## Rashbam on Genesis Chapter 38

###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:2:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:2:1)

כנעני - כתרגומו תגרא. כמו: כנעניה נכבדי ארץ. כנען בידו מאזני מרמה, כי מבנות כנען היו נזהרים.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כנעני, a merchant, as per Onkelos. The word appears in that sense both in Isaiah 23,8 כנעניה נכבדי ארץ, “as its merchants, the land’s nobles.” The word כנעני also occurs in this sense in Hoseah 12,8 כנען בידו מאזני מרמה, “a trader who uses false weights.” The word cannot refer to the local Canaanite inhabitants as the sons of Yaakov were very careful not to intermarry with these people.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:5:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:5:1)

והיה בכזיב - יהודה, ושם נולד לו בן.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
והיה בכזיב, Yehudah was at that location and that is where the child was born.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:9:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:9:1)

כי לא לו יהיה הזרע - ומקפידים היו בכך.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כי לא לו יהיה הזרע, people in those days were extremely fussy about this point.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:9:2
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:9:2)

נתן זרע - חטף קמץ. שכל תיבת מלאפו"ם (=חולם) שטעמה באות אחרונה ותיבה שסמוכה לה טעמה באות ראשונה, הרי הם במקף והמלאפו"ם נהפך לחטף קמץ וכן: ארך אפים וגדל חסד. ואם שלש אלה לא יעשה לה, אבל את שלש הערים מלאפו"ם הוא.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
נתן זרע, the vowel kametz here is in fact a chataf kametz, as every word spelled plene, i.e. with the vowel cholem as the letter ו when it appears in construct form such as here has this vowel shortened to a chataf kametz. The result is that the stress will be on the last syllable, whereas the word following immediately afterwards will have its stress on the first syllable. In effect this makes the words נתן זרע in our verse as if they had been connected by the hyphen, makkif. Other examples of similar constructions are Psalms 145,8 ארך אפים וגדל חסד [where the word גדל is a shortened version of גדול with the ו as the vowel cholem. Ed.] Another example is found in Exodus 21,11 ואם שלש אלה לא יעשה לה, “if he will do none of these three things for her, etc.” Yet another such construction is found in Numbers 35,14 אבל את שלש הערים, “however the three cities, etc.”


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:10:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:10:1)

גם אותו - דרשו חכמים כי בעון כזה מת, על שהיה משחית זרעו שלא תתעבר ותכחיש יופיה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
גם אותו. According to our sages Er also died for this same type of sin, as he deliberately wasted his semen by ejaculating prematurely to prevent his wife from becoming pregnant. He wanted to preserve her physical beauty.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:14:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:14:1)

ותכס - ראשה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ותכס, she covered her head.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:14:2
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:14:2)

בצעיף - שאין זה דרך אלמנות.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ותכס ראשה בצעיף, not the customary manner for a widow to wear her shawl.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:14:3
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:14:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:14:3)

ותתעלף - כסתה פניה שלא יכירנה יהודה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ותתעלף, she covered her face so as not to be identified.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:14:4
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:14:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:14:4)

בפתח עינים - בשער של פרשת דרכים שהכל עוברים ונראים לעינים דרך שם, והמפרש שם עיר טועה. שהרי כתוב לפנינו היא בעינים ואלו היה שם עיר היה לו לומר בעינים הבי"ת חט"ף (שו"א שלא מצינו שיאמר בבית אל ביריחו בירושלים (בקמץ).

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
בפתח עינים, at the public square where the road forked off in two different directions. The word עינים is used to describe the fact that anyone standing or sitting there was in plain view of anyone traveling these roads. Commentators who translate the word עינים as the name of a town are wrong, as is clear from the words בעינים על הדרך in verse 21. If there had been a town there, the Torah would have had to write בעינים with the semi vowel sheva under the letter ב. We do not find such constructions as בעינים as in verse 21 when reference is made to other cities such as ביריחו, “at Jericho,” or בבית-אל, “at Bet-El,” or בירושלים, “at Jerusalem.”


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:15:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:15:1)

כי כסתה פניה - עכשיו לפי הפשט, כדכתיב: ותתעלף.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
כי כסתה פניה, only at this point, in accordance with our commentary on the word ותתעלף, (verse 14)


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:17:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:17:1)

עד שלחך - רפי שתשלח שלוחך שיביא הגדי וגם יש רגיל לומר לשון רפי בשליחות דורון כדכתיב: מנחה היא שלוחה אני שלחתי את הגדי.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
עד שלחך. The reason why we have the “weak” mode, i.e. the conjugation kal instead of the transitive conjugation hiphil, is to indicate that Yehudah would send a messenger to deliver the kid to Tamar. We find the use of the conjugation kal in connection with the sending of gifts especially, as for instance in 32,19 where Yaakov had instructed his messengers to Esau to describe the gift in such terms. (מנחה היא שלוחה) We find it again in verse 23 of our chapter where Yehudah says הנה שלחתי הגדי הזה, “here, I have sent this kid, etc.”


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:18:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:18:1)

חותמך - טבעתך.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
חותמך, your ring.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:18:2
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:18:2)

פתילך - אזור.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
פתילך, your outer garment,


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:18:3
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:18:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:18:3)

ומטך - שלשה כלים הללו מזומנים לתת כי אינו מלבוש.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ומטך, and your staff. She asked for three items none of which were necessary as garments for Yehudah, but were merely decorative, lending Yehudah a better image among his peers.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:21:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:21:1)

הקדשה - מיועדת ומזומנת לכל באיה, כדכתיב: וגם קדש היה בארץ. ולא תהיה קדשה מבנות ישראל.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
הקדשה, the harlot; a woman who is always ready to have sexual relations with any male. The male equivalent of the term is found in Deuteronomy 23,18. where the Torah instructs the Jewish people not to tolerate this phenomenon, and in Kings I 14,24 where the presence of such male prostitutes is acknowledged with the words וגם קדש היה בארץ, a phenomenon which surfaced immediately after the death of King Solomon.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:23:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:23:1)

תקח לה - מה שבידה. כי לא אשלח עוד אליה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
תקח לה, not literally “let her take it,” but “let her keep it.” Yehudah said that he would not make an additional effort to find her and to redeem his pledges.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:23:2
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:23:2)

פן נהיה לבוז - לחזור אחר הקדשות.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
פן נהיה לבוז, so we will not make ourselves laughing stocks by chasing after harlots.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:24:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:24:1)

זנתה תמר כלתך - וא"ת מי יודע אם אמת שזינתה? תדע שהרי גם הרה היא כבר.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
זנתה תמר כלתך, if you were to ask why Yehudah would believe such accusations which would be hard to prove, the informant added that the signs of her pregnancy spoke for themselves as proof of the accusation being justified.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:24:2
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:24:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:24:2)

ותשרף - לפי הפשט: כך היה מנהגם מאחר שזקוקה ליבם.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ותשרף, according to the plain meaning of the text this was the standard penalty for a widow of Tamar’s status who had engaged in illicit sex.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:25:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:25:1)

היא מוצאת - לאחר שהוציאוה שלחה הערבון ועדיין לא רצתה לגלות אלא לאיש אשר אלה לו.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
היא מוצאת, after she had taken out the pledges given to her by Yehudah and sent them to him via a messenger, she did not want to directly confront him, but said: ”I am pregnant for the man who owned these.”


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:26:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:26:1)

צדקה ממני - יותר ממני, שאני צויתיה לשבת בית אביה עד יגדל שלה, היא השלימה תנאי שצויתיה, אבל אני לא השלמתי לה תנאי שהתניתי לה כי לא נתתיה לשלה בני. וכן: על צדקו נפשו מאלהים, יותר מאלהים. וכן בשאול: ויאמר אל דוד צדיק אתה ממני. יותר ממני.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
צדקה ממני, more righteous than I. He referred to her accusation (words) as compared to his accusation (words) against her. “I had commanded her to remain in her father’s house until Shelah would grow up. She complied with the terms of our understanding. However, I did not keep my part of the bargain I had struck with her.” כי ..לא נתתיה לשלה בני, the construction here is similar to Job 32,2: על צדקו נפשו מאלוקים, “because he thought himself more righteous than G’d.” Another similar construction occurs in Samuel I 24,18 with King Sha-ul who admitted to David that he had been wrong in persecuting him with the words: צדיק אתה ממני, “you are more righteous than I.”...


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:26:2
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:26:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:26:2)

ולא יסף - ולא הוסיף שאם אתה מפרשו ולא פסק היה לו לכתוב ולא יסף (נ"א יסוף עוד [מ]לדעתה.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
ולא יסף, he did not continue to sleep with Tamar. If you were to interpret the words ולא יסף as “he did not stop sleeping with her,” the wording should have been: ולא יסף עוד מלדעתה.


###### Rashbam on Genesis 38:30:1
[Rashbam on Genesis 38:30:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashbam%20on%20Genesis/r/38:30:1)

זרח - בשביל השני שהוא אדום. וזרח לשון אדמומית הוא, כדכתיב: והצרעת זרחה במצחו. וכן כל זריחת שמש בבקר ובערב אדום הוא, וכתיב: ויהי בבקר והשמש זרחה על המים ויראו מואב מנגד את המים אדומים כדם. וכן בבבא בתרא בהמוכר את הספינה: האי שמשא סומקתא היא והאי דלא סמקא אלא בפניא ורמשא משום דנהורין לא ברי, בשביל מאור היום הגדול.

**Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash:**
זרח. On account of the woolen thread which was red in colour. The word זרח basically means red, such as the colour of the sun at the time it rises and when it sets. If it does not appear red during the day this is because of the excess amount of light during those hours making it impossible for us to notice the red colour behind all that light. We find confirmation of the redness of the sun in Kings II 3,22 when the Moabites were deceived by believing that the rising sun’s redness represented blood remaining from a violent battle and they thought they could then simply move over to the camp of the Israelites and pick up the spoils.