AND JUDAH SAW THERE A DAUGHTER OF A CERTAIN CANAANITE. The term Canaanite has been explained by the Companions. AND SHE CONCEIVED, AND BORE A SON; AND HE CALLED HIS NAME ER. Judah had three sons, and the only one who survived was Shelah.
R. Eleazar and R. Jose and R. Hiya were once walking together. Said R. Jose to R. Eleazar: ‘Why is it that of the first son of Judah it is written: “and he called his name Er”, whereas of the other two it is written: “and she called his name Onan”, “and she called his name Shelah”?’
R. Eleazar replied: ‘There is a deep mystic allusion in these sentences, which explains all. Thus Judah going down from his brethren symbolizes the moon becoming obscured and descending from the perfected grade to another grade to which the serpent becomes associated, as is indicated in the statement: “and he turned into a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah”.’
Then we read: “And she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Er.” The name ‘Er is a reversal of the letters ra’ (evil), for he was evil, having issued from the side of the evil prompter. The accusative particle eth (the) inserted before his name likewise hints at the emergence of another grade, that of impurity and defilement, from which grade Er was born.’
Nor was the defect made good until afterwards, when Shelah appeared. It says further: “And Er, Judah’s first-born, was evil in the sight of the Lord”, where the term “evil” finds its echo in the sentence: “for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. Vlll, 2I). Er was evil in that he shed blood, by spilling the seed on the ground, and therefore the Lord slew him. After that it is written: AND JUDAH SAID UNTO ONAN: Go IN UNTO THY BROTHER’S WIFE, ETC.
וַיַּרְא שָׁם יְהוּדָה בַּת אִישׁ כְּנַעֲנִי. וְכִי כְּנַעֲנִי הֲוָה, אֶלָּא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא. וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ עֵר, תְּלַת בְּנִין הֲווּ לֵיהּ לִיהוּדָה, וְלָא אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ בַּר חַד, וְדָא הוּא שֵׁלָה.
AND JUDAH SAW THERE A DAUGHTER OF A CERTAIN CANAANITE. The term Canaanite has been explained by the Companions. AND SHE CONCEIVED, AND BORE A SON; AND HE CALLED HIS NAME ER. Judah had three sons, and the only one who survived was Shelah.
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אַמַּאי כְּתִיב בִּבְנוֹי דִּיהוּדָה, בְּקַדְמָאָה וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ עֵר, וּבִתְרֵין אָחֳרָנִין כְּתִיב וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ אוֹנָן, וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ שֵׁלָה.
R. Eleazar and R. Jose and R. Hiya were once walking together. Said R. Jose to R. Eleazar: ‘Why is it that of the first son of Judah it is written: “and he called his name Er”, whereas of the other two it is written: “and she called his name Onan”, “and she called his name Shelah”?’
אָמַר לֵיהּ תָּא חֲזֵי, הַאי פָּרְשָׁתָא רָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ כְּדְקָא חָזֵי. וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו, דְּהָא אִתְכַּסְיָא סִיהֲרָא, וְנָחֲתַת מִדַּרְגָּא דְּתִקֻּנָּא לְגוֹ דַּרְגָּא אוֹחֲרָא, דְּאִתְחַבַּר בֵּיהּ חִוְּיָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּט עַד אִישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִי וּשְׁמוֹ חִירָה.
R. Eleazar replied: ‘There is a deep mystic allusion in these sentences, which explains all. Thus Judah going down from his brethren symbolizes the moon becoming obscured and descending from the perfected grade to another grade to which the serpent becomes associated, as is indicated in the statement: “and he turned into a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah”.’
וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ עֵר, וְאִיהוּ רַע, וְכֹלָּא חַד, דְּאַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דְיֵצֶר הָרָע. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ, וְלָא כְּתִיב וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ. בְּיַעֲקֹב כְּתִיב וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרָא לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב. וְהָכָא אֶת לְאַסְגָּאָה דַּרְגָּא אָחֳרָא דְּזוּהֲמָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא אִתְיְלִיד, וְדָא הוּא עֵר רַע, וְכֹלָּא חַד.
Then we read: “And she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Er.” The name ‘Er is a reversal of the letters ra’ (evil), for he was evil, having issued from the side of the evil prompter. The accusative particle eth (the) inserted before his name likewise hints at the emergence of another grade, that of impurity and defilement, from which grade Er was born.’
לְבָתַר לָא אִתְבַּסַּם אַתְרָא, עַד דְאֲתָא שֵׁלָה דְּהֲוָה עִקָּרָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ. מַה כְּתִיב וַיְהִי עֵר בְּכֹר יְהוּדָה רַע בְּעֵינִי יְיָ, כְּתִיב הָכָא רַע, וּכְתִיב הָתָם (בראשיתח) כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע מִנְעוּרָיו, רַע דְּאוֹשִׁיד דָּמִין, אוֹשִׁיד זַרְעָא עַל אַרְעָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיְמִיתֵהוּ יְיָ. מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ, וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה לְאוֹנָן בֹּא אֶל אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ וְגו':
Nor was the defect made good until afterwards, when Shelah appeared. It says further: “And Er, Judah’s first-born, was evil in the sight of the Lord”, where the term “evil” finds its echo in the sentence: “for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. Vlll, 2I). Er was evil in that he shed blood, by spilling the seed on the ground, and therefore the Lord slew him. After that it is written: AND JUDAH SAID UNTO ONAN: Go IN UNTO THY BROTHER’S WIFE, ETC.