The important Talmudic dictum that “the deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children” manifests in many ways throughout the Torah and our own lives. In this weeks portion we see in the actions and words of Yehuda the cardinal teaching of teshuvah, sincere repentance, and its ripple effect throughout the generations.
After Yehuda has relations with Tamar, his daughter-in-law, without knowing her identity, she becomes pregnant. Only Tamar knows that it was from Yehuda that she is pregnant. She sends him a sign that only he will recognize. At that point it is clear that she will not reveal to others that it was he who is responsible and thus Yehuda could have hid it. Instead he publicly exclaims “she is more righteous than I.” He then proclaims regretfully that it was his fault in the first place in that he withheld his other son from marrying her and that is why it all happened. The Torah next states that he did not know her [intimately] further.
Maimonides, in his classic work the Mishneh Torah, in the section on the laws of repentance, lists three prerequisites for true repentance: confession, regret, and a pledge not to repeat the action in the future. In the words and actions of Yehuda we see all three principles, a beautiful allusion to “the actions of the fathers are a sign for the children.”
Another manifestation of Judah’s actions is found in an incident in the life of his descendent, King David. After King David has relations with Bat Sheva he tries to cover up his deed by sending her husband to the war front where he is killed. The prophet Gad comes to him and relates the story of a rich man who oppresses a poor man by taking his only sheep from him. David is outraged and exclaims that the rich man should be severely punished. The prophet reveals to King David that his words were in truth a parable and that he is actually the guilty one. David immediately proclaims “I have sinned.” As a result of this incident he spent the rest of his life in a constant state of doing teshuvah.
The Sages state that the story of David and Bat Sheva is not as simple as meets the eye and that he was not in fact guilty of adultery, nor murder. There is though much debate as to what exactly he did wrong. In all cases, David felt he has done something wrong and repents his entire life for it. The Sages further state that according to a natural state of affairs it was not within David to do what he did. Then how did it happen they ask? In order to teach the individual how to do teshuvah.
The idea that somehow his whole predicament was somehow “orchestrated” from above is alluded to in an explanation of Judah’s words – “she is more righteous than I.” Rashi explains that the two words can be read separately: “she is more righteous” is spoken by Judah and refers to the truth of her words; “than I” can also be read” “from me” she is pregnant. Rashi then brings a statement from the Sages that in fact Judah only said “she is more righteous” and a voice from heaven declared: “it is from Me (God) that this whole affair came about in order that from their union would come future kings in Israel.”
Another Midrash states that while Joseph, Jacob, Reuvan, the tribes and Judah were all mourning in some manner for the turn of events surrounding the sale of Joseph to Egypt and the consequences of that act, God was busy preparing for the light of the Messiah. Similarly, in the case of David it is alluded that ultimately David’s sin came about in order to teach him and all future generations how to do teshuvah.
It is interesting to note that in Hebrew Judah’s confession is expressed in two words, while his descendent David, who came directly from the union of Judah and Tamar, confessed with just one word. We see how much David learned from the actions of Judah. In fact, Judah’s confession is the first time the Torah states that anyone admitted his mistake and confessed. This then is truly a case of “the actions of the fathers are a sign to the children.”
The root of the word to confess also means to praise. Both of these meanings were united in David, “the sweet singer of Israel” and the composer of the Psalms, in which he expresses the full gamut of human emotion and the exalted praises of his Creator. Both Judah and David clung to God even when everything seemed to be going wrong and even when they felt they stood alone.
The name Judah in Hebrew consists of the four letters of God’s name with an additional letter, a dalet. It is as if the soul of David, whose name begins and ends with the letter dalet is enwedged into the soul of Judah, who paves the way for him and all future generations to know how to do teshuvah. The middle letter of David’s name is a lamed, the tallest of the letters, which represents the soul’s longing to elevate itself in true praise of God.
The Messiah as well comes from the kingly line of Judah and David. He will teach the entire world the true meaning of teshuvah, which entails a complete return to our connection to God and the souls return to its Divine source. This type of sincere teshuvah will be accompanied by true praises and song, exalting God and filling the heart with the love of the Creator.
