Rashi on TanakhGenesis 38

At that time. Why is this narrative [of Yehudah] placed here, thereby interrupting the narrative of Yoseif? This is to teach that his brothers demoted him from his important position. When they saw the anguish of their father they said, “You advised us to sell him. Had you advised us to return him we would have listened to you.”

He turned away. From his brothers.

Until [he came to] a man, an Adullamite. He had become his business-partner.

A Canaanite. [Meaning] a merchant.

He [Yehudah] was in Keziv. [Keziv] is the name of the place. It is my opinion that because [there] she ceased giving birth, it was, therefore, named Keziv; from the same term as, “Will you act towards me as a deceiver [אַכְזָב]”? [or] “Whose waters will not cease.” For if this is not [the reason it was called Keziv] why are we informed [of Yehudah’s whereabouts]? In Bereishis Rabbah I saw [the following]: “She named him Sheilah, etc., ceasing.”

Wicked in the eyes of Adonoy. The same wickedness as that of Onan. [I.e.] he would waste his seed. For it is said of Onan, God slew him also. [Also, indicating] that Onan’s death was for the same sin as the death of Er. Why did Er waste his seed? So that [his wife] would not conceive thereby diminishing her beauty.

And establish seed. The son will be called by the name of the one who is dead.

He let it go to waste on the ground. He would thresh [his seed] inside and disperse it on the outside.

He said, etc. Meaning, he pushed her off with a straw, for he had no intention of having her marry him.

He said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” She is predisposed to her husbands dying.

And he went up to his sheep shearers. [This must be interpreted as if it would have said]: “He went up to Timnah to stand by his sheep shearers.”

Has come [lit. is going up] to Timnah. Whereas concerning Shimshon it is said: “Shimshon went down, etc. to Timnah”! [There is no contradiction because] it was situated on the slope of the mountain; from one side they came up to her and from the other side they came down to her.

And disguised herself. She covered her face so that he not recognize her.

She sat at the crossroads [Literally,] at the opening of the eyes, [meaning:] at the crossroads which was on the way to Timnah. Our Sages explain it midrashically. At the entrance [of the tomb] of our father Avraham, whom all eyes longed to see.

For she saw that Sheilah had come of age, etc. That was why she offered herself to Yehudah, for she desired to have children by him.

And thought she was a harlot. Because she was sitting at the crossroads.

Because she had covered her face. And he could [therefore] not see nor recognize her. [However,] In the Midrash of our Sages [we find]: Because she [always] covered her face when she was at her father-in-law’s [Yehudah’s] house, she was a modest woman, therefore, he did not suspect her.

He turned aside to her on the road. [Meaning:] from the road which he was [traveling] he turned to the road where she was. In O.F. [וַיֵט means] destolir—to turn.

Please. [Meaning:] prepare yourself and your mind for this. Wherever the term הָבָה appears it has the meaning of preparation except where it can be translated as giving. Moreover, those that mean preparation can almost be translated as giving.

Security. [עֵרָבוֹן means] security.

Your signet ring, and your wrap. Onkelos translates it עִזְקָתָךְ וְשׁוֹשִׁיפָךְ [meaning:] the ring that you use as a seal, and the cloak with which you cover yourself.

And she became pregnant by him. [She conceived] strong men, as he was; and righteous men, as he was.

The harlot. [Called קְדֵשָׁה because] she is [מְקוּדֶשֶׁת] totally dedicated and ready for illicit relationships.

“Let her take it.” [Meaning:] let her keep what she has.

Lest we are humiliated. If you continue to search for her the thing will become public and will result in disgrace, for what else is there for me to do to be true to my word?

Behold, I sent her this kid. Since Yehudah deceived his father with a goat-kid when he dipped Yoseif’s coat in its blood, he, too, was deceived with a goat-kid.

About three months later. [Meaning:] most of the first [month] and most of the last [third] and the entire middle [month]. The term כְּמִשְׁלשׁ חֳדָשִׁים means when the months repeated themselves thrice, the same form as וּמִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת —“Sending of portions,” [or] מִשְׁלוֹחַ יָדָם —“Sending forth of their hand.” Onkelos, too, translates it thus. כִּתְלָתוּת יַרְחַיָּא —upon the tripling of the months.

Her promiscuity has resulted in pregnancy. An adjective—pregnant, as in אִשָׁה הָרָה —“A pregnant woman,” and as in בָּרָה כַּחַמָה —“Clear as the sun.”

“And let her be burned.” Ephraim Maksha’ah said in the name of R. Meir: she was the daughter [descendant] of Sheim who was a Kohein. They, therefore, sentenced her to be burned.

She was being taken out. To be burned.

And she sent [word] to her father-in-law. She did not wish to disgrace him by saying, “It is by you that I am pregnant.” But, [instead she said,] “By the man to whom these belong.” She thought: “If he will confess, then let him confess on his own, and if not, then [I prefer to] let them burn me and I will not disgrace him.” From here the Sages concluded: Better for a person to be thrown into a fiery furnace than to publicly disgrace his fellow-man.

Please recognize. נָא is used only as a term of pleading, i.e., please recognize [be aware of] your Creator and do not destroy three lives.

She is righteous. In what she has said.

[It is] from me— that she has become pregnant. Our Sages interpreted [מִמֶנִי] midrashically: An ethereal voice said, “From Me [מִמֶנִי] and through Me did these things come to pass. Because she conducted herself modestly in her father-in-law’s house, I have decreed that kings shall descend from her. And it is from the tribe of Yehudah that I have decreed that kings be established for Israel.

Inasmuch that I did not give her. [Meaning:] what she did conformed with the law, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Sheilah.

He was not … anymore. Some say [וְלֹא יָסַף means] he did not continue [to be intimate with her]; whereas others say [that it means] he did not cease [being intimate with her]. A similar instance occurs in reference to Eldad and Meidad: “They did not continue [to prophesy],” and Onkelos translates it, “They did not cease.”

The time for her to give birth. But concerning Rivkah it is written: “Her days to give birth were fulfilled!” [This is because] in the latter [the pregnancy] was full term, whereas here they were short [of the full term].

There were twins. It is spelled full [תְּאוֹמִים with an א'] whereas, there it spelled תּוֹמִים, defective [without an א'] because [there] one [Eisov] was evil [defective] but these [Tamar’s twins] were both righteous.

One of them put out his hand. [Meaning:] one extended his hand outside and after she tied the thread on it he withdrew it.

With what strength. [Meaning:] with what strength you have pushed?

The one upon whose hand was the scarlet thread. The word יַד appears here four times, corresponding the four bans violated by Achan, who was descended from him [Zorach]. Others say that it is corresponding to the four things that he took [at the battle of Yericho,] a cloak from Shinar, two chunks of silver worth two hundred shekels, and a strand of gold. From Bereishis Rabbah.

He named him Zorach. Because of the bright color of the scarlet thread.