Reuven and Bilhah/2

Reuven and Bilhah

Exegetical Approaches

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Sexual Desire

Reuven's relations with Bilhah were motivated by sexual desire.

Sources:Jubilees33About Jubilees, Testaments of the PatriarchsReuven 1Reuven 3Reuven 4About Testaments of the Patriarchs,  R. Eliezer and R. Yehoshua in Bavli ShabbatShabbat 55bAbout the Bavli, Bereshit Rabbah87:598:4About Bereshit Rabbah, Ibn EzraBereshit Third Commentary 35:22Bereshit Third Commentary 49:3-4About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBereshit 35:22Bereshit 49:3-4About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RadakBereshit 35:22Bereshit 49:3-4About R. David Kimchi, RalbagBereshit Beur HaMilot 49:3-4Bereshit Beur HaParashah 35:22Bereshit Toalot 35:22Bereshit Toalot 49:4About R. Levi b. Gershom

"וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֶת בִּלְהָה" – These sources read this phrase simply to mean that Reuven had relations with Bilhah.

וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר

Power Play

Reuven's deed was a power play, intended to protect Reuven's status as first born.

Sources:RambanBereshit 35:22Bereshit 49:3-4About R. Moshe b. Nachman, R. David Zvi HoffmannBereshit 35:22About R. David Zvi Hoffmann, R"Y Medan

Concern for Mother's Honor

Reuven prevented his father from having relations with Bilhah but did not sleep with her himself. He was motivated by concern for his mother's honor.

Sources:Bavli ShabbatShabbat 55bAbout the Bavli, Bereshit Rabbah87:598:4About Bereshit Rabbah, Targum Pseudo-JonathanBereshit 35:22About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, RashiBereshit 35:22Bereshit 49:3-4About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, NetzivBereshit 35:22Bereshit 49:4About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin