Sin and Slaughter of Shekhem/2

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Shimon and Levi in Shekhem

Exegetical Approaches

Justified

The entire city was guilty

Sources:Baalei HaTosafotBereshit 34:31 (MS Hamburg 40)About Ba'alei HaTosafot, RambamHilkhot Melakhim 9:14About R. Moshe Maimonides, R. Yosef ibn KaspiBereshit 34:27About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi, AbarbanelBereshit 34:25-29About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, Or HaChayyim #2Bereshit 34:25About R. Chayyim b. Atar
Did Shechem deserve death?
In what did the city sin? These commentators differ in their assessment of the specific wrongdoing:
  • Condoning the Act – Ibn Kaspi and Abarbanel assert that the people of  Shechem did not protest the taking of Dina, and as such were guilty.1 Rambam adds that in not prosecuting Shechem, they violated the Noahide law to institute legal procedures, which is punishable by death.
  • Actively took Dina - Or HaChayyim asserts that the people of the city participated in the taking of Dina, thereby trangressing the Noahide Law of Theft.
  • Joined in the sexual assaul
Yaakov's reaction
Hashem's evaluation
"וַיַּעֲנוּ בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב... בְּמִרְמָה"
"אֲשֶׁר טִמְּאוּ"
Why did they kill them on the third day?
Taking of the Spoils
Shimon and Levi versus the other brothers
Yaakov's blessing in Bereshit 49
Polemical motivations

Practical necessity so as to retrieve Dina

Sources:RalbagBeiur Divrei HaParashah Bereshit 34:30-31About R. Levi b. Gershon,2 Or HaChayyim #1Bereshit 34:25About R. Chayyim b. Atar
Yaakov's reaction
Hashem's evaluation
"וַיַּעֲנוּ בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב... בְּמִרְמָה"
"אֲשֶׁר טִמְּאוּ"
Why did they kill them on the third day?
Taking of the Spoils
Shimon and Levi versus the other brothers
Yaakov's blessing in Bereshit 49
Polemical motivations

Shechemites reneged on the deal

Sources:Sefer HaYashar34:4-23About Sefer HaYashar, Sefer Yosef HaMekannei18About Sefer Yosef HaMekannei, Peirush HaRoshBereshit 34:25About Peirush HaRosh, Hadar ZekeinimBereshit 34:25About Hadar Zekeinim, Ma'asei HashemMa'asei Avot 34About R. Eliezer Ashkenazi, HaKetav VeHaKabbalahBereshit 34:15Bereshit 34:25About R. Yaakov Mecklenburg
Yaakov's reaction
Hashem's evaluation
"וַיַּעֲנוּ בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב... בְּמִרְמָה"
"אֲשֶׁר טִמְּאוּ"
Why did they kill them on the third day?
Taking of the Spoils
Shimon and Levi versus the other brothers
Yaakov's blessing in Bereshit 49
Polemical motivations

Deterrence for the future

Sources:Targum Pseudo-JonathanBereshit 34:31About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Targum YerushalmiBereshit 34:31About Targum Yerushalmi, Or HaChayyimBereshit 34:25Bereshit 34:31About R. Chayyim b. Atar, ? R. Hirsch, C. Porat
Yaakov's reaction
Hashem's evaluation
"וַיַּעֲנוּ בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב... בְּמִרְמָה"
"אֲשֶׁר טִמְּאוּ"
Why did they kill them on the third day?
Taking of the Spoils
Shimon and Levi versus the other brothers
Yaakov's blessing in Bereshit 49
Polemical motivations

Erred

Sources:RambanBereshit 34:13Bereshit 49:5-6About R. Moshe Nachmanides, R. Hirsch?, R. D"Z Hoffmann
Yaakov's reaction
Hashem's evaluation
"וַיַּעֲנוּ בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב... בְּמִרְמָה"
"אֲשֶׁר טִמְּאוּ"
Why did they kill them on the third day?
Taking of the Spoils
Shimon and Levi versus the other brothers
Yaakov's blessing in Bereshit 49
Polemical motivations
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