Midrash su Genesi 38:26

(Fol. 7b) Our Rabbis were taught: The court reads before her (the Sata) parables and incidents mentioned in the first Hogiograph, like the one (Job 15, 18) Which wise men have ever told, and have not concealed, as they obtained it from their father. This refers to Juda, who confessed [his crime] and did not feel ashamed. What was the result? He succeeded to inherit the future world. Reuben confessed and did not feel ashamed. What was the result of his confession? He succeeded to inherit the future world. And what was their reward? Why, we have just said what their reward was. The question must therefore be explained thus: What was their reward in this world? (Ib., ib. 19) Unto whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them. It is readily understood in regard to Juda's confession, for we find that he did confess, as stated in the following passage (Gen. 39, 26) And Juda acknowledged them, etc. "But as to Reuben, whence do we know that he did confess?" said R. Samuel b. Nachman (as fully explained Babba Kamma 92). ...

Because she had covered her face did he think her a harlot? [Is it not the contrary?] R. Elazar said that this means: She had covered her face when she had been in his house, hence he did not know her." Therefore she was rewarded that from her descended kings and prophets — kings from David; and prophets, as R. Levi said: "A bride who is chaste in the house of her father-in-law, will be rewarded that kings and prophets will descend from her." Whence do we infer this? From Tamar When she was lead forth she sent to her father-in-law. The text should have the word Meutzeas, in the passive voice [instead of Motzes in the active voice]. R. Elazar said: This means that after she produced the signs [of the signet, scarf and staff], the Angel Samael came and removed them, then the Angel Gabriel came and brought them again and this is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 56 1) To the chief musician upon Joneth elem-re-chokin." Said R. Jochanan: "This means that after the signs were removed she became numb like a dove." (Ib., ib., ib.) Unto David a Michtam, i.e., of whom David went forth, who kept himself humble and plain to everyone. Could Michtam be explained in another way that he was born circumsized? Can Michtam be explained in another way that just when in his youth he humbled himself before a superior in order to study the Torah from him, so also when he was elevated, he kept himself meek before one who was greater than he in order to study the Torah? (Ib., ib.) And she sent to her father-in-law, saying, 'By the man who owns these,' etc., why did she not call him by his name? Said Mar Zutra b. Tubia in the name of Rab; others say R. Chana b. Bizna said in the name of R. Simon, the pious; still others say R. Jochanan said it in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai: "It is better for a man to be thrown into a fiery furnace than be the means of bringing another to shame in public. We infer this from Tamar." (Gen. 38, 25) (Ib., ib., ib.) Acknowledge I pray thee. Said R. Chama b. Chanina: "With the word Haker (acknowledged) did Juda inform his father [concerning Joseph's disappearance] and with the word Haker (acknowledge) was Juda informed of the bad tidings [concerning the affair of Tamar]; i.e., with the word Haker did Juda inform his father, (Ib. 37. 32) Hakerna (acknowledge), we pray thee, whether it be thy son's coat or not, and with the word Haker was Juda informed Haker (acknowledge) I pray thee to whom belong the signet, scarf, and staff!" Acknowledge, I pray thee, the word Nah means nothing else but pray. She thus said unto Juda: "I pray thee acknowledge thy Creator and do not avert thy eyes from me." And Juda acknowledged them. And this is meant by R. Chama b. Bizna, who said in the name of R. Simon the pious: "Joseph, who sanctified Heaven's name in secret was rewarded with only one additional letter of the name of the Holy One, praised be He, as it is written (Ps. 81) but Juda, who sanctified Heaven's name publicly was rewarded so that his entire name was equal to that of the Holy One, praised be He." As soon as he confessed and said, a Divine voice went forth and said: "Thou hast saved Tamar with her two children from being burnt in fire, I swear by thy life that I shall save through thy merits thy three sons from being burnt in fire." Who are they? Chanania, Mishael and Azaria. She it righteous, it is from me. How did he know it? A Divine voice went forth and said: "From me went forth the secret things." (Ib., ib., ib.) Said Samuel the senior, the father-in-law of R. Samuel b. Ama: "This means that since he knew her he never forsook her, for it is written (Deut. 5, 19) A great voice v'lo yassph. [Just as in the latter case it means for ever, so also does it mean in the former case] ."

R. Elazar said: "At three places the Holy spirit appeared: At the court of Shem, in the court of the prophet Samuel, and in the court of King Solomon. At the court of Shem, as it is written (Gen. 38, 26) And Juda acknowledged them and said, She hath been more righteous than I. And whence did he know? Perhaps just as he was with her, so was some one else. Therefore a Heavenly voice was heard: I have decided that so is it to be. In the court of Samuel, as it is written (I. Sam. 12, 5) And he answered, He is witness. Why He? It ought to be they! Hence a Heavenly voice was heard, I witness that so it is. And in the court of King Solomon, as it is written (I. Kin. 3, 17) The king then answered and said, Give her the living child and do not slay it; She is its mother. And whence do we know that it really was so, perhaps she deceived him? Hence the last words, she is its mother, were said by a Heavenly voice." Said Raba: "If it were based merely upon the Scripture, all of them could be objected to, but this is shown by tradition."

(Gen. 49:6:) FOR IN THEIR ANGER THEY KILLED A MAN, when they killed Shechem ben Hamor. He said to them: You have afflicted me. Immediately (in vs. 7): CURSED BE THEIR ANGER SO FIERCE. These tribes were unable to dwell together. Rather (ibid., cont.): I WILL DIVIDE THEM IN JACOB AND SCATTER THEM IN ISRAEL. Judah came in and < Jacob > praised him (in vs. 8): YOU, O JUDAH, YOUR BROTHERS SHALL PRAISE (rt.: YDH). In your case, your mother gave praise (rt.: YDH) through your name (Judah, rt.: YDH). When she bore you, she said (in Gen. 29:35): THIS TIME I WILL PRAISE (rt.: YDH) THE LORD; < THEREFORE SHE CALLED HIS NAME JUDAH (rt.: YDH) >. And what did she see to praise in Judah? It is simply that she had given birth to Reuben and foreseen Dathan and Abiram (in Numb. 16:1); so she had not given praise over him (i.e., Reuben). She had given birth to Simeon and foreseen Zimri; so she had not given praise over him. She had given birth to Levi and foreseen Korah; so she had not given praise over him. When she gave birth to Judah, she immediately gave praise (rt.: YDH) over him because he made a confession (rt.: YDH) in the Tamar incident, as stated (in Gen. 38:26): THEN JUDAH GAVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND SAID: SHE IS MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN I.⁶¹See Gen. R. 99 (another version):8 (= p. 1279 in the Theodor-Albeck edition). His father said to him: Your mother has given praise (rt.: YDH) over you, and you have made a confession (rt.: YDH). Therefore your brothers shall praise (rt.: YDH) you.⁶²Although the Buber text has “him” here, the correct reading must be “you.” When Isaac blessed Jacob, he had said to him (in Gen. 27:29): AND MAY YOUR MOTHER'S CHILDREN BOW DOWN TO YOU, since he had only one wife. But, since Jacob had four wives, he said (in Gen. 49:8): YOUR FATHER'S CHILDREN < SHALL BOW DOWN TO YOU >.⁶³Gen. R. 66:4. Why shall your brothers praise you? Because all Israel shall be called by your name, < i.e., > Jews.⁶⁴Gen. R. 98(99):6. In Hebrew the word “Jews” is simply the plural of Judah, which in turn has the same root as the Hebrew verb meaning “praise.” And not only that, but out of you is coming the Messiah, who is saving Israel, as stated (in Is. 11:10): BUT A SHOOT SHALL COME FORTH FROM THE STEM OF JESSE….⁶⁵Cf. Romans 15:12; Rev. 5:5.

“Woe is you, land, whose king is a lad, and your princes dine in the morning. Happy are you, land, that your king is a free man, and your princes dine at the proper time, in valor and not in drunkenness” (Ecclesiastes 10:16–17).
“Woe is you, land, whose king is a lad” – it is written: “Then, two women who were prostitutes came” (I Kings 3:16).⁷¹They each had a baby and one of the babies died. Each claimed the live one was hers, and they came before King Solomon for adjudication. See I Kings 3:16–28. Who were they? Rabbi Meir says: They were spirits. The Rabbis say: They were women awaiting levirate marriage.⁷²If a man dies without children, his widow is subject to the law of levirate marriage. The husbands of these women died without children but while their wives were pregnant, and the women subsequently gave birth. However, a child who dies within the first thirty days does not exempt the mother from levirate marriage, and therefore an outcome of the case would be the determination of which woman would be subject to levirate marriage (Midrash HaMevo’ar). Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua says: They were actual prostitutes, and he issued their verdict without witnesses and forewarning. “The one woman said: Please, my lord…it was on the third day after I gave birth…the son of this woman died” (I Kings 3:17–19) because she rolled upon him. “She arose during the night.… I arose in the morning to nurse my son.… The woman said: No, but…. The king said: This one says…” (I Kings 3:20–23). Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Yirmeya [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba and Rabbi Beivai, and some tend to cite it in the name of Rabbi Pedat: The procedure of the judgment is as follows: The judge sits, the judged stand, the mediator decides between them,⁷³Some commentaries suggest that the phrase “the mediator decides between them” is mistaken and should not appear (see Rabbi David Luria). the plaintiff lodges his complaint, the defendant responds, and the judge decides between them. Rabbi Simon said: From here it is derived that the judge must reiterate their claims, from this verse: “[The king said:] This one says: This is my son that lives [and your son is the dead], and that one says: [No, your son is the dead and my son is the living]” (I Kings 3:23).
“The king said: Bring me a sword.… The king said: Cut the living child.… The woman whose child was the living one…” (I Kings 3:24–26) – Rabbi Yehuda said that Rabbi Ilai said: Had I been there, I would have wrapped soft wool around his neck,⁷⁴Around Solomon’s neck, as a judge who issues a false judgment is executed by strangulation. as when he said: “Bring me a sword,” had [the mother] not been overcome by mercy for him [her child], he would have been killed. Regarding that moment, it says: “Woe is you, land, whose king is a lad.” At that moment, he began spouting wisdom; he said: Was it for nothing that the Holy One blessed be He created in this person two eyes, two ears, two feet, two hands? It was because the Holy One blessed be He foresaw that this judgment is destined to transpire.⁷⁵The Holy One blessed be He created man proportionally so it would be possible to cut the child lengthwise into two equal parts. [Ultimately] he did not do so, but rather he said: “Give her the living child, and do not kill him” (I Kings 3:27). Regarding that moment, it says: “Happy are you, land, that your king is a free man and your princes dine at the proper time” – at the time of the World to Come; “and not in drunkenness [vashti]” – in his strength and not in his weakness [bitshisho]. “The king answered and said: Give her the living child.” The Divine Spirit was shouting and saying: She is certainly his mother.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: In three places, the attribute of justice shouted: In the court of Shem, in the court of Samuel, and in the court of Solomon. In the court of Shem, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Judah recognized and said: She is more righteous than I” (Genesis 38:26), and the Divine Spirit shouted and said: All of these matters originated with Me.⁷⁶The events leading up to the trial (see Genesis, chap. 38) were a result of Divine providence. In the court of Samuel, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Here I am; testify against me before the Lord.… He said to them: The Lord is witness for you, and His anointed is witness” (I Samuel 12:3–5). It is not written here, “they said…witness,” but rather, “he said…witness.” Who said “witness”? The Divine Spirit said: ‘You will testify regarding the revealed, and I will testify regarding the concealed.’ In the court of Solomon, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The king answered and said: Give her the living child” (I Kings 3:27). The Divine Spirit shouted and said: She is certainly his mother.
Another matter: “Woe is you, land, whose king is a lad” – these are the kings of Israel; “happy are you, land, that your king is a free man” – these are the kings of Judah. “And your princes dine in the morning” – these are the kings of Israel; “and your princes dine at the proper time” – these are the kings of Judah.⁷⁷The kings of Israel were wicked, and therefore consumed in this world all goodness they will receive. Many of the kings of Judah were righteous, and have a share in the World to Come.

R’ Elazar said: the whole Torah hangs on judgment. That is why the Holy One gave the laws of justice after the Ten Commandments - because people cross the line of justice, are punished and this teaches the whole world. Sodom was not overturned until it crossed the line of justice, as it says “…pride, abundance of bread, and careless ease…“ (Ezekiel 16:49) Even Jerusalem was not exiled until she crossed the line of justice, as it says “…the orphan they do not judge, and the quarrel of the widow does not come to them.” (Isaiah 1:23) And why did the Holy One give the crown to Yehudah? He is not the sole mighty one from among his brothers, are not Shimon, Levi and the others mighty as well? Rather, it was because he gave true judgment to Tamar, therefore he was made judge of the world. This is like a judge before whom an orphan’s judgment comes and he finds in her favor. So too Yehudah – Tamar’s judgment that she should be burned came before him, and he found in her merit because he found merit in her. How? Yitzchak and Yaakov were sitting there, and all his brothers were covering for him. Yehudah acknowledged Gd (HaMakom) and spoke the truth of the matter, saying “She is more in the right than I…” (Bereshit 38:26) and the Holy One made him prince. So Ben Zoma used to say and explain: if you were ashamed in this world, you will not be ashamed of the Holy One, who is a consuming fire, in the coming world. Why? Because the shame of this world is nothing other than the shame of one’s standing in the coming world, as it says “For this let every pious man pray to You…” (Tehillim 32:6)

(Bamidbar 11:6) "And now, our souls are dry. There is nothing": R. Shimon said: They said: It (the manna) will burst our bowels. Can a mortal ingest and not expel! They said to R. Shimon: And how do you explain (Devarim 23:14) "And you shall have a spade along with your other implements" (to cover your excrement)? He answered: What the Canaanite merchants sold them they expelled, but the manna, never. As it is written (Psalms 78:25) "Man ate the bread of abirim" — (bread) which was absorbed in the eivarim (the limbs). "Only to the manna is our eyes. (7) The manna was (round) like coriander seed, and it looked like crystal.": You think that he who said this ("Only to the manna, etc.") said that ("The manna was round, etc."?) This is not so. Israel said "Only to the manna is our eyes," and the L-rd "pacified" all future generations and said to them: Come and see what they are grumbling to Me about — "The manna was like coriander seed — it looked like crystal!" viz. (Bereshit 2:12) "And the gold of that land is good. There is the crystal and the onyx stone." Similarly, (i.e., another instance of "split referrent") (Ibid. 38:25) "And Judah recognized (them) and said: 'She is right. It is by me'" (that she is with child). And Scripture (and not Judah) states that "he did not live with her again." Similarly, (Devarim 25:18) "and you (Israel) were faint and weary," "and (he, Amalek) did not fear G-d." Similarly, (Judges 5:28) "Why is his (Sisra's) chariot delayed in coming?" — This was stated by Sisra's mother, (29) "The wisest of her ladies answer her, etc." — This was said by his wife and her daughters-in-law. (Ibid.) "She, too, returns her words to her" — there was revealed to her what was said to Devorah by the Holy Spirit — Don't wait any longer for Sisra. (Ibid. 31) "So will all of Your foes go lost, O L-rd." Similarly, (I Samuel 4:8) "Woe to us! Who will save us from the hand of this mighty G-d" — This was stated by the righteous (among them). But the wicked said: "This is the G-d who smote the Egyptians with every plague in the desert." Their intent was: He had only ten plagues (in His arsenal) and He brought them all on the Egyptians — He has no plagues left. The L-rd responded: You say I have no plague left? I will bring upon you a plague the like of which the world has never seen. One of you will be sitting (and defecating) and a mouse will rise from the depths and will scoop out his innards and return to the depths! And thus is it written (Ibid. 5:6) "And the hand of the L-rd was heavy against the Ashdodites … and He struck them with hemorrhoids." Similarly, (Jeremiah 26:16-25) "Then the officers and all the people said to the Cohanim: … This man (Jeremiah) does not deserve to die … And there arose men of the elders of the land and they said to the entire assemblage of the people: Michah the Monashite prophesied … Did Chizkiyahu king of Judah put him to death? …" Until here, the words of the righteous. But the wicked among them said: "There was also a man who prophesied in the name of the L-rd, Uriah the son of Shemayahu … And King Yehoyakim heard … and the king wanted to put him to death…. And King Yehoyakim sent men to Egypt … and they took Uriah out of Egypt …" They said: Just as Uriah was killed, so Jeremiah must be killed. "But Achiram son of Shafan protected Jeremiah not to hand him over to the people to be put to death." Similarly, (Ruth 2:13) "As the L-rd lives, lie (here) until the morning." Because the yetzer hara (the evil inclination) sat and aggrieved him (Boaz) the whole night, saying: You are single and need a wife, and she (Ruth) is single and needs a husband, and you know that a woman is acquired (as a wife) by intercourse — Arise and live with her and let her be your wife — he swore to his yetzer hara "As the L-rd lives," I will not touch her. And to the woman he said: "Lie (here) until the morning." Here, too, "Only to the manna is our eyes." Do you think that he who said this said that ("The manna was like coriander seed, etc.")? (No!) Israel said "Only to the manna is our eyes!" and the L-rd "pacified" and said to them: Come and see about what they are railing against Me: "The manna was like coriander seed and it looked like crystal," viz. (Bereshit 2:12) "The gold of that land is good. There is crystal and the shoham stone."

(Devarim 33:7) "And this ("heroism" of Reuven [ in confessing his sin]) was due to Judah, who confessed (his sin [viz. Bereshith 38:26]). Of them Scripture writes (Iyyov 15:18-19) "Wise men have told (their sin); they did not conceal it from their fathers. To them alone the land was given; no stranger passed among them."