8.1.2 Gen. 38: Judah and Tamar

The story about Tamar is a cabinet piece without a direct inner relation to the story of Joseph and the only single story within the story of Joseph. The prerequisite for the understanding of this chapter is the obligation to marry a sister in law Dt. 25, 5ff. It is striking that the for Jews outrageous custom of temple prostitution passes as completely natural. Tamar solves the entangled legal situation by breaking the law. Her courage ultimately makes her the sympathizer and heroine of the action. Striking in the patriarchal Orient: a woman as the heroine of the story, while the men come off rather badly.