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THE TREADMILL of LIFE 9. Vayeshev TEXT 1 12/4/20 9. Vayeshev THE TREADMILL OF LIFE If Yesterday Was Good, Today Must Be Even Better “And Judah took a wife for Er, his ִַוחקי ַ ְָיהוּהד ִָאשׁ ה ֵרְלע וֹוֹרְבּכ שׁוּ ְ ָמהּ .firstborn, named Tamar ָרָתּמ : Now, Er, Judah’s firstborn, was eviL in“ ִיְַוהי ֵער וֹרְבּכ ְָיהוּהד ַרע ֵניְֵבּע י ה ,' the eyes of G-d, and G-d put him to TEXT death. ְַומיהתוּ ִֵ ה :' So Judah said to Onan, “Come to“ ֶַויֹּרמא ְָיהוּהד ָנוְֹלא ן , אבּ ֹ ֶאל ֵֶאשׁ ת your brother’s wife And perform the 1 rite of the Levirate, and raise up חאָ ִ י ? ֵַבְּוםי תא ָ ֹ הּ , ְֵָוקהם ַעֶזר יִ?ְלאָח : ”.progeny for your brother ֵַעדַוי וֹא נ ָ ן יִכּ אC וֹל ְֶיהִיה ַעָרזַה , ָָהְויה Now, Onan knew that the progeny“ ִאם ָבּא ֶאל ֵֶאשׁ ת חאָ ִ י ו ְוִֵחשׁת ראַ ְ ָצ ה , ,would not be his, and it came about when he came to his brother’s wife, ְִלתְּלב יִ ָןְנת ַעֶזר ויְִלאָח : he wasted on the ground, in order not ֵַעַורי ֵניְֵבּע י ה ' ֲֶאשׁ ר ָָעשׂ ה , ַָומית ֶ ַגם .to give seed to his brother “Now, what he did was eviL in the eyes תא ֹ וֹ : ”.of G-d, and He put him to death aLso BEREISHIT (GENESIS) 38:6–10 1 12/4/20 “If brothers reside together, and one of יִכּ ְֵיוּבשׁ חאַ ִ י ם ָוְדַיח , מוּ ֵ ת them dies having no son, the dead man’s חאַ ַ ד ֶםֵמה בוּ ֵ ן ןיֵא וֹל , אwife shall not marry an outsider. 8 ֶהיְִתה ֵֶאשׁ ת ֵתַהמ ָהוּצַהח Rather,] her husband’s brother shall be] TEXT intimate with her, making her a wife for יְלִאשׁ ָזר . ָָהְּימב ָיבֹא himself, thus performing the obligation ָיהֶָעל , לוּ ְ ָ ק ָ ח הּ וֹל ְָלִאשׁ ה .of a husband’s brother with her 2 “And it will be that the eldest brother ְִָהּמבְּוי : [who performs the levirate marriage, if] ָָהְויה וֹרְכַהבּ ֲֶאשׁ ר ֵדֵתּל she [can] bear, will succeed in the name ָיוּקם ַעל ֵשׁם חאָ ִ י ו ֵתַהמ , of his deceased brother, so that his [the deceased brother’s] name shall not be ְו8א ֶָהִיחמ ְשׁ וֹמ ְִשׂיִמ ֵָרלא : ”.obliterated from Israel DEVARIM (NUMBERS) 25:5– 6 “Then Judah said to his daughter- ֶַויֹּרמא ְָיהוּהד ָרָמְלת ַכָּלוֹת , in-law, Tamar, “Remain as a ִבְשׁ י לאַ ְ ָ מ נ ָ ה יתֵב באָ ִ י : ַעד widow in your Father’s house until ַלְדִיג ָהלֵשׁ ִנְב י . יִכּ מאָ ַ ר ןֶפּ my son Shelah grows up,” For he TEXT said, “Lest he too die, liKe his ָיוּמת ַגם וּהא ויֶָחְכּא , ֵֶַו:לתּ brothers.” So Tamar went, and ָרָתּמ ֵַוֶתּשׁ ב יתֵבּ באָ ִ י ָה : 3a she remained in her Father’s house.” BEREISHIT (GENESIS) 38:11 2 12/4/20 “He dismissed her with a straw [with a " יכ רמא וגו '״ : לכ רמו , הודח היה lame exCuse], For he did not intend to הואת קבש , אלש היה ותעדב ,marry her to [Shelah], “For he said יהלש הא ול . " יכ רמא ןפ ״תמיו : Lest he too die . .’” i.e., this is a‘ TEXT woman whose husbands presumably תקזחומ יהא וז ותומיש הינאש . 3b die young.” RASHI, BEREISHIT (GENESIS) 38:11 ָהִאשׁ ִתאֵשׂנֶשׁ ְֵנִלשׁ י When a woman was married“ יִםָשׁנֲא ֵָומתוּ , יְִיִלִלשׁשׁ to two husbands and they א3 ֵאָשׂנִתּ . ְִואם ִֵנאשׂת TEXT both died, she should not — א3 ֵֵתּצא . marry a third [man]. If she did 4 marry, she need not divorce." MAIMONIDES, MISHNEH TORAH, LAWS OF FORBIDDEN RELATIONS 21:31 3 12/4/20 After losing two sons in marriage to Tamar, Yehudah hesitates to marry off his third son to her. ְִבּוּרַוי יִםָמיַה , ַָָומתתּ ַבּת וּשׁ ַע ֵֶאשׁ ת ְָיהוּהד . ִֶָחםנַוי ,Many days passed, and Shua’s daughter, Judah’s wife ְָיהוּהד , ַַלעַוי ַעל זגּ ֲ ֹ ז ֵ י אצ ֹ נ וֹ , וּהא ְִויהרח ָ ֵֵרהעוּ [died; and Judah was consoLed, and he went up [to watch over his sheepshearers, he and Hirah, his AduLamite יִָמֻלֲדָהע , ָָתהְנִתּמ : .friend, to Timnah ַדֻגַויּ ָרָמְלת ֵלֹאמר , ֵהנִה יAִָחמ Bע ֶ ה ָָתהְנִתמ ֹזגָל -And it was toLd to Tamar, saying, “BehoLd, your father in" אצ ֹ נ וֹ : ”.law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep “So she took off her widow’s garb, covered [her head] ַַָורסתּ ְדגִבּ יֵ לאַ ְ ְמ נ וּ ָ ת הּ ָיֶהָלֵמע , ְַַוסכתּ יףִָעַבּצ TEXT with a veiL and covered her face, and she sat down at the ְִַַָוףלעתּת , ֵַוֶתּשׁ ב ַחֶתְבּפ ַניֵע ִםי ֶרֲאשׁ ַעל Aֶֶדר crossroads that were on the way to Timnah, for she saw ָָתהְנִתּמ , יִכּ ֲָָרהאת יִכּ ַלָגד ָהלֵשׁ ִיְוהא אB ְָנהִנתּ וֹל 5a that Shelah had grown up, but as for her, she was not ְָלִאשׁ ה: .given to him for a wife ְִֶָהארַוי ְָיהוּהד ְְֶַַָוחיהבשׁ ָהנוֹזְל , יִכּ ָהְתִכס ָיהֶנָפּ : ,When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harLot" because she covered her face. ֵַוטי ָיֶהֵאל ֶאל Aֶֶרַהד , ֶַויֹּרמא ָהָהב ָנא באָ וֹ א Aִיֵַאל , ,So he turned aside toward her to the road, and he said" יִכּ אB ַעָיד יִכּ ַכָלוֹת יאִה . ַוֶתֹּרמא ַמה ןִתֶּתּ יִל יִכּ Get ready now, I wiLL come to you,” for he did not know“ וָֹתאב יֵָאל : that she was his daughter-in-Law, and she said, “What wiLL ֶַויֹּרמא , כנאָ ִ ֹ י ֲַאשׁ ַ◌ חל ִיְגד יםִזִע ןִמ ַֹהצּא ן . ”?you give me that you shouLd come to me "And he said, “I wiLL send a kid from the herd,” and she ַוֶתֹּרמא , ִאם ןִתֵּתּ ָןוֹבֵער ַעד ָשׁ Qְֶלח : ”.[said, “[OnLy] if you give me a pLedge untiL you send [it ֶַויֹּרמא , ָמה ָןוֹבֵרָהע ֲֶאשׁ ר ןֶֶאתּ ָלA ? ַוֶתֹּרמא , ”?So he said, “What is the pLedge that I shouLd give you" תח ָ ֹ ְ מ Q פוּ ְ ִ ת לי ֶ Q מוּ ַ ְ ט Q ֲֶאשׁ בּר ְ י ָ ֶ ד Q . ֶןִַויתּ ָלהּ , ָבַויֹא BEREISHIT And she said, “Your signet, your cLoak, and the staff that ָיֵאהֶל ַַַורהתּ וֹל : GENESIS) 38:12– is in your hand.” So he gave them to her, and he came to) 19 her, and she conceived his Likeness. ַָָוקםתּ ֵֶַוAלתּ , ַַָורסתּ ָהּיפְִצע ָיֶהָלֵמע ְִַַובּלתּשׁ ְדגִבּ יֵ ,Then she arose and went away, and she took off her veiL" לאַ ְ ְמ נ וּ ָ ת הּ : .and she donned her widow’s garb 4 12/4/20 ְִַַויחלשׁ ְָיהוּהד ֶאת ִיְגד יםִזִָהע דַיְבּ ֵֵרהעוּ “And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his Adulamite friend יִָמֻלֲדָהע ַתַחָלק ןָוֹבֵרָהע דַיִמ אה ָ ִ ָ שׁ ה , <ו ְ א to take the pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not ְָמהּצאָ◌ : find her. ְִַויאַשׁל ֶאת נאַ ְ ֵ שׁ י ְֹמקמ ָהּ ֵלֹאמר , יאַ ֵ ה "So he asked the people of the place, saying, “Where is the ֵָשְׁדַהק ה יאִה ַניֵָבע ִםי ַעל Fֶָרַהד ? ְַויֹּרמאוּ , , harlot who was at the crossroads on the way?” and they said, א< ָהְתיָה ֶהזָב ֵָשְׁקד ה: “No harlot was here.” ַָָוישׁ ב ֶאל ְָיהוּהד ֶַויֹּרמא א< ָיִהָאתְמצ , ְַוגם "" So he returned to Judah, and he said, “I have not found her, נאַ ְ ֵ שׁ י ָוֹםקַהמ מאָ ְ ר וּ א< ָהְתיָה זב ָ ֶה TEXT and the people of the place also said, ‘No harlot was here.’” ְֵָקדשׁ ה: "So Judah said, “Let her take [them] for herself, lest we ֶַויֹּרמא ְָיהוּהד , ַחִתּק ָלהּ ןֶפּ ֶהיְִנה זוָּלב . 5b become a laughingstock. Behold, I sent this kid, but you did ֵהנִה ְתַּחלָשׁ ִ י ְדגַה יִ ֶהזַה ְַָוהאתּ א< צמ ְ תאָ ָ הּ : not find her.” ִיְַוהי ְ<ִשׁשְׁכּמ יִםָשֳׁחד ַדֻגַויּ ָהוּידהִל ֵלֹאמר , , "Now, it came about after nearly three months; it was told to ְָהתנָז ָרָתּמ Lֶַכָּלת ְַוגם ֵהנִה ָהָהר יםִנוּנְזִל . Judah, saying, “Your daughter-in-law, Tamar, has played the ֶַויֹּרמא ְָיהוּהד , צוֹה ִ הוּאי ָ ְִֵוָתףרשׂ : : harlot, and behold, she is pregnant from harlotry.” So Judah יאִה צוּמ ֵ תא , ְִויהא ְחלָשׁ ָה ֶאל יִהָחמ ָ said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” ֵלֹאמר , יִשְׁלא ֲֶאשׁ ר ֶהֵאל וֹל נאָ ֹ ִכ הי ָ הָ ר . "She was taken out, and she sent word to her fatherin-law, ַוֶתֹּרמא ֶרַהכּ ָנא , יְִלמ ַֹהחת ֶתֶמ ְִִַייְולפּתםה saying, “From the man to whom these belong I am ְֶַַוהטמה ֶהֵלָהא : pregnant,” and she said, “Please recognize whose signet ring, ֵַרכַּוי ְָיהוּהד , ֶַויֹּרמא ָהְקָצד ִִמנֶמ י , יִכּ ַעל cloak, and staff are these.” ןֵכּ א< ִָיַהְנתּת ְֵלשׁ ָלה ִנְב י . ְו<א ַָיףס דוֹע BEREISHIT (GENESIS) 38:12– "Then Judah recognized [them], and he said, “She is right, [it דל ְ ַע ְ תּ ָ ה : 20-26 is] from me, because I did not give her to my son Shelah.” But he no longer continued to be intimate with her. Tamar finds out Yehudah is coming up to Timnah to shear his sheep, She takes matters into her own hands, leading to her having twins with Yehudah – Zerach and Peretz the progenitor to Mashiach. 5 12/4/20 “And Samson went down to Timnah; יו ַ ֵֶרד ִשׁ שׁמ ְ וֹ ן ָהְָת◌ִתּנמ , יו רַ ַא ְ and he saw a woman in Timnah of the שׁא ִ ָ ה תבּ ְ ִ מ נ ְ ָ ת ָ ◌ ה בּמ ִ נ ְ וֹ ת .daughters of the Philistines לפּ ְ ִ ְשׁ ִ◌ ּ◌ יתם : And he came up, and told his father" TEXT and mother, and said, “I have seen a ַַלעַוי ֵדַגַוי ויְִלאָב לוּ ְ וֹמִ א , ֶַויֹּרמא woman in Timnah of the daughters of ִָאשׁ ה ִִָרייאת ָהָתְנִמְבת וֹתנְִמבּ the Philistines; so now take her to me 6 for a wife.” ְִתּשְׁפּל יִם , ְַָועהתּ ְקוּח וֹאת ָ הּ יִל And his father and mother said to" ְָלִאשׁ ה: him, “Is there no woman among the ֶַויֹּרמא וֹל באָ ִ י ו ְִומאוֹ , ןיֵַהא וֹתנְִבּב daughters of your brothers and among all my people, that you Go to חאַ ֶ י E בוּ ְ ָכ ל יִַעמ ִָאשׁ ה , יִכּ ָהַאתּ take a wife from the uncircumcised לוֹה ֵ H ַתַחָלק ִָאשׁ ה יִםְתִּשְׁלִמפּ Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Take her for me, because she יםִֵלֲרָהע ? ֶַויֹּראמ ִשׁ ןְמוֹשׁ ֶאל באָ ִ י ו , ”.is pleasing in my eyes SHOFTIM וֹאת ָ הּ ַקח יִל יִכּ יאִה ְָיהרשׁ ָ ָניְבֵע י : JUDGES) 14:1–3) תכ י ב : " יודר שמשו ן מת נ הת ," The verse states, “And Samson went down to“ Timnah.” But a different verse states, “Behold, ביכות : " הנה מח י ך הלוע your father-in-law is going up to Timnah.” [So מת נ הת ?" [?which one is it רמא בר עלא ז ר : שמשו ן גתנש נ ה TEXT "Rabbi Elazar said, “In the case of Samson, who was disgraced there, the verse speaks of a descent.
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