“Choiceless Choices” in the Holocaust

• A choice between two bad and/or evil choices
• Example: Sophie’s Choice
• Is the one forced to make such a choice morally responsible for his/her actions? If not, who is?

Tamar’s “Choiceless Choice”

• The Story (Genesis 38)
  • Very brief. Tamar enters the storyline of Joseph and then exists almost as quickly as she arrived.
    • Scripture bears witness to her story.
    • Inspiration
  • Levirate Marriage
• Tamar’s Culture and Choiceless Choice
  • As a woman with no husband or male children, Tamar has no one to provide for her. She can either try making money as a prostitute or die of neglect.
  • Unable to remarry
• Judah’s Selfishness
  • Sells Joseph into slavery (Gen 37)
  • Takes a wife who remains nameless and is presented by the narrator as an insignificant character except for sex and procreation in relation to Judah. The narrator says that Judah “saw” her and “took” her, both words having sexual overtones in Genesis (cf. Gen 3:6; 6:2; 12:15; 34:2), suggesting Judah’s action may be the biproduct of lust.
  • Judah’s selfishness then extends to the three sons his wife bears. Judah names the first, while she names the other two. Judah’s concern for his sons does not extend past his firstborn heir who will be able to continue his bloodline.
  • Once his sons are born, Judah’s selfishness continues in the form of control. Judah makes the decision to take a wife for his firstborn heir, Er, rather than allowing the son to choose for himself. Judah is going to control the procreation of his own bloodline. It is within the context of Judah’s selfishness and control that Tamar enters the story, as Judah’s chosen wife for Er and the means of continuing his family. However, because of Er’s wickedness, YHWH “put him to death.” Without taking any time to grieve, Judah immediately orders his second son, Onan, to take Tamar and continue his bloodline.  Judah’s callousness towards the life of his sons, and previously the life of his own brother, Joseph, whom Judah suggested be sold into slavery, is noteworthy.
  • Judah believes Tamar is at fault for the death of his sons, not knowing, or at least failing to recognize, that YHWH killed them for their own wickedness. So, in order to protect the life of his last son, and any hope of continuing his bloodline, Tamar is sent away with a halfhearted promise of a future marriage, which Judah has no intention of keeping. Once Tamar is unable to provide for Judah’s selfish desires, Judah feels no responsibility for her and sends her far away from him.
  • Judah is willing to fulfill his promise of a goat to a prostitute but is unwilling to carry through with his promised son to his own daughter-in-law. Judah’s “respectability” to the prostitute, however, is only to preserve personal honor. He sends Hirah to make good on his promise, as not to be too closely associated with a prostitute. Hirah then identifies the woman as a “temple prostitute,” which would reflect better upon Judah. When Hirah is unable to find her, Judah turns his attention elsewhere as not to be “laughed at.”
  • However, once Tamar’s pregnancy becomes known, and Judah’s personal interests are once again at stake, Judah’s double standard comes to light. When Tamar was considered useless for the procreation of Judah’s bloodline, he was quick to send her back to her father, taking no responsibility for her. However, when her unwed pregnancy comes to light, Judah is more than willing to take responsibility for Tamar to put her to death, freeing Shelah to marry another and extend his heritage. Judah’s own wicked actions with a prostitute are quickly forgotten to deal with the “wickedness” of Tamar.
  • However, even in his confession, Judah is only concerned for himself rather than Tamar. His confession is made to others, to save face within his community, not to Tamar herself. Presumably Tamar never hears an admission of guilt from Judah’s lips. Additionally, Judah’s “confession” is for guilt over not giving her Shelah, not for any of the other mistreatment that has extended from his hand.
  • Tamar’s story ends with the birth of twin sons, but the text tells us that Judah “did not lie with her again.” The Hebrew euphemism for sexual intercourse is “to know.” Judah did not care to know Tamar when he considered her useless for perpetuating a family lineage. He did not know her, or care to look at her face, when he had sex with her as a prostitute. Now, after giving him children and a bloodline, Judah does not desire “to know” her again. A woman like Tamar, willing to stand up for herself, call out the wickedness of Judah, and take hold of what she needs for survival is of no use or desire for Judah. Such a woman cannot be controlled or used for Judah’s selfish gain.

Conclusion – Understanding Tamar’s Choice

• However you want to view Tamar’s actions, the bulk of guilt falls upon Judah. Judah’s sins placed Tamar in the situation that forced her to do what she did.
  • We live in a world where the sins of others as well as institutional sins force people into similar “choiceless choices.”
• Ultimate redemption is found in Jesus.
• How should we view Tamar’s actions?