before she begins labor, she will give birth” (Isaiah 66:7) – before the first one who would enslave [Israel] was born, the ultimate redeemer was born. “It was at that time” – what is written prior to the matter? “The Medanites sold him to Egypt” (Genesis 37:36). ²“It was at that time” – the verse should have said only: “Joseph was taken down to Egypt” (Genesis 39:1). Why, then, did it juxtapose this portion to that one? Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yoḥanan: Rabbi Elazar said: In order to juxtapose descent to descent. ). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: In order to juxtapose “identify” (Genesis 37:32) to “identify” (Genesis 38:25). ). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: In order to juxtapose the incident of Tamar to the incident of Potifar’s wife. Just as this one, [Tamar, acted] for the sake of Heaven, so too, that one, [Potifar’s wife, acted] for the sake of Heaven, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: She saw through her astrology that she was destined to bring forth a child from him, but she did not know whether it would be from her or from her daughter. That is what is written: “[The astrologers, the stargazers,] who foretell by the new moons of that which will befall you” (Isaiah 47:13). Rabbi Aivu said: [They foretell] “of that which [will befall you]” but not all that [will befall you]. Similarly, “[They were both naked, the man and his wife,] and they were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25), “the serpent was…cunning” (Genesis 3:1). The verse should have said only: “The Lord God made for Adam and for his wife [hide tunics, and clothed them]” (Genesis 3:21). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: It is to inform you for what reason that wicked one [the serpent] accosted them; because it saw them engaged in conjugal relations, it lusted after them. Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanin said: So as not to end with the portion of the serpent. Similarly, “[Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of heaven…] and He is able to humble those who walk in arrogance” (Daniel 4:34), “King Belshatzar” (Daniel 5:1) and “Darius the Mede” (Daniel 6:1). Where is Evil Merodakh? Rabbi Elazar said: To juxtapose a wicked one to a wicked one, a tormentor to a tormentor, a conceited one to a conceited one. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: In order to juxtapose a reign that was truncated to a reign that was truncated. Similarly, “During that night, Belshatzar the Chaldean king was killed” (Daniel 5:30), “and Darius the Mede [received the kingdom]” (Daniel 6:1). Where is [the chapter beginning:] “In the third year of the reign of King Belshatzar” (Daniel 8:1)? Rav Huna said: So that they will not say that this is mere literature; so that everyone will know that he said it through the divine spirit. The Rabbis say: In order to indicate regarding the whole book that it was stated through the divine spirit. Here too, it should have said: “Joseph was taken down to Egypt” (Genesis 39:1), but it is written: “Judah descended from his brothers.” [Judah] said [to his brothers]: ). ‘Let us disperse ourselves, for so long as we are together, the promissory note is liable to be collected.’ ). Alternatively, the promissory note refers to the prophecy to Abraham that his descendants would be oppressed in a foreign land. Judah sensed that the departure of Joseph might eventually lead to their all descending to exile. That would be more likely to occur if they were all together ( Yefe To’ar ). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: If ten people were implicated for robbery, can one not be apprehended for the act of them all? When they were implicated regarding the goblet, they said: “God has found [ matza ] the iniquity of your servants” (Genesis 44:16). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The creditor has found the opportunity to collect on his promissory note. Rabbi Levi said: Like this one who empties [ mematze ] the barrel and leaves it with only its dregs. The Rabbis say: [Judah said:] ‘Come and let us provide for ourselves. In the past, he [Jacob] would have felt obligated to arrange for us to marry wives, but now he is preoccupied with his sackcloth and fasting. It is not right that he should engage in [arranging for us to marry wives.’ They said to Judah: ‘Are you not the leader of us all? You arise and provide for yourself.’ Immediately, “Judah descended” – it is a descent for him that he married a gentile woman. It is a descent for him that he buried his wife and his sons. ³Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon and Rabbi Ḥanin in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Anyone who begins a mitzva and does not complete it, buries his wife and his children. From whom do you derive this? It is from Judah. “Judah said to his brothers: What profit is it [if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?]” (Genesis 37:26). He should have borne him on his shoulder to his father. What did it cause for him? He buried his wife and his children. Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: Anyone who begins a mitzva and does not complete it, but another comes and completes it, it is attributed to the second one. That is what is written: “Joseph’s bones, which the children of Israel took up” (Joshua 24:32). Did Moses not take them up, as it is stated: “Moses took Joseph’s bones with him” (Exodus 13:19)? But since it was decreed upon him that he would not enter the land, and these [the children of Israel] tended to them, it is therefore attributed to them. “Joseph’s bones…” (Joshua 24:32) – they analogize it; to what is the matter comparable? To robbers who entered a certain wine cellar. They took a particular jug and drank. The owner of the cellar peered at them. He said to them: ‘May it be pleasant for you, may it be enjoyable for you, may it be sweet for you. You drank the wine, restore the jug to its place.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He said to the tribes: ‘You sold Joseph. Restore his bones to their place.’ Another matter: Joseph said to them: ‘To the place from which you abducted me, return me’ – “are your brothers not herding in Shekhem?” (Genesis 37:13). That is what the children of Israel did: “Joseph’s bones, which the children of Israel took up from Egypt, they buried in Shekhem” (Joshua 24:32). ⁴“And turned to an Adulamite man, and his name was Ḥira” – the Rabbis say: Ḥira is Ḥiram who was in the days of David, as it is stated: “For Ḥiram had been David’s friend all the days” (I Kings 5:15) – this man was accustomed to being a friend of this tribe. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Ḥiram was someone else. According to the opinion of the Rabbis, he lived close to one thousand two hundred years; according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda [ben Rabbi Simon], he lived close to five hundred years. , Va’era 180) The debate is whether Ḥiram was also the same person as the Ḥira in the time of Judah, five hundred or so years before David. “There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and cohabited with her” (Genesis 38:2). “There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua” – the daughter ). of a merchant, , generally translated as Canaanite, to mean merchant, which is in fact how the term is used in some places in Bible (see, e.g., Isaiah 23:8). Accordingly, Judah followed the family tradition of not marrying Canaanites. the shining light of his place. “She conceived, and she bore a son; he called his name Er” (Genesis 38:3). “She conceived, and she bore a son; he called his name Er” – as he was discharged [ shehuar ] from the world. “She conceived again, and bore a son; she called his name Onan. She continued and bore a son again, and called his name Shela; and he was in Keziv when she bore him” (Genesis 38:4–5). “She conceived again…Onan” – as he brought acute mourning [ anina ] upon himself. “She conceived again.… Shela” – as he initiated a genealogy [ shenishtalshel ] in the world. ],” instead of “from the world [ min haolam ].” “She continued…again…Keziv” – Poskat, the name of a place. “Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the eyes of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death” (Genesis 38:7). “Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the eyes of the Lord” – he would plow in the gardens and discharge in the waste. ⁵“Judah said to Onan: Consort with your brother’s wife, and consummate levirate marriage with her, and establish offspring for your brother” (Genesis 38:8). “Judah said to Onan…” – Judah was the first to initiate the mitzva of levirate marriage. It is taught: Any matter that was in the category of permitted, became prohibited, and then became permitted again, it does not return to its initial permitted state, but rather, to a second permitted state. A yevama , is a woman whose husband died without children. She is tied in a levirate bond to his brother, who is called the yavam . because she was in the category of permitted, became prohibited, and was then permitted, does she, perhaps, return to her initial permitted state? The verse states: “Her husband’s brother shall consort with her” (Deuteronomy 25:5) – mitzva. 39b), who holds that levirate marriage may be performed only if the intent in doing so is to perform the mitzva, and not if the intent is simply because they would like to be married. This is different from the permitted status of the yevama to her eventual yavam before she had been married. At that time they could have married for any reason they wanted ( Yefe To’ar ). Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta entered into levirate marriage with his brother’s wife. He engaged in relations five times, he engaged in relations through a sheet, and planted five saplings in Israel. Who were they? Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Menaḥem ben Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Ḥalafta ben Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Avdimos ben Rabbi Yosei. He had red eyes and resembled his mother. “Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, and it was when he consorted with his brother’s wife, that he spilled on the ground, so as not to give offspring for his brother” (Genesis 38:9). “Onan knew” – he would penetrate inside but spill outside. “Judah said to Tamar, his daughter - in - law: Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shela my son matures; for he said: Lest he too die, like his brothers. Tamar went and lived in her father’s house” (Genesis 38:11). “Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law” – Rabbi Elazar said: Although there is no divination, there is a portent – “lest he too die, like his brothers.” The Rabbis say: [With regard to a] house, baby, and wife, although there is no divination, there is a portent. ⁶“The days accumulated, and the daughter of Shua, wife of Judah, died, and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers, he and Ḥira, his friend the Adulamite, to Timna” (Genesis 38:12). “The days accumulated, and the daughter of Shua, wife of Judah, died.” “The days accumulated” – twelve months. “Up to his sheepshearers” – every place that shearing is stated, it makes an impression. We found likewise regarding Naval, Laban, and Avshalom. “It was told to Tamar, saying: Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timna to shear his sheep” (Genesis 38:13). “It was told to Tamar, saying…” – Rav said: There are two Timnas, one of Judah and one of Samson. Why does it mention in its regard ascent and descent? It was an ascent for Judah because he was producing kings, and a descent for Samson because he was marrying a gentile woman. Rabbi Simon said: There is one Timna. Why does it mention ascent and descent in its regard? Rabbi Aivu ben Agri said: It is like that Beit Maon – one ascends to it from Tiberias and descends to it from Kefar Shuvti. ⁷“She removed the garments of her widowhood from upon her; she covered herself with a veil, and she wrapped herself, and she sat at Petaḥ Einayim, which is on the road to Timna, for she saw that Shela had matured, and she had not been given to him as a wife” (Genesis 38:14). “She removed the garments of her widowhood from upon her; she covered herself with a veil” – there were two who covered themselves with a veil, Tamar and Rebecca, and both of them bore twins. Rebecca – “she took the veil and covered herself” (Genesis 24:65); Tamar – “she covered herself with a veil, and she wrapped herself.” “She sat at Petaḥ Einayim” – Rabbi Ami said: We reviewed the entire Bible, and we did not find a place whose name is Petaḥ Einayim. What is petaḥ einayim ? It teaches that she directed her glance to the entrance [ petaḥ ] to which all eyes [ einayim ] are directed. She said: May it be Your will, Lord my God, that I will not emerge from this house empty-handed. Alternatively, “at Petaḥ Einayim” – it teaches that she opened his eyes [ shepateḥa lo et haayin ] by saying to him: ‘I am ritually pure, and I am unmarried.’ ⁸“Judah saw her and thought her to be a harlot, because she covered her face” (Genesis 38:15). “Judah saw her” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Zavda said: A person must be very careful regarding his wife’s sister and his female relatives, that he not stumble with one of them. From whom do you derive it? From Judah – “Judah saw her…” Why? It is “because she covered her face” while she was still in her father-in-law’s house. ). Alternatively, the midrash is saying one should take care to recognize his female relatives. Yehuda did not recognize Tamar because she had always kept her face covered in his house, and that is why he mistook her for a harlot ( Etz Yosef ). “He turned to her by the road, and he said: Please, let me consort with you, for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said: What will you give me that you would consort with me” (Genesis 38:16)? Another matter: “Judah saw her” – he did not pay attention to her. When she covered her face, he said: Were she a harlot, would she have covered her face? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He sought to pass, but the Holy One blessed be He dispatched to him the angel that is responsible for desire. He said to him: ‘Judah, where are you going? From where will kings be produced, from where will the prominent ones be produced?’ “He turned to her by the road” – despite himself, against his will. ⁹“He said: What is the collateral that I should give you? She said: Your signet, and your belt, and your staff that is in your hand. He gave them to her and consorted with her, and she conceived by him” (Genesis 38:18). “What is the collateral that I should give…” – Rabbi Ḥuneya said: The divine spirit flashed in her. “Your signet [ ḥotamekha ]” – this is kingship, just as it says: “Set me as a seal [ khaḥotam ] upon your heart” (Song of Songs 8:6); 8:6:2; Nezer HaKodesh , based on Zohar). “for if Konya, son of Yehoyakim king of Judah, would be a signet ring [ ḥotam ] upon My right hand” (Jeremiah 22:24). “And your belt [ uftilekha ]” – this is the Sanhedrin, which is identifiable by a thread, just as it says: “a thread of sky-blue wool” (Exodus 39:31). with sky-blue ritual fringes ( Matnot Kehuna ). Alternatively, they would wear special clothing as a sign of honor (see Rabbi David Luria; Rashash). “And your staff” – this is the messianic king, just as it says: “A staff will emerge from the stump of Yishai” (Isaiah 11:1); “the Lord will send your staff of strength from Zion” (Psalms 110:2). “He gave them to her…and she conceived by him” – mighty like him and righteous like him. “Judah sent the goat kid in the hand of his friend the Adulamite, to take the collateral from the woman, but he did not find her” (Genesis 38:20). “Judah sent…” – Yehuda bar Naḥman in the name of Reish Lakish: “Playing [ mesaḥeket ] in the world of His earth” (Proverbs 8:31), “playing [ mesaḥeket ] before Him at all times” (Proverbs 8:30). This is the Torah, which makes a mockery [ mesaḥeket ] of people. The Holy One blessed be He said to Judah: ‘You deceived your father with a goat kid; as you live, Tamar will deceive you with a goat kid.’ ¹⁰“It was about three months later that it was told to Judah, saying: Tamar your daughter - in - law acted as a harlot; moreover, behold, she conceived through harlotry. Judah said: Take her out, and she shall be burned” (Genesis 38:24). Sumekhos says in the name of Rabbi Meir: From where is it derived that the fetus is not noticeable in the woman’s womb until three months? From here: “It was about three months later.” Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Yosei: Not at the end of three full months, but rather, most of the first, most of the last, and the entire middle one, and ultimately it is not three full ones. “Moreover, behold, she conceived through harlotry” – it teaches that she would pat her belly and say: I am pregnant with kings; I am pregnant with redeemers. “Take her out and she shall be burned” – Efrayim the cucumber seller [ makshaa ], student of Rabbi Meir, said in the name of Rabbi Meir: Tamar was the daughter of Shem, as it is written: “The daughter of a man who is a priest, [if she shall profane herself by acting as a harlot…she shall be burned in fire]” (Leviticus 21:9); that is why [Judah said]: “Take her out, and she shall be burned.” ¹¹“She was taken out, and she sent to her father-in-law, saying: By the man to whom these belong I am with child. She said: Identify, please, whose signet, and belt, and staff these are” (Genesis 38:25). “She was taken out [ mutzet ]…” – Rabbi Yudan said: [It may be derived] from here that [Judah’s items] were lost, and the Holy One blessed be He provided [ himtzi ] her with others in their place, just as it says: “Or found [ matza ] a lost item…” (Leviticus 5:22). Rav Huna said: “She was taken out” – he and she should be taken out. “She sent to her father-in-law, saying…[identify, please [ haker na ]…]” – he sought to deny it. She said to him: ‘Acknowledge now [ haker na ] your Creator; they belong to you and your Creator.’ “Identify, please, whose signet” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Judah: ‘You said to your father: “Identify, please” (Genesis 37:32); as you live, Tamar will say to you: “Identify, please.”’ ¹²“Judah identified them, and said: She is more righteous than I, because indeed, I did not give her to Shela my son. And he was not intimate with her anymore” (Genesis 38:26). “Judah identified…” – Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak: The divine spirit appeared in three places: In the court of Shem, in the court of Samuel, and in the court of Solomon. In the court of Shem – “Judah identified them, and said: She is more righteous than I [ mimeni ].” What is mimeni ? Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You will attest to what is revealed, and I attest to what is concealed.’ In the court of Solomon – “she is his mother” (I Kings 3:27). Who said? Rabbi Shmuel said: A Divine Voice was shouting and saying: ‘She is certainly his mother!’ In the court of Samuel: “Here I am; testify against me.… He said… The Lord is witness for you, [and His anointed is witness this day, that you did not find anything in my hand.] They said: He is witness” (I Samuel 12:3–5). A Divine Voice emerged and said: “He is witness.” What does it say regarding Eli’s sons? “The sin of the lads was [very] great…” (I Samuel 2:17), and it is written: “That they would lie with the women who would assemble…” (I Samuel 2:22). Is it possible that it is so, that the sons of that righteous one would perform that act? Say now that because they would delay the bird offerings in Shilo and they thereby kept [the women] out of their houses for one night, the verse ascribes to them as though they had relations with them. Similarly, “his sons did not follow his ways, and they turned to bribes” (I Samuel 8:3) – is it possible that the sons of the righteous Samuel would perform that act? Rabbi Berekhya said: A caravan would pass in Beersheba, and they would forsake the needs of the public and engage in their own business. Because of that action, the verse ascribed to them as though they took bribes. Similarly, “she sat at Petaḥ Einayim” (Genesis 38:14), as it is written above. ¹³“It was at the time of her giving birth, and, behold, there were twins in her womb” (Genesis 38:27). “It was at the time of her giving birth” – here they were incomplete, but elsewhere they were complete. “Behold there were twins [ teomim ] in her womb” – teomim is written complete, as here they were both righteous. Elsewhere tomim (Genesis 25:24) is written, incomplete, as one was righteous and one was wicked. “It was as she was giving birth, one extended a hand; the midwife took and bound upon his hand a crimson thread, saying: This one emerged first” (Genesis 38:28). “It was as she was giving birth, one extended a hand” – Rava bar Rav Ḥisda said: There are three who are believed immediately, and these are: The midwife, the caravan, and a woman who attests to the purity of another woman. Midwife – as it is written: “The midwife took and bound upon his hand a crimson thread, saying: This one emerged first.” Caravan – as Rabbi Simon brother of Rabbi Yehuda bar Zavdi said in the name of Rav: A child, as long as he is cast in the street, his father and mother can testify in his regard. When he is gathered from the street, he requires two witnesses. And a woman who attests to the purity of another woman – as we learned: If three women were sleeping in one bed and there was blood under one of them, they are all impure. If one of them examined herself and found blood, she alone is impure. Rava said: Provided that it is within twenty-four hours. ¹⁴“It was as he retracted his hand, and behold, his brother emerged; and she said: What breach have you breached for yourself? He called his name Peretz” (Genesis 38:29). “It was as he retracted his hand…[What breach have you breached [ paretz ] for yourself? He called his name Peretz]” – the one who will be ascendant over all the mighty [ haparitzim ] will be produced from you. “The one who breaks through [ haporetz ] has ascended before them…” (Micah 2:13). Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said in the name of the Rabbis: All the mighty [ haporetzim ] will be produced from you, as it is stated: “The one who breaks through [ haporetz ] has ascended before them.” “Then his brother, on whose hand was the crimson thread, emerged; he called his name Zeraḥ” (Genesis 38:30). “Then his brother, [on whose hand was the crimson thread,] emerged” – numerous usages of “hand” are written here. Rabbi Yudan and Rav Huna: Rabbi Yudan said: Four, corresponding to the four proscriptions to which he was destined to extend his hand. These are: The proscription of Amalek, the proscription of Siḥon and Og, the proscription of Jericho, and the proscription of the Canaanites . Rav Huna said: Corresponding to the four items that he was destined to take from the proscription. That is what is written: “I saw among the spoils a fine mantle from Shinar, [and two hundred shekels of silver, and one wedge of gold, weighing fifty shekels]” (Joshua 7:21). chap. 38) adds that these items were ornaments for an idol, and Akhan took the idol as well, which was the fourth item. Rav Huna said: [The fine mantle] was a Babylonian garment of purple wool. What is Babylon doing here? Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: Any king or ruler who did not have dominion in the Land [of Israel] would say: I am not worth anything. The king of Babylon’s viceroy lived in Jericho. [The viceroy] would send him dates, and he would send [the viceroy] gifts.