II Shmuel 13: Tamar

YINR 929: Tanach Yomi · Sep 20, 2026 · 1m

Chapter 13 is another difficult read. Amnon’s rape of Tamar is an idea of his brilliant friend and seems to be condoned by David. Like Yaacov’s failure to act after Dinah is raped, David hears about the incident and stays silent. Avshalom, like Levi and Shimon, is the lone family member who sees the torment of his sister and seeks revenge. On a visit to Paris, I visited the Muse d’ Orsay. Hanging in the museum is the above painting by Alexandre Cabanel from 1875 simply titled “Tamar”. The name of the painting alone refocuses chapter 13 on the victim who gets lost in the story. Tamar takes…