Omer 2016 Day 27: Tamar, Judah's daughter-in-law

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Day 27: Yesod in Netzach, Foundation in Endurance
There are two Tamars in the Tanakh - Judah's daughter-in-law in Genesis 38 and David's daughter in 2 Samuel 13. Today, we will focus on Judah's daughter-in-law. Her story takes place in chapter 38 of Genesis. First, she is married to Judah's oldest son, Er. After Er died, she was married to Onan, but he also died. Judah then sent Tamar away to live with her parents until his youngest son was old enough to marry her, but he never sent for her to return, leaving her in limbo, without a husband, but not free to remarry. At that point, Tamar took matters into her own hands by tricking Judah into sleeping with her himself. She conceived and bore two sons, Perez and Zerah, who would become the foundation of the line of Judah. King David was ultimately a descendant of Perez.

What can we learn from Tamar? She represents foundation in endurance, because she endured loss and lies and rose above her hardships to become the foundation of the royal line of Israel.