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When Tamar’s life was threatened, she did not save herself by throwing Yehuda “under the bus”.
With dignity, she hinted to Yehuda, willing to be burned or branded. Chazal famously derive the dictum: לעולם יפיל עצמו לכבשן האש ואל ילבין פני חברו ברבים from her behavior.
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Tamar was innocent. She acted for the sake of heaven, to plant seeds of Malchut Yisrael.
Hashem rewarded her with pregnancy, while Yehuda wronged her by not allowing her to marry Shela.
Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap z”l explains that the purpose of Mashiach is to publicly bring Ahavat Hashem and Kiddush Hashem.
This cannot be accomplished by public humiliation.
Shabbat Shalom and Chanukah Sameach
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