View source for Tamar's Plea – כִּי לֹא יִמְנָעֵנִי מִמֶּךָּ/2

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<h1>Tamar's Plea</h1>
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<category>Truth
<p>Tamar was speaking the truth as there was no legal impediment to her marrying Amnon.</p>
<mekorot>Rav in <multilink><a href="BavliSanhedrin21a" data-aht="source">Bavli Sanhedrin</a><a href="BavliSanhedrin21a" data-aht="source">Sanhedrin 21a</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>,&#160;<multilink><a href="RashiShemuelII13-13" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiShemuelII13-1" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 13:1</a><a href="RashiShemuelII13-13" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 13:13</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="AttributedtoRYosefKaraShemuelII13-2" data-aht="source">Attributed to R. Yosef Kara</a><a href="AttributedtoRYosefKaraShemuelII13-2" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 13:2</a><a href="Attributed to R. Yosef Kara" data-aht="parshan">About Attributed to R. Yosef Kara</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TosafotSanhedrin21a" data-aht="source">Tosafot</a><a href="TosafotSanhedrin21a" data-aht="source">Sanhedrin 21a</a><a href="Ba'alei HaTosafot" data-aht="parshan">About Ba'alei HaTosafot</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakShemuelII13-1" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakShemuelII13-1" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 13:1</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RidShemuelII13-1-2" data-aht="source">Rid</a><a href="RidShemuelII13-1-2" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 13:1-2</a><a href="R. Yeshayah of Trani (Rid)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yeshayah of Trani</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RalbagShemuelII13-12" data-aht="source">Ralbag</a><a href="RalbagShemuelII13-12" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 13:12</a><a href="RalbagShemuelIIToalot13-13" data-aht="source">Shemuel II Toalot 13:13</a><a href="R. Levi b. Gershom (Ralbag, Gersonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Levi b. Gershom</a></multilink></mekorot>
	<point><b>Relationship to Avshalom</b> – These sources split regarding whether Tamar was a full or half sibling of Avshalom:<br/>
<ul>
<li>Full sibling – Rav in Sanhedrin, Rashi, Radak, and Ralbag assume that Avshalom and Tamar shared both a mother (Ma'akhah) and father (David).&#160; However, they posit that Ma'akhah was a beautiful captive woman who bore Tamar from relations with David prior to her conversion, giving her a unique status.</li>
<li>Half sibling – The commentary attributed to R"Y Kara, Tosafot and the Rid all suggest that Tamar was born from the same mother as Avshalom (Maakhah), but a different father.<fn>Though these sources do not elaborate, they are likely assuming that Tamar was born to Maakhah before David married her, and Tamar was brought to the palace when David wed her mother.</fn></li>
</ul></point>
	<point><b>Relationship to Amnon</b> – In accordance with their positions above, these sources disagree regarding the relationship between Amnon and Tamar:<br/>
<ul>
<li><b>Biological, but not halakhic, half sister</b>&#160;–&#160;Rav, Rashi, Radak, and Ralbag claim that though David was the biological father of both Amnon and Tamar, since Tamar was conceived before Ma'akhah converted,<fn>See above that they assume that Ma'akhah was a beautiful captive women who conceived Tamar when she had relations with David prior to her conversion.</fn> she was not legally considered David's daughter.&#160; She had the status of a servant's child, and was thus not legally Amnon's half sister..</li>
<li><b>No blood relation</b>&#160;–&#160; The other sources all maintain that Tamar and Amnon were not related at all, sharing neither a father nor a mother.</li>
</ul></point>
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<category>Ruse
<p>Tamar knew that David would never approve of the marriage, but was grasping at straws hoping that her words would convince Amnon to release her.</p>
<mekorot><multilink><a href="RYosefibnKaspiShemuelII13-13" data-aht="source">R. Yosef ibn Kaspi</a><a href="RYosefibnKaspiShemuelII13-13" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 13:13</a><a href="R. Yosef ibn Kaspi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi</a></multilink> #2, Abarbanel</mekorot>
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<category>Mistake
<p>Tamar was unaware of the law, and truly believed that David would allow the marriage.</p>
<mekorot><multilink><a href="RYosefibnKaspiShemuelII13-13" data-aht="source">R. Yosef ibn Kaspi</a><a href="RYosefibnKaspiShemuelII13-13" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 13:13</a><a href="R. Yosef ibn Kaspi" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi</a></multilink> #1, <multilink><a href="HoilMosheShemuelII13" data-aht="source">Hoil Moshe</a><a href="HoilMosheShemuelII13" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 13</a><a href="R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Hoil Moshe)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi</a></multilink></mekorot>
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