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Vayeishev: What Do the Stories of Tamar, Yehuda and Chanuka Have in Common?

Tamara Klein

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The story of Yehuda and Tamar is shrouded in mystery. After losing both her first and second husbands โ€“ย  Er and Onan, sons of Yehuda โ€“ with no children from either marriage, Tamar takes matters into her own hands1. She approaches Yehuda of her own accord, disguised in the dark of night. Through their union, Peretz and Zerach โ€“ย  the ancestors of David Hamelech โ€“ are born. Much like David Hamelechโ€™s own lineage, as well as that of his great-grandmother Ruth in the episode with Boaz, Moshiachโ€™s roots seem to be embedded in these mysterious, seemingly unholy places. But there is another layer to this complex story, a layer which interweaves the story of Yehuda and Tamar with the Chanuka story which we relive each year at this time.ย 

Let us unpack the story through the verses2 as explained by Rabbi Glatstein3, based on the writings of the Tzfat mekubal, the Bat Ayin.ย 

ื•ึทื™ึฐื”ึดึฃื™โ€‰ื€ ื›ึฐึผืžึดืฉึฐืืœึนึฃืฉื ื—ึณื“ึธืฉึดืึ—ื™ื ื•ึทื™ึปึผื’ึทึผึจื“ ืœึดึฝื™ื”ื•ึผื“ึธึคื” ืœึตืืžึนืจึ™ ื–ึธึฝื ึฐืชึธื”ึ™ ืชึธึผืžึธึฃืจ ื›ึทึผืœึธึผืชึถึ”ืšึธ ื•ึฐื’ึทึ›ื ื”ึดื ึตึผึฅื” ื”ึธืจึธึ–ื” ืœึดื–ึฐื ื•ึผื ึดึ‘ื™ื ื•ึทื™ึนึผึฃืืžึถืจ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ”ื” ื”ื•ึนืฆึดื™ืึ–ื•ึผื”ึธ ื•ึฐืชึดืฉึธึผื‚ืจึตึฝืฃ

It was about three months after [Yehuda and Tamarโ€™s union] that it was told to Yehuda, saying โ€œYour daughter-in-law, Tamar, has committed harlotry and also behold, she is pregnant from the harlotry.โ€ And Yehuda said, โ€œTake her out and she should be burnt!โ€

In Kabbalistic literature, Yehuda is an allegory for Hashem (containing all the 4 letters of His name) and Tamar is an allegory for the Jewish people. A date palm is unique in that its sap lies only in the trunk and not elsewhere in the tree and the Gemara states on this that in the same way as the Tamar/palm tree has one heart, so too do the Jewish people have one heart to serve Hashem. 

The approximate three months which have elapsed since the union between the two refers to the passing of time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur until Chanuka. During the yamim noraim, our souls fuse deeply with Hashem and this spiritual union involves Hashem exposing Himself to us. However, as time continues after this intense spiritual experience of the Jewish people bonding with Hashem, we lose our way and devote ourselves to other goals which the pasuk calls โ€˜committing harlotry.โ€™ It is at this time that Hashem is told that we have been disloyal to Him. The pasuk refers to โ€˜kalateichโ€™, your daughter-in-law, Tamar. But, we can also read it as โ€˜kalateichโ€™ your bride, the Jewish people. After our spiritual commitments wane, Hashem sees that we have betrayed Him. The Arizal derives from here that the din of Rosh Hashana is only truly concluded three months later, on Chanuka, where Hashem evaluates what we have done with our spiritual elevation.

ื”ึดึฃื•ื ืžื•ึผืฆึตึ—ืืช ื•ึฐื”ึดึจื™ื ืฉึธืืœึฐื—ึธึคื” ืึถืœึพื—ึธืžึดึ™ื™ื”ึธึ™ ืœึตืืžึนึ”ืจ ืœึฐืึดื™ืฉืึ™ ืึฒืฉึถืืจึพืึตึฃืœึถึผื” ืœึผึ”ื•ึน ืึธื ึนื›ึดึ–ื™ ื”ึธืจึธึ‘ื” ื•ึทืชึนึผึ™ืืžึถืจึ™ ื”ึทื›ึถึผืจึพื ึธึ”ื ืœึฐืžึดึžื™ ื”ึทื—ึนืชึถึงืžึถืช ื•ึฐื”ึทืคึฐึผืชึดื™ืœึดึ›ื™ื ื•ึฐื”ึทืžึทึผื˜ึถึผึ–ื” ื”ึธืึตึฝืœึถึผื”

As she was being brought out she sent [word] to her father-in-law, saying โ€œItโ€™s by the man to whom these belong that I am pregnantโ€ and she said โ€œExamine these, whose seal and cord and staff are these?โ€ 

Allegorically, at this point, the Jewish people argue with the accusations against them, claiming that they have not betrayed Hashem. We ask Hashem to look deep inside of us and see that we are still โ€˜pregnant,โ€™ that we are dedicated to Him alone. We then point to these three objects- the seal, cord and staff. These three items are powerful symbols of our integrity. They are the oil, the wick and the Menorah of the Chanuka story.

In terms of the storyline, we have to remember that Tamar was disguised during her act so Yehuda did not know he had a union with his daughter-in-law. At the time of the union, Yehuda had given Tamar his seal, cord and staff as a collateral and could not find her to collect them, and now Tamar returns them to him. 

Allegorically, at this point, the Jewish people argue with the accusations against them, claiming that they have not betrayed Hashem. We ask Hashem to look deep inside of us and see that we are still โ€˜pregnant,โ€™ that we are dedicated to Him alone. We then point to these three objects- the seal, cord and staff. These three items are powerful symbols of our integrity. They are the oil, the wick and the Menorah of the Chanuka story. The chotemet is the oil, the sealant, the petil is the wick and the mateh, which shares a numerical value with hakeli/the vessel is the Menorah. We cry out to Hashem not to look at our external deeds, to ignore the habits we may have fallen into and turn aside from the ways we may indeed look as if we have betrayed our Soulmate. 

We ask Hashem to gaze at these three elements, the pure oil, the wick and the Menorah of the Chanuka story. This is the most poignant testament to our most intimate bond with Hashem. The Chanuka story ensured our spiritual survival then, and it ensures it continues even now. The word โ€˜matehโ€™ โ€˜staffโ€™ also alludes to the constant movement we have to make in galut, we have passed through countries, empires and kingdoms which have threatened to harm us, been expelled time and again. Despite it all, we have clung to our Partner, Hashem. 

ื•ึทื™ึทึผื›ึตึผึฃืจ ื™ึฐื”ื•ึผื“ึธึ—ื” ื•ึทื™ึนึผึ™ืืžึถืจึ™ ืฆึธึฝื“ึฐืงึธึฃื” ืžึดืžึถึผึ”ื ึดึผื™ ื›ึดึผึฝื™ึพืขึทืœึพื›ึตึผึฅืŸ ืœึนืึพื ึฐืชึทืชึดึผึ–ื™ื”ึธ ืœึฐืฉึตืืœึธึฃื” ื‘ึฐื ึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึฐืœึนึฝืึพื™ึธืกึทึฅืฃ ืขึ–ื•ึนื“ ืœึฐื“ึทืขึฐืชึธึผึฝื”ึผืƒ

Yehuda recognised [the objects] and he said โ€œShe is more right than me because I did not give her my son Shelahโ€ and he was not intimate with her again.

When Hashem gazes at these powerful symbols of our unbreakable allegiance to Him, when He watches the dancing flames of our Chanuka Menorah, He says โ€œYou are right.โ€ Hashem acknowledges that even when our actions seem disloyal, in truth, our heart and soul are still desperately aligned with Him. Stronger than our sins is our inner spark always striving for truth and connection โ€“ and which has never died or detached. Hashem acknowledges that any external deeds which appear traitorous are His fault, for having not given us Shelah. This is the name of Yehudaโ€™s third son who he did not allow to marry Tamar4. But in mystical symbolism, Shelah refers to Moshiach. Hashem is reminded that since we are in exile, surrounded by temptations, battles and enemies on all sides, we are not to blame for going astray. We are simply not in the right environment for our soul to do what it desperately wants to do – remain intimately attached to Hashem5.ย 

We are left with one question though, to ponder this Chanuka. What is it about those flickering candles, that crushed olive oil and that simple wick that arouses Hashem to gaze at us with such mercy, more than any other mitzva? Is it the reminder of all the mesirut nefesh โ€“ the Maccabimโ€™s, and ours, to keep His mitzvot? Is it that Jewish desire for purity which shines throughout the story and which is captured in small moments of light, even now? Or is it that elusive flame itself, symbolising the pintele Yid which eternally glows within us? 

  1. This is in fulfilment of the mitzva of Yibum, see article on Yibum at Tzofia.org for more details โ†ฉ๏ธŽ
  2. Bereishit 38:24-6 โ†ฉ๏ธŽ
  3. In his book on Chanuka โ€œThe Light and the Splendorโ€ย  โ†ฉ๏ธŽ
  4. For fear that he would also die of sinย  โ†ฉ๏ธŽ
  5. Explanation inspired by Rabbi YY Jacobson, https://www.theyeshiva.net/jewish/item/944/essay-vayeishev-chanukah-the-jewish-heart-is-beating-stronger-than-everย  โ†ฉ๏ธŽ

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