יום ו Date: 14 Cheshvan, 5774 (11/7/14) – Yevamos#34 {Tani}

HOLY REASONS

[34b top] Gemarah: Tamar ensured that when she united with Yehudah that she would conceive right away, with their first encounter. Women who married into the household of Rebbi also followed this practice and timed it perfectly that they also would get pregnant right away before their husbands would go off to learn Torah in the Beis Medrash and were given the name “Tamar.”

Prac-T-cal Tidbits: Even though the story of Tamar and Yehudah’s household in the Torah seems unsavory at first encounter, really there were true good intentions on her part. Tamar knew that she was destined to have children from Yehudah’s house (from which kings would come about). Similarly, we cannot judge this story or even the story of Lot’s daughters (from the Parsha of Vayera) whom had thought the world ended and nobly wanted to ensure the continuation of mankind. Before we ever judge people, we should really think about their actions in light of true and good intentions, as they may have really had proper motivations.