'Zarah' in Hebrew, means 'to rise.' It's related the sun and the first appearance of its light.

In Genesis 38:30, 'Zarah' or 'Zerah' signifies that way that a person is reborn, with good rising first, and giving light.

In Arcana Coelestia 4930, in describing this 'Zerah' meaning, it says, "Unless there were light from good inwardly in man, he would never be able to see truths so as to acknowledge and believe them." See also Genesis 46:12, and Arcana Coelestia 4812, 4928.

4812. His sons by Tamar mean the two essentials of the Church, which are faith and love - Perez meaning faith and Zerah love. Their birth represents the truth that love is in actual fact the firstborn of the Church, and that faith only appears to be this.