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THE DAFYOMI DISCUSSION LIST
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Rosh Kollel: Rabbi Mordecai Kornfeld
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Shabbos 56: Why didn't Yehuda have something to stop himself?
daniel asked:
The gamara says that Reuven didn't do an avaira with Bilha because there is
no way he could stand on Har Eival and say Amen to "Arur shocheivÂ…
Rashi says that Yaakov came to Yosef and said he will lose his stone in the
Joshen if he sleeps with Potifar's wife.
What about poor Yehuda. Why didn't anyone stop him from sleeping with Tamar???
daniel, jerusalem, israel
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The Kollel replies:
There are many ways to answer this question.
The simplest is that many statements of Chazal clearly show that Yehuda did
not sin when he had his relationship with Tamar. This is clearly the gist
of RASHI'S statement (Bereishis 38:26) that some opinions say Yehuda stayed
married to Tamar, which he could not possibly have done had he thought she
was forbidden to him. Additionally, the Bereishis Rabah (85:5) says that
Yehudah was actually the first to start the Mitzvah of Yibum. Though the
Mitzvah of Yibum in the Torah is only for one to marry his brother's widow
if they did not have children, the YEFEI TOAR on the Midrash (ibid.)
explains that before Matan Torah it was looked upon favorably to marry any
deceased relative's wife who did not have children, and Yehuda started this
process.
Even though Yehudah did not initially know who Tamar was when he had
relations with her the first time, we know that great Tzadikim, *before
Matan Torah*, could tell that if they would have relations with a certain
woman l'Shem Shamayim positive things would result. Some say that this was
the reason Yaakov married two sisters. Rashi even says that the wife of
Potifar was "l'Shem Shamayim," as she saw through astrology that she would
have great children if she were to be with Yosef (however, that
relationship was forbidden even before Matan Torah). It is therefore
reasonable to assume that Yehuda also had such intentions when he initially
had relations with Tamar. This is supported by the Bereishis Rabah (85:8)
which says that Hashem sent the Malach in charge of desire to steer Yehuda
towards Tamar, and the Malach said "Yehuda, where are you going? Where will
the kings come from, where will the great ones come from?" This was
notably not done by the Yetzer Hara, but by a special Malach sent from
Hashem. Though this came about in a strange way, we should realize that
Yehuda's actions are not considered a sin.
All the Best,
Yaakov Montrose
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