Lessons from Judah & Tamar Genesis 38 Paul Cohen Marc Chagall lithograph,  Tamar Belle-Fille de Juda, 1960.

Levirate Marriage An ancient custom common in the Middle East by which a man may be obliged to marry his brother’s widow, to produce an offspring for the deceased.

זוֹנָ֑ה קְדֵשָֽׁה Judah assumes she is a… Harlot Temple Prostitute Marc Chagall lithograph,  Tamar Belle-Fille de Juda, 1960.

Seal, Cord & Staff These three item are unique to Judah and with this she had prove that Judah was the father of her child (and therefor proving that she did not commit adultery, but had in fact conducted herself through the rules of Levirate marriage).

“She is more righteous than I, …….” Judah confessed: His affair Breaking of the promise His hypocrisy Failure to show compassion

The real hero Tamar What she did was for a noble purpose namely to ensure that the name of her late husband was perpetuated. And second she took great care to avoid Judah being put to shame.

Lessons from Judah & Tamar May we be like Judah acknowledging and confessing when we are wrong. And may we be like Tamar never shaming the other even when they have done wrong to us.