Vayeishev 38:24 · unit 1

Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 38:24

The Complete Passuk

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כְּמִשְׁלֹ֣שׁ חֳדָשִׁ֗ים וַיֻּגַּ֨ד לִֽיהוּדָ֤ה לֵאמֹר֙ זָֽנְתָה֙ תָּמָ֣ר כַּלָּתֶ֔ךָ וְגַ֛ם הִנֵּ֥ה הָרָ֖ה לִזְנוּנִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֔ה הוֹצִיא֖וּהָ וְתִשָּׂרֵֽף׃

About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the whore; in fact, she is pregnant from whoredom.” “Bring her out,”fout For a hearing in court. said Judah. “She should be burned!”

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Niddah 8b (Sumchus).

Sefaria — Niddah 8b (Sumchus)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תַּנְיָא, סוֹמְכוֹס אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי מֵאִיר: עוּבָּר נִיכָּר לִשְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין רְאָיָה לַדָּבָר — זֵכֶר לַדָּבָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיְהִי כְּמִשְׁלֹשׁ חֳדָשִׁים״.

English: It was taught: Sumchus says in the name of R’ Meir: A fetus is recognizable at three months. And although there is no [decisive] proof for the matter, there is a mnemonic for the matter, as it is stated: “And it was at about three months.”

On the daf / in context: Niddah uses Tamar’s pregnancy report as a zechher for the three-month visibility of pregnancy.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. Narrative timing supplies a halachic mnemonic.

What Is Learned

A pregnancy may be recognized at three months; the story of Tamar is cited as a scriptural reminder of that span.