Tamar's Plea – כִּי לֹא יִמְנָעֵנִי מִמֶּךָּ/2

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Tamar's Plea

Exegetical Approaches

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Truth

Tamar was speaking the truth as there was no legal impediment to her marrying Amnon.

No legal relationship

Relationship to Avshalom – These sources split regarding whether Tamar was a full or half sibling of Avshalom:
  • Full sibling – Rav in Sanhedrin, Rashi, Radak, and Ralbag assume that Avshalom and Tamar shared both a mother (Ma'akhah) and father (David).  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.
  • 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.1
Relationship to Amnon – In accordance with their positions above, these sources disagree regarding the relationship between Amnon and Tamar:
  • Biological, but not halakhic, half sister – 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,2 she was not legally considered David's daughter. As such, she was also not officially Amnon's sister. 
  • No blood relation – The other sources all maintain that Tamar and Amnon were not related at all, sharing neither a father nor a mother.
"תָּמָר אֲחֹתִי" – Tamar is referred to as Amnon's sister either because biologically they really are related, or because despite not
Yonadav's intentions
Tamar's goal
Amnon's reaction

No blood relationship

Ruse

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.

Mistake

Tamar was unaware of the law, and truly believed that David would allow the marriage.