Your seal, your cord, and your staff. According to the simple interpretation, it seems appropriate to explain why he specifically gave these three items as collateral. This was because his intention was for an act of promiscuity, and he was degrading the seal of the holy covenant that was in his flesh [circumcision]. He was also degrading the staff of rulership in his hand, with which he was meant to be a shepherd and leader, who was commanded not to have many wives — for it is not fitting for a shepherd of Israel to be a shepherd of prostitutes. He was also degrading the commandment of tzitzit [ritual fringes] which protect from sexual impropriety, like that incident (Menachot 44) where someone hired a prostitute for 400 zuz but was saved through the mitzvah of tzitzit, while this one [Judah] was not saved. This explains why the Scripture tells us that he gave these three items as collateral — it comes to explain why he did not remember [or pay heed to] the sign of the holy covenant, the staff of rulership in his hand, and the tzitzit on his garments. Rather, because he gave all three as collateral and they were degraded in his eyes, consequently he did not remember the seal in his flesh because he gave away a mere seal that was in his hand. Therefore, he had nothing to remind him of the seal in his flesh. Similarly, he gave away the staff that was in his hand, and also your cord — meaning the tzitzit — he gave to her. Consequently, he had nothing left to protect him from promiscuity.

And its Midrashic interpretation is: Since everything that happened to the forefathers was a sign for their descendants, even though the forefathers did not intend this, similarly in this story it details matters that occurred in that event to inform what would happen to the children in the end of days. This is because the outcome of this union was that from it would be born the redeemer for Israel, the scattered sheep, to remove from them the buck and the he-goat — the Greek king and other kings of the nations who advance first in their success like this goat. As it states in the Gemara (Shabbat 77b): “Why do goats walk in front?” And it concludes that it is like the creation of the world, where darkness came first and then light. Without doubt, this question was asked as an allusion to why the nations precede Israel in their success. And it answers that it is like the creation of the world, where darkness functioned first and afterward came the light. So too, the nations who walk in darkness have their function in this world first, and afterward comes the light of Israel. This is not the place to elaborate further on this.

This is what it means here [when she asked] “What will you give me?” What will be the purpose of this intimate encounter? And he answered I will send a young goat — referring to the kings of Babylon who are [like] the goats among the sheep. Israel is a scattered sheep, [but will be saved] through the redeemer who will be born from this encounter. And what is the pledge/collateral by which they will be assured this will happen? He sent a seal, staff, and cord — alluding to three things that are held as collateral as long as Israel is in exile. The first collateral is the Holy One’s seal, namely the Name of Y-H which God sealed upon the tribes: HaReuveni, HaChanochi, HaPalui, as Rashi explains in Parshat Pinchas. And the reason the letter Hey precedes the Yud in the word HaChanochi is because this is the pattern in all seals of God’s ring where the Name Y-H is engraved in its proper order, but after being sealed on the tribes the letters were reversed, as is the way of all seals, as it says It is transformed like clay under a seal (Job 38:14). This seal is held as collateral because wherever they were exiled, the Divine Presence was with them, and the Name Y-H, which is the seal, cannot be complete until the children are redeemed and seated at their heavenly Father’s table, as it says For the hand is on the throne of Y-H (Exodus 17:16). The second collateral is the Aleph of the [Divine] Throne [kiseh, spelled with an aleph at the end], as it says For the hand is on the throne [kes] of Y-H. For neither the Name nor the Throne is complete until the future [redemption]. This is [represented by] your cord — the tzitzit, for techelet [blue thread] resembles the sea, and the sea resembles the sky, and the sky resembles the Throne of Glory (Menachot 43b). Therefore, the techelet in tzitzit reminds us of the Throne of Glory. The cord being collateral alludes to the Throne being partially held as collateral, and in the future both the Name and the Throne will be complete, as it says He has desired [ivah] it for His dwelling place (Psalms 132:13) — for the letters of “ivah” [alef, vav, hey] complete the Name and the Throne.

Another explanation: Your cord alludes to what was said about them and cut into cords (Exodus 39:3) regarding the Tabernacle and all its vessels, and they were all taken as collateral, as it appears in the Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 51:3) on These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle [Mishkan] — that it was taken as collateral [nitmashken] twice for the sins of Israel, etc. And your staff refers to the collateral of the letter vav of [the name] Elijah, for the shape of the vav is like the shape of a staff. Our Sages said [in the Midrash of Missing and Extra Letters] that “Elijah” is written five times without the vav, and “Jacob” is written five times with a vav, because Elijah gave these [letters] as collateral to Jacob that He would come and redeem His children. Perhaps this is why he took as collateral the vav, alluding to the staff and scepter of rulers that would be in Judah’s possession would be held as collateral throughout the days of desolation. Or it alludes to the vav of the Great Name [of God] that is held as collateral, for in this world we only use the name “Yah.” Some say that Elijah gave him his handshake [literally: striking of the palm] as a promise that He would redeem them, and the five fingers of the palm resemble five vavs. All these matters are clear to the one who understands, and it is the glory of God to conceal a matter; let the wise man hear and increase in learning.

“And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand.” There are four instances of the word “hand” written here, corresponding to the four items that were placed under ban [cherem] that Achan [who would descend from him] took. This matter was alluded to here to indicate that because Achan would descend from him, he [Zerach] would not succeed in attaining kingship. For a king establishes the land through justice, but one who takes gifts destroys it (Proverbs 29:4). Because if one is inclined toward profit, they will eventually come to accept bribes. Therefore, he drew back his hand so that he would not receive the birthright and kingship.

And here I have space to explain these four hands, which contain an allusion to a person who covets money and does not depart from the world with even half his desires fulfilled — if he has 100, he desires 200, etc. Every person has two hands with which they toil and labor to acquire what they can grasp through their own strength and might, according to what their hands can attain. Thus, all that is within one’s power is achievable through their two hands. If one is not content with what God has granted them — a handful — they covet another handful, meaning the work of four hands, double what is attainable with their two hands. This is essentially the same measure as one who has 100 and covets 200 — double what is already attainable through their two hands. Anyone who covets money is not charitable, and therefore is not fit for kingship. For our Sages said (Sanhedrin 49) that it was in the merit of David doing justice for this one and charity for that one that Joab was victorious in battle. Therefore, it is said of Judah his hands are sufficient for him [yadav rav lo] (Deuteronomy 33:7). It should have said “yarbu lo” [they shall be abundant], since “hands” is plural while “rav” [sufficient] is singular. Rather, this indicates that he did not covet money requiring two additional hands, as his two hands were sufficient for him. For rav here means “enough,” as in enough for you [rav lecha], do not continue. This hints that he was satisfied with the labor of his two hands and did not seek more than that. Therefore, You shall be a help against his adversaries, for this contentment leads to charity, through whose merit enemies fall before him, as evidenced by Joab. As it is written Good is the man who is gracious and lends… his heart is steadfast, he shall not fear, until he sees his desire upon his adversaries (Psalms 112:5). Similarly, it concludes in Bava Kamma (17a) that one who engages in acts of kindness, his enemies fall before him as casualties. Therefore it states that because his hands were sufficient for him — the labor attainable through his two hands was enough and he did not seek excess — he became charitable. Thus, You shall be a help against his adversaries. This was said about Judah, who came from Perez. But Zerah was not content with his hands being sufficient; rather, he sought the labor of four hands and coveted money that was not rightfully his, as it is said regarding Achan I coveted them and took them (Joshua 7:21). Therefore, “his right hand was turned back”, like one withdrawing his hand, for the right of the firstborn and kingship would not be his, as every king needs to be victorious over enemies, and he was not capable of this, as explained.