Difference between revisions of "Purpose of the Yehuda and Tamar Story/2"
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<p>Commentators vary greatly in their evaluation of Yehuda's deeds in Bereshit 38, leading to both contrasting portraits of his character and vastly different understandings of the purpose of the story as a whole. A first approach views Yehuda negatively, assuming that he had intermarried and absorbed customs of the surrounding Canaanites. If so, the story comes to stress the need for the Egyptian exile which would safeguard the family against further acculturation.</p> | <p>Commentators vary greatly in their evaluation of Yehuda's deeds in Bereshit 38, leading to both contrasting portraits of his character and vastly different understandings of the purpose of the story as a whole. A first approach views Yehuda negatively, assuming that he had intermarried and absorbed customs of the surrounding Canaanites. If so, the story comes to stress the need for the Egyptian exile which would safeguard the family against further acculturation.</p> | ||
<p>Ramban, in contrast, justifies all of Yehuda's actions in the chapter, viewing him as an upright individual.  The chapter's goal is simply to provide insight into his life and character, since he, like Yosef, is one of the contenders for leadership of the family and future nation.  A third approach, taken by many Midrashim, reads the chapter as a story of atonement and change.  The chapter describes how Yehuda is punished for his role in the sale of Yosef, and how he emerges repentant, having learned to look past himself to take responsibility and care for the welfare of others.</p></div> | <p>Ramban, in contrast, justifies all of Yehuda's actions in the chapter, viewing him as an upright individual.  The chapter's goal is simply to provide insight into his life and character, since he, like Yosef, is one of the contenders for leadership of the family and future nation.  A third approach, taken by many Midrashim, reads the chapter as a story of atonement and change.  The chapter describes how Yehuda is punished for his role in the sale of Yosef, and how he emerges repentant, having learned to look past himself to take responsibility and care for the welfare of others.</p></div> | ||
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<mekorot><multilink><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:2</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-7-11" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:7-11</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:26</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink></mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:2</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-7-11" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:7-11</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:26</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
<point><b>"וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו"</b> – <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:1-2</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink><fn>See his first suggestion.</fn> suggests that this is a mundane statement of fact, with no implicit critique of Yehuda.  The verse simply shares that Yehuda moved geographically from highland to lowland.</point> | <point><b>"וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו"</b> – <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:1-2</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink><fn>See his first suggestion.</fn> suggests that this is a mundane statement of fact, with no implicit critique of Yehuda.  The verse simply shares that Yehuda moved geographically from highland to lowland.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Marriage to "בַּת אִישׁ כְּנַעֲנִי"</b> – Many commentators<fn>See Resh Lakish in  <multilink><a href="BavliPesachim50a" data-aht="source">Bavli Pesachim</a><a href="BavliPesachim50a" data-aht="source">Pesachim 50a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Targum | + | <point><b>Marriage to "בַּת אִישׁ כְּנַעֲנִי"</b> – Many commentators<fn>See Resh Lakish in  <multilink><a href="BavliPesachim50a" data-aht="source">Bavli Pesachim</a><a href="BavliPesachim50a" data-aht="source">Pesachim 50a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:1-2</a><a href="Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit38-1" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit38-1" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:1</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashbamBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Rashbam</a><a href="RashbamBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:2</a><a href="R. Shemuel b. Meir (Rashbam)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel b. Meir</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:1-2</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:2</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-7-11" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:7-11</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:26</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink> and others.</fn> maintain that Yehuda did not marry a Canaanite woman.  They assert that the term "כְּנַעֲנִי" refers not to the ethnicity of Yehuda's father-in-law, but rather to his profession as a merchant.<fn>As evidence of this usage of the word "כְּנַעֲנִי" , one might point to Yeshayahu 23:8 and Mishlei 31:24.</fn> However, in <a href="DivreiHaYamimI2-3" data-aht="source">Divrei HaYamim I 2:3</a>, Bat Shua herself is referred to as "הַכְּנַעֲנִית" which makes this read somewhat difficult. Ramban attempts to respond that she was so called after her famous father.</point> |
− | <point><b>Tamar's ethnicity</b> – According to this approach, Tamar, too, was a non-Canaanite. R. Shemuel b. Nachmani in <multilink><a href="BavliSotah10a" data-aht="source">Bavli Sotah</a><a href="BavliSotah10a" data-aht="source">Sotah 10a</a><a href="BavliSotah13b" data-aht="source">Sotah 13b</a><a href="Bavli Sotah" data-aht="parshan">About Bavli Sotah</a></multilink> asserts that she was a convert, while <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:2</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-7-11" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:7-11</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:26</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink><fn>Ramban is motivated to suggest this not only because he desires to present Yehuda as caring about the ethnicity of his daughter-in-law, but because he finds it unfathomable that the Davidic dynasty would have its roots in the cursed line of Canaan</fn> suggests that perhaps she was the daughter of one of the sojourners in the land.<fn>See also R. Meir in <multilink><a href="TanchumaBuberVayeshev17" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaBuberVayeshev17" data-aht="source">Vayeshev 17</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Targum | + | <point><b>Tamar's ethnicity</b> – According to this approach, Tamar, too, was a non-Canaanite. R. Shemuel b. Nachmani in <multilink><a href="BavliSotah10a" data-aht="source">Bavli Sotah</a><a href="BavliSotah10a" data-aht="source">Sotah 10a</a><a href="BavliSotah13b" data-aht="source">Sotah 13b</a><a href="Bavli Sotah" data-aht="parshan">About Bavli Sotah</a></multilink> asserts that she was a convert, while <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:2</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-7-11" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:7-11</a><a href="RambanBereshit38-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:26</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink><fn>Ramban is motivated to suggest this not only because he desires to present Yehuda as caring about the ethnicity of his daughter-in-law, but because he finds it unfathomable that the Davidic dynasty would have its roots in the cursed line of Canaan</fn> suggests that perhaps she was the daughter of one of the sojourners in the land.<fn>See also R. Meir in <multilink><a href="TanchumaBuberVayeshev17" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaBuberVayeshev17" data-aht="source">Vayeshev 17</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit38-1-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 38:1-2</a><a href="Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Yerushalmi (Yonatan)</a></multilink> who maintain that she was the daughter of Shem, whom they identify with Malkizedek, priest of Shalem. This identification is motivated by the fact that Yehuda condemns Tamar to death by burning which is not the regular penalty for adultery. According to Vayikra 21:9, though, it is the punishment for a daughter of a priest who prostitutes. From a simple sense of the verses, however, this is a difficult identification, if only because it is quite unlikely that Shem would still be alive at the time of our story.</fn></point> |
<point><b>Er and Onan's deaths</b> – Ramban suggests that the deaths of Yehuda's sons provide no evidence of Yehuda's wrongdoing, but, only, as the text implies, of Er and Onan's own crimes.</point> | <point><b>Er and Onan's deaths</b> – Ramban suggests that the deaths of Yehuda's sons provide no evidence of Yehuda's wrongdoing, but, only, as the text implies, of Er and Onan's own crimes.</point> | ||
<point><b>"שְׁבִי אַלְמָנָה בֵית אָבִיךְ עַד יִגְדַּל שֵׁלָה בְנִי"</b> – Commentators defend Yehuda's action in two ways:<br/> | <point><b>"שְׁבִי אַלְמָנָה בֵית אָבִיךְ עַד יִגְדַּל שֵׁלָה בְנִי"</b> – Commentators defend Yehuda's action in two ways:<br/> |
Version as of 18:10, 4 July 2019
Purpose of the Yehuda and Tamar Story
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
Commentators vary greatly in their evaluation of Yehuda's deeds in Bereshit 38, leading to both contrasting portraits of his character and vastly different understandings of the purpose of the story as a whole. A first approach views Yehuda negatively, assuming that he had intermarried and absorbed customs of the surrounding Canaanites. If so, the story comes to stress the need for the Egyptian exile which would safeguard the family against further acculturation.
Ramban, in contrast, justifies all of Yehuda's actions in the chapter, viewing him as an upright individual. The chapter's goal is simply to provide insight into his life and character, since he, like Yosef, is one of the contenders for leadership of the family and future nation. A third approach, taken by many Midrashim, reads the chapter as a story of atonement and change. The chapter describes how Yehuda is punished for his role in the sale of Yosef, and how he emerges repentant, having learned to look past himself to take responsibility and care for the welfare of others.
Introduction to the Egyptian Exile
The chapter portrays Yehuda as intermarrying and assimilating into Canaanite culture, highlighting the need for the brothers to descend to Egypt in order to stem the tide of acculturation.
Portrait of a Leader
Chapter 38 delves into the life of Yehuda since he is one of the two contenders for leadership among Yaakov's children. The last third of Bereshit paints a portrait of each of Yehuda and Yosef, giving the reader insight into the lives and character of each future leader.
- According to Ramban,14 Yehuda's words to Tamar were sincere; he really did intend for Shelah to wed Tamar. However, recognizing that his elder sons must have died due to sinful behavior, and assuming that this was a product of their young age, Yehuda wanted to wait until Shelah matured before marrying.15
- Ralbag,16 instead, suggests that Yehuda was justified in fearing that his third son might die if he married Tamar (as she had proven herself a "killer") and thus he acted properly in protecting his child. One might, nonetheless, question why then he simply did not release Tamar from the levirate marriage.
- Rid suggests that Tamar did not really have daughter-in-law (or even married) status at all since both Er and Onan had never consummated the marriage.17
- Ramban18 suggests that perhaps before the giving of the Torah at Sinai it was permitted for a man to have relations with his daughter-in-law if his son was deceased. He also suggests19 that, before Sinai, levirate marriage may have been fulfilled through either a father or brother. As such, Yehuda was not only not transgressing a prohibition but was even performing a meritorious action.20
- One might go even further and suggest that the prohibition of sleeping with one's daughter was not in effect at all before Sinai.
A Tale of Atonement
The events of the chapter both constitute atonement for Yehuda's role in the sale of Yosef and detail his journey of repentance and change.
- Rashi (following Tanchuma) suggests that the phrase refers to a metaphoric lowering of Yehuda's status after the sale. When the brothers saw their father's grief, they regretted their actions, and blamed Yehuda for being the instigator of the sale.
- R"Y Bekhor Shor and the Tzeror HaMor similarly connect the opening to the aftermath of the sale, but suggests that Yehuda lowered himself; he could not bear the anguish he had caused his father and decided to move out of the house.22
- "וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה" – R.Elazar in Bereshit Rabbah suggests that the phrase "וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה" alludes to the opening of chapter 39: "וְיוֹסֵף הוּרַד מִצְרָיְמָה", as Yehuda's descent was a direct consequence of Yosef's descent.
- גְּדִי עִזִּים – Resh Lakish in Bereshit Rabbah points out that just as Yehuda deceived his father through a baby goat, so too he was deceived by Tamar through a baby goat.
- "הַכֶּר נָא" – R. Yochanan in Bereshit Rabbah connects Tamar's words "הַכֶּר נָא לְמִי הַחֹתֶמֶת וְהַפְּתִילִים וְהַמַּטֶּה הָאֵלֶּה" with the brothers' identical formulation to their father, "הַכֶּר נָא הַכְּתֹנֶת בִּנְךָ הִוא אִם לֹא", again suggesting that the latter deception served as an apt punishment for the former.