The Torah column is supported by a generous donation from Eve Gordon-Ramek in memory of Kenneth Gordon.
Vayechi
Genesis 47:28-50:26
This week’s Torah portion completes the Joseph saga and closes the book of Bereishit (Genesis). The narrative is centered on the death of Jacob, also known as Israel. In a very moving gathering of Jacob’s sons around the bed of their father, Jacob blesses his children in prophetic prose that reads more like poetry (Genesis 49:1-28).
But in addition to an illustration of a future vision for most of his sons, Jacob takes the opportunity to rebuke those who have disappointed him.
“Shimon and Levi are brothers. Your weapons are a stolen craft. In their secret do not let my soul enter and let my honor not unite with their congregation, for in their fury they killed a man and it was their will that uprooted an ox. Cursed is their fury for it is strong and their anger for it is hard. I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.” (49:5-7)
What does it mean that Shimon and Levi are brothers? Were not all the sons of Jacob brothers? Was it because they shared both a father and a mother? If so, what about Reuben, Yehudah, Issachar and Zevulun, who also have the same father and mother?
The implication is that these two were cut from the same cloth. In fact, early in the story of Jospeh, it says of Shimon and Levi that “one said to his brother” that they should kill Joseph, according to Rashi. (37:19)
The expression of weapons being a “stolen craft” is also understood by Rashi (49:5) as a reference to the murder that these two committed in the city of Shechem.
When Isaac gave Esau a blessing (following Esau’s pleading), he tells him that he is going to live by his sword. (27:40) Murder was something that was to be expected from Esau — but Jacob and his family were supposed to live according to a different code of conduct. It is clear that Jacob did not condone the attack on Shechem and he uses this opportunity to make sure that he expresses his disapproval.
The story of the massacre at Shechem was read publicly in synagogues a few weeks back in Vayishlach. Shimon and Levi heard that Shechem had raped their sister Dina. Jacob heard what had happened but decided not to react until his sons came home from pasturing in the field.
Shechem asked his father, Hamor, to act on his behalf and ask for Dina’s hand in marriage. The Torah recounts that Dina’s brothers answered him b’mirmah — “deceivingly” (34:13). They had a plan. They wanted to get the males to circumcise themselves so that they could take revenge on the entire town.
Why should the entire place be held accountable for the crime of just one person? It was the prince of the city that committed the outrage and it seems that everyone knew about it. It was the talk of the town. Jacob had heard about it and so did his sons when they came back from the field. There was no shame and therefore it was not kept a secret. Not only that, but the Torah makes mention of the fact that “Shechem was the most respected of his father’s household.” (34:19) That detail is brought after the incident is public knowledge, as if to say that rape was not something that would tarnish his image amongst the townspeople.
Shimon and Levi held the entire place accountable. Jacob approached things differently. It is clear from his speech on his deathbed that he did not approve of their plan. What did Jacob think was going to happen when his sons suggested that every male in Shechem get circumcised in order to intermarry with the family?
Nachmanides suggests that Jacob had a different plan. He thought that his sons’ intention was to break Dina free from captivity. If the people were in a weakened state, then it would be much easier to take revenge on Shechem and walk out with Dina. It never occurred to him that the sons would decide to murder the entire town.
Nachmanides points out that Jacob is angered at the actions of his two sons because he felt that they were irresponsible. The family was surrounded by other local populations that could easily wage war on them for their decisive action against Shechem. He even says as much in the text. (34:30) According to this understanding, it seems that Jacob is not angered at the fact that they held the entire place responsible for what happened to Dina.
If a community protects and defends its ruler when there is an atrocity that takes place, there is culpability for the collective. The people of Shechem were not innocent. Jacob was concerned that the impulse of his sons to kill was still irresponsible. It was the impulsivity of Shimon and Levi that was cursed by their father. But as for their motivation, violating a daughter of Israel and taking her captive is not a sin that can be dismissed.