The Names of Judah's Sons and the First Levirate Marriage

"And she called his name Er" (Genesis 38:3) — a son who was stirred away from the world. "And she called his name Onan" (Genesis 38:4) — who brought mourning upon himself. "And she called his name Shelah" (Genesis 38:5) — she ceased. "And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked" (Genesis 38:7) — for he would plow in gardens and pour out upon the dunghills. "Go in to your brother's wife, and perform the levir's duty for her" (Genesis 38:8): Judah was the first to begin the commandment of levirate marriage. It was taught: anything that was within the category of the permitted, and was forbidden, and then returned and was permitted again — it returned not to its first permission but to its second. A sister-in-law was within the category of the permitted, then was forbidden, then returned and was permitted; one might think she returns to her first permission. Scripture teaches, "Her levir shall go in to her" (Deuteronomy 25:5) — it is a commandment. Rabbi Yose ben Chalafta performed levirate marriage with his brother's wife, and he had relations five times, and he planted five saplings: Rabbi Yishmael son of Rabbi Yose, and Rabbi Menachem son of Rabbi Yose, and Rabbi Chalafta son of Rabbi Yose, and Rav Elazar son of Rabbi Yose, and Rav Avdimus son of Rabbi Yose, whose eyes resembled their mother's. "And it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spoiled it" (Genesis 38:9) — he would thresh within and scatter without. "And Judah saw there the daughter of a certain Canaanite man": one year for the conception of Er; he grew up seven years and married a wife — that is eight years. One year for Onan, one year for Shelah, one year "remain a widow," one year "and the days were multiplied," one year for the conception of Perez; he grew up seven years and married a wife — that is eight years; one year for Hezron, one year for Hamul, and they went down with him to Egypt. Tamar pressed with her finger. But were not Er and Onan having relations unnaturally? Granted Onan, of whom it is written "he spoiled it on the ground"; but Er, from where do we know he did so? Scripture says, "He slew him also" (Genesis 38:10) — by the same death he died. Granted Onan, because it is written, "the seed would not be his"; but Er, why did he do so? He reasoned: so that she should not conceive and her beauty fade. "And Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in your father's house" (Genesis 38:11). What is "widow" [almanah]? On account of a maneh: let the widow rest on her maneh. A widow from marriage, very well; but a widow from betrothal, what is there to say? Since the former is called a widow, this one too is called a widow. And the "widow" written in the Torah, what is there to say? That the Rabbis would in the future fix her marriage-contract at a maneh. And is a verse written for the future? Yes, for it is written, "And the name of the third river is Hiddekel, which goes toward the east of Asshur" (Genesis 2:14), and Rav Yosef said: Asshur is Seleucia. And did it exist then? Rather, it was destined to be.