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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial>From: "Simi Peters" <A href="mailto:familyp2@actcom.net.il">familyp2@actcom.net.il</A><BR>
l<BR><BR>>> See the Malbim's commentary on Torah on the mitzva of
yibum. He <BR>distinguishes between a yibum-like custom that pre-dated
matan Torah (Yehuda <BR>and Tamar), the mitzva of yibum after matan Torah, and
hakamat shem <BR>be'nahala (Rut and Boaz). <<<BR><BR>Kol tuv,<BR>Simi
Peters </FONT></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>>>>></DIV>
<DIV>I haven't looked at Malbim there but I did assume that the people of Canaan
must have had some yibum-type laws or customs. I still wonder, though,
under which law did Yehuda condemn Tamar to death (and to death by
burning)? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Rashi says Tamar was subject to death by burning because she
was the daughter of a kohen (Shem) but Shem was not a Jew, he was a
pre-Jew, and even if he kept the Torah voluntarily, surely the Torah was not
binding on him or his children. So surely you couldn't condemn them to
death under Torah laws that they kept only voluntarily.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Under Noahide law is there a law of yibum? Is a widow awaiting yibum
guilty of adultery if she has relations with another man -- under Noahide
law? Surely not. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Yet if all this is happening under Jewish law, then how can a father-in-law
do yibum? That must be OK under Noahide law or custom, not Jewish
law. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>But then we come back to, is a widow awaiting yibum subject to the death
penalty under Noahide law? I conclude that Yehudah sentenced Tamar to
death under Canaanite law of the time -- not Noahide law. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I know this subject has been much discussed by our meforshim. I can't
claim to have studied the issue exhaustively but the answers that I have seen
have not been fully satisfying.</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><BR><B>--Toby Katz<BR>==========<BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#000000 size=2 face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"></B>--------------------</FONT></DIV></DIV>
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