Vayeshev: Chapter 18

"And she put off her widow's garments ..."

Synopsis

This section explains the actions of Ruth and Tamar, two women who lost their first husbands and later conceived through levirate marriage. We learn that both acted piously and with the help of God, because the fruitful seed of Judah was established through them.

Relevance

This story concerns the eventual birth of King David and the Messiah. What is most relevant to the reader is the Messianic Light concealed inside the passage, which helps to hasten the emergence of the Messiah within us, and in turn, the arrival of the global Messiah and Final Redemption.

Daughter Garments Incest Priests Righteous Tamar Widow Wisdom Women

189. "And she put off her widow's garments..." (Beresheet 38:14). Come and behold, could it be that Tamar, a priest's daughter, who was always modest, would commit incest with her father-in-law? HE ANSWERS, She was a righteous woman and did this with wisdom. She was not lewd, but wise, AND KNEW WHAT WOULD BECOME OF IT. SHE approached him to do kindness and truth by him.

189. וַתָּסַר בִּגְדֵי אַלְמְנוּתָהּ מֵעָלֶיהָ וגו,' תָּא חֲזֵי, תָּמָר בַּת כֹּהֵן הֲוַת, וְכִי ס"ד דְּאִיהִי אָזְלָא בְּגִין לְאַזְנָאָה עִם חָמוּהָ, דְּהָא אִיהִי צְנִיעוּתָא אִשְׁתַּכְּחַת בָּהּ תָּדִיר. אֶלָּא אִיהִי צַדֶּקֶת הֲוַת, וּבְחָכְמָה עָבְדַת הַאי, דְּהָא אִיהִי לָא אַפְקָרַת גַּרְמָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דִּידִיעָה יָדְעַת, וְחָכְמְתָא אִסְתַּכָּלַת, וְע"ד אִיהִי אָתַת לְגַבֵּיהּ, לְמֶעְבַּד טִיבוּ וּקְשׁוֹט, וְעַל דָּא אָתַת וְאִשְׁתַּדְּלַת בְּעִסְקָא דָא.

Tamar Women

190. Come and behold, because she knew what would become of her efforts, the Holy One, blessed be He, aided her in the act, and she conceived immediately. All this was from THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. It may be wondered why the Holy One, blessed be He, did not use another woman to bear these sons, but this one, TAMAR. HE ANSWERS, Assuredly, she was needed for this and no other woman would do.

190. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי יָדְעַת יְדִיעָה, וְאִשְׁתַּדְּלַת בְּעִסְקָא דָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲבַד סִיּוּעָא תַּמָּן בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא, וְאִתְעֲבָרַת מִיָּד, וְכֹלָּא הֲוָה מִנֵּיהּ. וְאִי תֵימָא, אַמַּאי לָא אַיְיתֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִינוּן בְּנִין מֵאִתְּתָא אוֹחֲרָא, אַמַּאי מִן דָּא. אֶלָּא, וַדַּאי אִיהִי אִצְטְרִיכָא לְעוֹבָדָא דָא, וְלָא אִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא.

David Judah Messiah, The Ruth Solomon Tamar Women

191. The seed of Judah was established with two women, who bore King David, King Solomon, and the Messiah. The two women, Tamar and Rut, resembled each other. Both Tamar and Rut lost their first husbands and replaced them through similar efforts.

191. תְּרֵין נְשִׁין הֲווֹ, דְּמִנַּיְיהוּ אִתְבְּנֵי זַרְעָא דִיהוּדָה, וַאֲתוֹ מִנַּיְיהוּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, וּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין נְשִׁין, דָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּדָא, תָּמָר וְרוּת, דְּמִיתוּ בַּעֲלַיְיהוּ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וְאִינוּן אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּ לְעוֹבָדָא דָא.

Levirate Marriage Shelah, Son of Judah Tamar

192. Tamar approached her father-in-law, who was next of kin to his dead sons AND THUS WORTHY OF TAKING HER IN LEVIRATE MARRIAGE. The reason for her act is stated in the verse, "For she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him to wife" (Beresheet 38:14). She therefore did this by her father-in-law.

192. תָּמָר אִשְׁתַּדְּלַת לְגַבֵּי חָמוּהָ, דְּאִיהוּ קָרֵיב יַתִּיר לִבְנוֹי דְמִיתוּ, מַאי טַעְמָא אִיהִי אִשְׁתַּדְּלַת לְגַבֵּיהּ, דִּכְתִיב כִּי רָאֲתָה כִּי גָדַל שֵׁלָה וְהִיא לֹא נִתְּנָה לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה. וּבְגִין דָּא, אִשְׁתַּדְּלַת בְּעוֹבָדָא דָא, לְגַבֵּי חָמוּהָ.

Birth Boaz Deeds Judah Oved Ruth Tamar Women

193. Rut's first husband died AS DID THAT OF TAMAR, and then she did the deed by Boaz, as it is written, "And uncovered his feet, and laid herself down" (Rut 3:7). She then gave birth to Oved. You might ask why Oved was not born to another woman, INSTEAD OF IN THIS MANNER. HE ANSWERS, Assuredly, it was necessary that she, and not any other woman, bore him. From these two, the seed of Judah was built and established. Both did well and brought kindness upon the dead, so they would later be perfected in the world.

193. רוּת מִית בַּעֲלָהּ, וּלְבָתַר אִשְׁתַּדְּלַת בְּעוֹבָדָא דָא, לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּבֹעַז, דִּכְתִיב, וַתְּגַל מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו וַתִּשְׁכָּב, וְאִשְׁתַּדְּלַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וּלְבָתַר אוֹלֵידַת לֵיהּ לְעוֹבֵד. וְאִי תֵימָא אַמַּאי לָא נָפֵיק עוֹבֵד מֵאִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי הִיא אִצְטְרִיכַת וְלָא אִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא. וּמִתְּרֵין אִלֵּין אִתְבְּנֵי וְאִשְׁתַּכְלֵל זַרְעָא דִיהוּדָה, וְתַרְוַוְיְיהוּ בְּכַשְׁרוּת עָבְדוּ, לְמֶעְבַּד טִיבוּ עִם אִינוּן מֵיתַיָיא, לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא עַלְמָא לְבָתַר.

David Kingdom Levirate Marriage Messiah, The Praise Ruth Solomon Tamar Torah

194. This is the explanation of the verse, "So I praised the dead that are already dead" (Kohelet 4:2). As long as THE HUSBANDS OF TAMAR AND RUT were alive, there was no praise to their name. After they died, THEIR WIVES WERE TAKEN IN LEVIRATE MARRIAGE AND THE KINGDOM OF DAVID, SOLOMON, AND MESSIAH DESCENDED FROM THEM. Both TAMAR AND RUT did kindness and truth by the dead, and the Holy One, blessed be He, helped them in the very act. Thus, all is fitting as it should be. Happy is he who studies the Torah day and night, as it is written, "But you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success" (Yehoshua 1:8).

194. וְדָא הוּא כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר, וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת הַמֵּתִים שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ, דְּהָא כַּד הֲווֹ חַיִּין בְּקַדְמֵיתָא לָא הֲוָה בְהוֹ שִׁבְחָא, וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּ לְמֶעְבַּד טִיבוּ וּקְשׁוֹט עִם אִנּוּן מֵיתַיָיא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִיֵּיעַ בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא, וְכֹלָּא הֲוָה כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא יְמָמָא וְלֵילְיָא, כד"א, וְהָגִיתָ בוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה לְמַעַן תִּשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכָל הַכָּתוּב בּוֹ כִּי אָז תַּצְלִיחַ אֶת דְּרָכֶיךָ וגו.'

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