The Angel of Desire Turns Judah Toward the Road

"And Judah saw her and thought her to be a harlot" (Genesis 38:15). A person must guard himself with his wife's sister and with his relatives, that he not stumble with one of them. From whom do you learn this? From Judah. "And Judah saw her" — why? "For she had covered her face" while she was in the house of her father-in-law. Another interpretation: "And Judah saw her" — he paid no heed, since she had covered her face; he said: were she a harlot, she would not cover her face. Rabbi Yochanan said: he sought to pass by, and the Holy One, blessed be He, appointed for him the angel who is appointed over desire. He said to him: Where are you going, Judah? From where do kings arise? From where do redeemers arise? "And he turned aside to her by the way" (Genesis 38:16) — against his will, not of his own good pleasure. "And she said, Your signet and your cord" (Genesis 38:18). The Holy Spirit sparkled within her. "Your signet" — this is the kingdom, as you say, "Though Coniah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet upon My right hand" (Jeremiah 22:24). "And your cord" — this is the Sanhedrin, who are marked with a cord, as you say, "And they shall put upon the fringe of each corner a cord of blue" (Numbers 15:38). "And your staff which is in your hand" — this is the King Messiah, as you say, "The LORD shall send the staff of your strength out of Zion" (Psalms 110:2). "And he went in to her, and she conceived by him" (Genesis 38:18): mighty ones like him, righteous ones like him.