Shabbat Vayeyshev
We often praise the Torah precisely because it does not try to whitewash human beings. We do not have, at least in biblical terminology, the concept of Saints. We might use the term colloquially because it’s so deeply embedded in the secular cultures we live in. However, the very fact is that the greatest of humans, such as Moshe, are shown to have faults and to have made mistakes. This is important because we know, as Ecclesiastes, Kohelet, says that not one of us is perfect. Nevertheless, it is surprising how the Torah keeps on reiterating the fallibility of human beings from the very start. From Adam on.
One of the recurring themes is sibling rivalry (not to mention murder, fratricide). Before Cain kills his brother, the Torah tells him very clearly that even if one fails, one can always try again and do better. Failure is not the end of the road. The tension between Yitzchak and Yishmael seems to have been resolved. And, indeed, the tension between Yaakov and Esav is resolved despite Esav’s earlier threat to kill Yaakov after their father dies. But when it comes to Yosef and his brothers, the tension and violence reach a completely different level. This week’s reading from the Torah emphasises yet another example of how siblings compete and threaten to kill one of their number.
The brothers hate Yosef so much because he is their father’s favourite and because of his arrogance (or naivety) in telling them about his dreams. When they have him alone and away from his father, they determine to kill him. Incidentally, was Yaakov so out of touch or unaware of the sibling rivalry that he sent Yosef out to spy on them, into the lion’s den?
Reuven, the eldest son who as a rule fails in his role as the eldest, who is the one who turns to the other brothers and says they must not shed blood. His suggestion is that they throw Joseph into a pit. Except that his intention, as stated, is that he will find a way of getting Yosef back to his father.
Yehudah is clearly the most powerful and dynamic of the brothers. In the absence of Reuven, he makes the decision to sell Yosef to the passing caravan and then deceives his father by claiming that he was killed by an animal, showing their father Yosef’s coat dipped in blood.
The scene switches and we see that Yehudah has gone into exile. Or at any rate has detached himself from the rest of the brothers and has taken the blame for Yosef’s fate. This leads to the story of Tamar. Yehudah has married Shua, the daughter of a Canaanite. Which is surprising, given the fact that both Yitzchak and Yaakov wanted their children not to marry Canaanites. Yehudah has three sons from Shua, Air, Onan and Shelah. Tamar marries the eldest Air. He dies. We are only told because he displeased God. And following the pre-Israelite custom of marrying the next son, to keep the name of the dead one alive Tamar marries Onan. But he too dies because he displeases God, and this time it is because he refuses to consummate the marriage. The question of how exactly is left open. Was it onanism, coitus interruptus or masturbation? Yehudah sends Tamar back home, telling her to wait until Shela is old enough. But then Yehudah did not want to marry her off to the third son. Another example of local customs where a repeated widow was regarded as a danger.
To assert her right, Tamar disguises herself as a prostitute and goes to where she knows Yehudah will be passing to shear his sheep. They sleep together. She asks for payment. He has nothing to hand but promises to send her a healthy kid from his flock. She requires a pledge, and he leaves her his staff, his belt, and his wallet. The following morning, he sends his man with the kid, but the woman has disappeared. Nobody knows anything about her. Three months later, she is pregnant. Yehudah claims that she has betrayed him and is an adulteress, and she should be put to death. She produces the pledges. Yehudah now admits that he was the father and that she is guiltless. He reinstates her into his family.
Tamar gives birth to twins. One of them, Peretz, is the forefather of Boaz, who is the great-grandfather of King David. And, incidentally, a line that runs from the Canaanite Tamar through a Moabite Ruth. No matter the background or circumstances, Yehuda’s admission is the basis of the obligation to correct wrongs, confess faults and allow for rehabilitation.
Rabbi Jeremy Rosen lives in New York. He was born in Manchester. His writings are concerned with religion, culture, history and current affairs – anything he finds interesting or relevant. They are designed to entertain and to stimulate. Disagreement is always welcome.
