וַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֥רֶד יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת אֶחָ֑יו וַיֵּ֛ט עַד־אִ֥ישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִ֖י וּשְׁמ֥וֹ חִירָֽה׃

It was at that time; Judah descended from his brothers. Based on chronological considerations, this incident took place shortly before the sale of Joseph. Even after the brothers married and established families of their own, they continued to live in close proximity to one another and worked together. It is unclear whether each brother owned his own property, or if they were partners in a family business. In any case, Judah now left the presence of his brothers to establish his own private business. Judah reached Adulam, a city in the south of Judea, and he turned to an Adulamite man and befriended him, and his name was Hira.

וַיַּרְא־שָׁ֧ם יְהוּדָ֛ה בַּת־אִ֥ישׁ כְּנַעֲנִ֖י וּשְׁמ֣וֹ שׁ֑וּעַ וַיִּקָּחֶ֖הָ וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃

Judah saw there, in Adulam, the daughter of a Canaanite man, and his name was Shua. He took her in marriage, and engaged in intercourse with her.

וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵֽר׃

She conceived and she bore a son; he called his name Er.

וַתַּ֥הַר ע֖וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אוֹנָֽן׃

She conceived again and bore a son; she called his name Onan. This name might derive from the similar Hebrew word for might or vitality.

וַתֹּ֤סֶף עוֹד֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵׁלָ֑ה וְהָיָ֥ה בִכְזִ֖יב בְּלִדְתָּ֥הּ אֹתֽוֹ׃

She continued and bore a son again, and she called his name Shela. He, Judah, was at the place known as Keziv, when she bore him. Perhaps this parenthetical comment is meant to explain why Shua’s daughter, rather than Judah, named both their second and third sons. Perhaps the standard custom was for parents to alternate naming rights, such that Judah was supposed to name their third son. However, since Judah was in Keziv, his wife named the child.

וַיִּקַּ֧ח יְהוּדָ֛ה אִשָּׁ֖ה לְעֵ֣ר בְּכוֹר֑וֹ וּשְׁמָ֖הּ תָּמָֽר׃

Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. Nothing is known of her origins or ethnicity. It is possible that the absence of any background information alludes to the fact that Tamar was not from the local population. Indeed, the Sages identify her as a descendant of Shem. Some suggest she was from Aram Naharayim.

וַיְהִ֗י עֵ֚ר בְּכ֣וֹר יְהוּדָ֔ה רַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיְמִתֵ֖הוּ יְהוָֽה׃

Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the eyes of the Lord; and as punishment for his sins the Lord put him to death while he was still young.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוּדָה֙ לְאוֹנָ֔ן בֹּ֛א אֶל־אֵ֥שֶׁת אָחִ֖יךָ וְיַבֵּ֣ם אֹתָ֑הּ וְהָקֵ֥ם זֶ֖רַע לְאָחִֽיךָ׃

Judah said to Onan: Engage in intercourse with your brother’s wife, and consummate levirate marriage with her. Establish offspring for your brother. The children born from this levirate marriage will be considered the children of the deceased brother. Although the surviving brother is certainly the biological father of these children, he is merely a substitute for his deceased bother.

וַיֵּ֣דַע אוֹנָ֔ן כִּ֛י לֹּ֥א ל֖וֹ יִהְיֶ֣ה הַזָּ֑רַע וְהָיָ֞ה אִם־בָּ֨א אֶל־אֵ֤שֶׁת אָחִיו֙ וְשִׁחֵ֣ת אַ֔רְצָה לְבִלְתִּ֥י נְתָן־זֶ֖רַע לְאָחִֽיו׃

Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, and that any children born from this marriage would not be called by his name, but by the name of his deceased brother. Therefore, it was when he engaged in intercourse with his brother’s wife; he would spill it on the ground, practiced coitus interruptus, so as not to give offspring for his brother . Out of envy, Onan preferred to have no children rather than have children who would be regarded as his brother’s.

וַיֵּ֛רַע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיָּ֖מֶת גַּם־אֹתֽוֹ׃

That which he did was evil in the eyes of the Lord. Unlike his brother, Onan’s transgression is explicitly stated by the verse. And He put him to death too, and Onan died at a young age.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָה֩ לְתָמָ֨ר כַּלָּת֜וֹ שְׁבִ֧י אַלְמָנָ֣ה בֵית־אָבִ֗יךְ עַד־יִגְדַּל֙ שֵׁלָ֣ה בְנִ֔י כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר פֶּן־יָמ֥וּת גַּם־ה֖וּא כְּאֶחָ֑יו וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ תָּמָ֔ר וַתֵּ֖שֶׁב בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיהָ׃

Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law: Do not remain in my house; rather, remain a widow, alone in your father’s house, until Shela my third son matures. It would appear that Shela had not yet reached marriageable age. Although Shela was supposed to perform levirate marriage when coming of age, Judah was not interested in allowing a marriage between Shela and Tamar, for he said: Lest he too die, like his brothers. He was concerned that Tamar was somehow a dangerous woman who caused the deaths of his first two sons. To protect his youngest son, Judah sent Tamar from his house. So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

וַיִּרְבּוּ֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַתָּ֖מָת בַּת־שׁ֣וּעַ אֵֽשֶׁת־יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיַּ֜עַל עַל־גֹּֽזֲזֵ֤י צֹאנוֹ֙ ה֗וּא וְחִירָ֛ה רֵעֵ֥הוּ הָעֲדֻלָּמִ֖י תִּמְנָֽתָה׃

The days and years accumulated and the unnamed daughter of Shua, wife of Judah, died. After mourning over her death, Judah was comforted and ceased to mourn, and he went up to visit his sheepshearers, who were apparently located a significant distance from Judah’s home. Among other reasons, Judah sought to relieve the grief due to his wife’s death by participating in the shearing of his sheep, typically a festive and joyous occasion. He and Hira, his friend the Adulamite, came to Timna. Perhaps Judah’s close friend came to comfort him, and then decided to accompany Judah to the sheep shearing.

וַיֻּגַּ֥ד לְתָמָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֥ה חָמִ֛יךְ עֹלֶ֥ה תִמְנָ֖תָה לָגֹ֥ז צֹאנֽוֹ׃

It was told to Tamar, saying: Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timna to shear his sheep. As Tamar belonged to Judah’s family, she was informed of his trip. She decided to take drastic action.

וַתָּסַר֩ בִּגְדֵ֨י אַלְמְנוּתָ֜הּ מֵֽעָלֶ֗יהָ וַתְּכַ֤ס בַּצָּעִיף֙ וַתִּתְעַלָּ֔ף וַתֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בְּפֶ֣תַח עֵינַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־דֶּ֣רֶךְ תִּמְנָ֑תָה כִּ֤י רָאֲתָה֙ כִּֽי־גָדַ֣ל שֵׁלָ֔ה וְהִ֕וא לֹֽא־נִתְּנָ֥ה ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

She removed the garments of her widowhood from upon her. It was customary for widows to wear distinctive garments testifying to their familial status. This custom was especially significant in the case of a widow like Tamar, who was awaiting levirate marriage and was unable to marry whomever she wished. She covered herself with a large veil concealing her entire body, wrapped herself, covering herself completely in the manor of harlots, who wore loose-fitting garments. And she sat at the entrance of a place called Einayim, which is on the road to Timna. Perhaps Einayim was called by this name because there were ma’ayanot , springs, there. Tamar knew that Judah would need to pass through Einayim, so she waited for him there. Her behavior did not stem from some character flaw, but from despair, for she saw that Shela had matured and reached marriageable age, but yet she had not been given to him as a wife. Tamar understood that Judah did not want her to be married to Shela, which meant that she could remain a widow for the rest of her life.

וַיִּרְאֶ֣הָ יְהוּדָ֔ה וַֽיַּחְשְׁבֶ֖הָ לְזוֹנָ֑ה כִּ֥י כִסְּתָ֖ה פָּנֶֽיהָ׃

Judah saw her on the road and thought her to be a harlot because she covered her face. Evidently, harlots were known to partially cover their faces.

וַיֵּ֨ט אֵלֶ֜יהָ אֶל־הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽבָה־נָּא֙ אָב֣וֹא אֵלַ֔יִךְ כִּ֚י לֹ֣א יָדַ֔ע כִּ֥י כַלָּת֖וֹ הִ֑וא וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִּ֔י כִּ֥י תָב֖וֹא אֵלָֽי׃

Because Judah was a lonely widower, when he saw her he turned to her by the road, and he said: Please, let me engage in intercourse with you; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. By Torah law, relations between a father-in-law and daughter-in-law are strictly prohibited, even after the son’s death. Although this incident took place before the Torah was given, it is clear that the laws of the time would have prevented a father-in-law from marrying his daughter-in-law. Therefore, there is no doubt that had Judah known the true identity of this woman, he would not have turned to her. She said: What will you give me that you will engage in intercourse with me? As she was impersonating a harlot, Tamar demanded payment.

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָנֹכִ֛י אֲשַׁלַּ֥ח גְּדִֽי־עִזִּ֖ים מִן־הַצֹּ֑אן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר אִם־תִּתֵּ֥ן עֵרָב֖וֹן עַ֥ד שָׁלְחֶֽךָ׃

He said: I will send you a kid from the flock as payment. She said: If you give me collateral until your sending. To ensure that you provide payment, give me collateral to hold until I receive the kid.

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָ֣ה הָֽעֵרָבוֹן֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶתֶּן־לָּךְ֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר חֹתָֽמְךָ֙ וּפְתִילֶ֔ךָ וּמַטְּךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֶּן־לָּ֛הּ וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ וַתַּ֥הַר לֽוֹ׃

He said: What is the collateral that I should give you? She said: Your signet, which was either on his ring or otherwise held close to his body, and your belt, and your staff that is in your hand. This appears to be a ruler’s staff, as the preceding verses indicate that Judah held some minor governing capacity. He gave them to her, engaged in intercourse with her, and she conceived by him. The fact that Judah gave this unknown woman various personal items including his signet, an item not normally given out or lent, as it is used to certify legal documents, demonstrates that Judah was not acting judiciously at that time.

וַתָּ֣קָם וַתֵּ֔לֶךְ וַתָּ֥סַר צְעִיפָ֖הּ מֵעָלֶ֑יהָ וַתִּלְבַּ֖שׁ בִּגְדֵ֥י אַלְמְנוּתָֽהּ׃

After Judah left, she arose, went, and removed her veil from upon her, and she donned the garments of her widowhood. Tamar achieved her goal: Through her actions, she effectively guaranteed that Judah would consummate a levirate marriage with her. She succeeded in changing her status from barren widow to married mother, and she fulfilled her desire to be the wife of a member of Judah’s family.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יְהוּדָ֜ה אֶת־גְּדִ֣י הָֽעִזִּ֗ים בְּיַד֙ רֵעֵ֣הוּ הָֽעֲדֻלָּמִ֔י לָקַ֥חַת הָעֵרָב֖וֹן מִיַּ֣ד הָאִשָּׁ֑ה וְלֹ֖א מְצָאָֽהּ׃

After some time, out of a sense of obligation and a desire to retrieve his collateral, Judah sent the kid to Tamar in the hand of his friend the Adulamite. Since Hira was a close friend, Judah trusted his discretion and was not ashamed to send him on this mission. However, Hira came to the place where Judah initially met the woman, to take the collateral from the woman, but he did not find her.

וַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֤י מְקֹמָהּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַיֵּ֧ה הַקְּדֵשָׁ֛ה הִ֥וא בָעֵינַ֖יִם עַל־הַדָּ֑רֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לֹא־הָיְתָ֥ה בָזֶ֖ה קְדֵשָֽׁה׃

He asked the men of her place, saying: Where is the harlot, who was at Einayim on the way? They said: There was no harlot here.

וַיָּ֙שָׁב֙ אֶל־יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א מְצָאתִ֑יהָ וְגַ֨ם אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹא־הָיְתָ֥ה בָזֶ֖ה קְדֵשָֽׁה׃

He returned to Judah, and said: I did not find her. The men of the place also said: There was no harlot here.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוּדָה֙ תִּֽקַּֽח־לָ֔הּ פֶּ֖ן נִהְיֶ֣ה לָב֑וּז הִנֵּ֤ה שָׁלַ֙חְתִּי֙ הַגְּדִ֣י הַזֶּ֔ה וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א מְצָאתָֽהּ׃

Judah said: If so, let her take it, the collateral, for her, lest we become a laughingstock; behold, I sent this kid, and you did not find her. If she does not want or is unable to claim her payment, then let the collateral remain with her. Although the items Judah deposited with the woman were of importance to him, he did not wish to continue searching for her.

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כְּמִשְׁלֹ֣שׁ חֳדָשִׁ֗ים וַיֻּגַּ֨ד לִֽיהוּדָ֤ה לֵֽאמֹר֙ זָֽנְתָה֙ תָּמָ֣ר כַּלָּתֶ֔ךָ וְגַ֛ם הִנֵּ֥ה הָרָ֖ה לִזְנוּנִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֔ה הוֹצִיא֖וּהָ וְתִשָּׂרֵֽף׃

It was some three months later, after Judah’s encounter with Tamar, that it was told to Judah, saying: Tamar, your daughter-in-law, acted licentiously; moreover, this is evidenced by the fact that behold, she conceived through harlotry. Tamar had no qualms about what she had done, as she felt that she had fulfilled the spirit of the law of levirate marriage. She therefore made no attempt to conceal her pregnancy. Nevertheless, since she seduced Judah in a deceitful manner, such that the identity of the father of the fetus was unknown to all except Tamar, she was susceptible to severe consequences, as she was tethered to Judah’s family with a marriage-like bond. The Sages refer to such a woman as a widow awaiting her brother-in-law. Since it was assumed that she became pregnant through a man not from Judah’s family, her fate was to be that of an adulterous woman. Therefore, Judah, her father-in-law, the patriarch of his family, and a distinguished member of his community, said: Take her out, and she shall be burned.

הִ֣וא מוּצֵ֗את וְהִ֨יא שָׁלְחָ֤ה אֶל־חָמִ֙יהָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁר־אֵ֣לֶּה לּ֔וֹ אָנֹכִ֖י הָרָ֑ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַכֶּר־נָ֔א לְמִ֞י הַחֹתֶ֧מֶת וְהַפְּתִילִ֛ים וְהַמַּטֶּ֖ה הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

She was taken out to receive her punishment. Since she was imprisoned, she wrapped the items she received from Judah and she sent them by messenger to her father-in-law, saying: By the man whose these are I am with child. She said: Recognize, please, whose signet, belt, and staff are these.

וַיַּכֵּ֣ר יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ צָֽדְקָ֣ה מִמֶּ֔נִּי כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן לֹא־נְתַתִּ֖יהָ לְשֵׁלָ֣ה בְנִ֑י וְלֹֽא־יָסַ֥ף ע֖וֹד לְדַעְתָּֽה׃

Judah recognized them, his possessions, and said: She is more righteous than I; because indeed, I did not give her to Shela my son. She had some right to be with me, as I did not give her to Shela. Therefore, she cannot be accused of committing adultery. And he was not intimate with her anymore, as he already fulfilled his obligation toward Tamar. Although Judah recognized the legality of Tamar’s actions and the legitimacy of her fetus, he was uninterested in continuing a relationship with her.

וַיְהִ֖י בְּעֵ֣ת לִדְתָּ֑הּ וְהִנֵּ֥ה תְאוֹמִ֖ים בְּבִטְנָֽהּ׃

It was at the time of her giving birth, and behold, twins were in her womb.

וַיְהִ֥י בְלִדְתָּ֖הּ וַיִּתֶּן־יָ֑ד וַתִּקַּ֣ח הַמְיַלֶּ֗דֶת וַתִּקְשֹׁ֨ר עַל־יָד֤וֹ שָׁנִי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֖ה יָצָ֥א רִאשֹׁנָֽה׃

It was as she was giving birth, that one of the twins extended a hand outside the womb. Faced with this unusual situation, the midwife took and bound upon his hand a crimson thread, saying, indicating: This one emerged first and was the firstborn.

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כְּמֵשִׁ֣יב יָד֗וֹ וְהִנֵּה֙ יָצָ֣א אָחִ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־פָּרַ֖צְתָּ עָלֶ֣יךָ פָּ֑רֶץ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ פָּֽרֶץ׃

However, it was, as he retracted his hand back inside the womb , and behold, his brother emerged from the womb first. Thus, the brother without the crimson thread was ultimately the firstborn. And she said to the child that emerged first: What breach [ paretz ] have you breached for yourself? Your brother was already poised to emerge first. Therefore, he, Judah, called his name Peretz.

וְאַחַר֙ יָצָ֣א אָחִ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־יָד֖וֹ הַשָּׁנִ֑י וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ זָֽרַח׃ (ס)

Afterward his brother emerged, on whose hand was the crimson thread; he called his name Zerah, literally, “glow,” alluding to the gleaming red thread tied to his hand.