Judah's Responsibility and Assumptions

Judah fails to fulfill his familial responsibilities towards Tamar, his daughter-in-law, after the death of his two sons. He dismisses Tamar back to her father's house instead of arranging for his remaining son, Shelah, to marry her and provide an heir. This shows Judah's shortsightedness and his unwillingness to acknowledge that the demise of his sons reflects wickedness in his own household rather than any fault of Tamar's. His decision creates a significant void in justice and responsibility, which sets the stage for Tamar’s subsequent actions.