Difference between revisions of "Yaakov's Parting Words to Shimon and Levi/2"
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<point><b>Yaakov's blessings: on the past or future?</b> According to Abarbanel, Yaakov's final words to his children were intended to be a mixture of rebuke for past deeds and foretelling of the future. The testament to Shimon and Levi fits this pattern, as Yaakov speaks of both past and future crimes, and the nature of the brothers' future inheritance.</point> | <point><b>Yaakov's blessings: on the past or future?</b> According to Abarbanel, Yaakov's final words to his children were intended to be a mixture of rebuke for past deeds and foretelling of the future. The testament to Shimon and Levi fits this pattern, as Yaakov speaks of both past and future crimes, and the nature of the brothers' future inheritance.</point> | ||
<point><b>Omnisignificance</b> – This approach assumes that every word in Tanakh must have significance and that Tanakh does not normally repeat a concept just for emphasis or for literary beauty.  As such, it tends to take each phrase in Yaakov's blessing as referring to its own distinct event, rather than understanding them as being simply parallel couplets.</point> | <point><b>Omnisignificance</b> – This approach assumes that every word in Tanakh must have significance and that Tanakh does not normally repeat a concept just for emphasis or for literary beauty.  As such, it tends to take each phrase in Yaakov's blessing as referring to its own distinct event, rather than understanding them as being simply parallel couplets.</point> | ||
− | + | <point><b>"כְּלֵי חָמָס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם"</b> – According to most of these sources, this verse refers to the brothers' generally violent behavior and does not allude to any specific incident. The word "מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם" is understood either as "weapons" (Tanchuma) or "thoughts" of violence (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan and Abarbanel).<fn>This position could have alternatively explained, like Or HaChayyim above, that the verse alludes to the unjust selling of Yosef.</fn></point> | |
− | <point><b>"כְּלֵי חָמָס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם"</b> – According to most of these sources, this verse refers to the brothers' generally violent behavior and does not allude to any specific incident. The word "מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם" is understood either as "weapons" (Tanchuma) or "thoughts" (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan and Abarbanel) | ||
<point><b>"כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר"</b> – According to Rashi, the first phrase, "כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ", refers to the slaughter of the people of Shekhem,<fn>Rashi likely prefers to read "איש" as referring to people rather than the individuals, Shekhem or Hamor, because the problematic action was precisely the collective nature of the massacre.  Had there only been a targeted killing, Yaakov might not have been upset.</fn> while "וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר" refers to the attempt to kill Yosef,<fn>The verse states "וּבִרְצֹנָם" because they wanted to kill Yosef but did not succeed.</fn> who is compared to an ox in Moshe's blessings in Devarim 33:17.</point> | <point><b>"כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר"</b> – According to Rashi, the first phrase, "כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ", refers to the slaughter of the people of Shekhem,<fn>Rashi likely prefers to read "איש" as referring to people rather than the individuals, Shekhem or Hamor, because the problematic action was precisely the collective nature of the massacre.  Had there only been a targeted killing, Yaakov might not have been upset.</fn> while "וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר" refers to the attempt to kill Yosef,<fn>The verse states "וּבִרְצֹנָם" because they wanted to kill Yosef but did not succeed.</fn> who is compared to an ox in Moshe's blessings in Devarim 33:17.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>"בְּסֹדָם אַל תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי"</b> – Tanchuma (and Rashi in its wake) read this verse as referring to future events.  Yaakov says that he wants his name and honor not to be associated<fn>The Midrash points out that in both cases, when the verses identify the sinner, they do not refer to him as "the son of Yaakov" so Yaakov's request was granted.</fn> with either Zimri's | + | <point><b>"בְּסֹדָם אַל תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי"</b> – Tanchuma (and Rashi in its wake) read this verse as referring to future events.  Yaakov says that he wants his name and honor not to be associated<fn>The Midrash points out that in both cases, when the verses identify the sinner, they do not refer to him as "the son of Yaakov" so Yaakov's request was granted.</fn> with either Zimri's consorting with Kazbi (בְּסֹדָם אַל תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי),<fn>See also the <multilink><a href="TestamentsofthePatriarchsShimon5" data-aht="source">Testaments of Shimon</a><a href="TestamentsofthePatriarchsShimon5" data-aht="source">Shimon 5</a><a href="Testaments of the Patriarchs" data-aht="parshan">About Testaments of the Patriarchs</a></multilink> where Shimon alludes to this later sin as well, warning his descendants against such prostitution.</fn> or with Korach's congregating against Moshe (בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי).<fn>Korach's rebellion is referred to as their congregating ("בִּקְהָלָם") since the verse states, "<b>וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ</b> עַל מֹשֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹןי" (Bemidbar 16:1).  It is less clear why Zimri's action should have been referred to as a secret ("בְּסֹדָם").  Even though normally sexual violations are unseen and private, Zimri's act was done publicly, and it was specifically its public nature which was so problematic.</fn></point> |
− | <point><b>"אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז" – Blessing or curse?</b> Though all these sources view Yaakov's words as a rebuke, they attempt to mitigate their harshness. Thus, the Targumim suggest that the word "cursed" refers not to the brothers being cursed on account of their wrath, but to Shekhem being cursed when Shimon and Levi went to destroy it in their anger. Tanchuma and Rashi, instead, point out that Yaakov cursed only the brothers' anger, not them personally.</point> | + | <point><b>"אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז" – Blessing or curse?</b> Though all these sources view Yaakov's words as a rebuke, they attempt to mitigate their harshness. Thus, the Targumim suggest that the word "cursed" refers not to the brothers being cursed on account of their wrath, but to Shekhem being cursed when Shimon and Levi went to destroy it in their anger. Tanchuma and Rashi, instead, point out that Yaakov cursed only the brothers' anger, but not them personally.</point> |
− | <point><b>Knowledge of Yosef's sale</b> – These sources all assume that Yaakov knew not only of the sale but also that Shimon and Levi were the initial plotters.</point> | + | <point><b>Knowledge of Yosef's sale</b> – These sources all assume that Yaakov knew not only of the sale but also of the fact that Shimon and Levi were the initial plotters.</point> |
− | <point><b>Yaakov's evaluation of the slaughter in Shekhem</b> – This approach assumes that Yaakov's rebuke of the brothers both here and in Chapter 34 reflects a discomfort with the extremity of the brothers' reaction to the rape. However, the fact that these sources do not limit Yaakov's words here to Shekhem, but add other crimes as well, might suggest that they do not feel that for the slaughter of Shekhem alone the brothers should have deserved such a sharp rebuke. It is only the combination of factors which | + | <point><b>Yaakov's evaluation of the slaughter in Shekhem</b> – This approach assumes that Yaakov's rebuke of the brothers both here and in Chapter 34 reflects a discomfort with the extremity of the brothers' reaction to the rape. However, the fact that these sources do not limit Yaakov's words here to Shekhem, but add other crimes as well, might suggest that they do not feel that for the slaughter of Shekhem alone the brothers should have deserved such a sharp rebuke. It is only the combination of factors which causes them to merit their curse.<fn>In addition, the repeat offenses highlight how ingrained the brothers' negative traits are and, when seen together, make each individual crime all the more heinous.</fn></point> |
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Version as of 15:40, 20 December 2018
Yaakov's Parting Words to Shimon and Levi
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
In trying to uncover the meaning of Yaakov's address to Shimon and Levi, commentators mine the various episodes throughout Tanakh in which the two tribes play a part, searching for which stories best fit Yaakov's words. Ibn Ezra points to the slaughter of Shekhem, Or HaChayyim focuses on the sale of Yosef, and Rashi suggests a combination of the two. In contrast, both R"Y Bekhor Shor and R. Yehuda HeChasid maintain that Yaakov is speaking not about a specific event but rather about the brothers' fiery temperament.
However, the greatest difference between the approaches relates not to which event provides the backdrop to our text, but rather to the tone which they attribute to Yaakov's speech. Thus, while Ibn Ezra asserts that Yaakov is rebuking Shimon and Levi for the deceitful slaughter of Shekhem, R"Y Kimchi assumes that he is praising them for the very same deed. Similarly, while R"Y Bekhor Shor condemns the brothers' violent nature, R"Y HeChasid lauds it as a necessary trait for the survival of the nation.
The Episode of Shekhem
Yaakov's words to Shimon and Levi reference the story of Shekhem. This position subdivides regarding whether Yaakov is rebuking or praising Shimon and Levi for their actions:
Rebuke
Yaakov chastises the brothers for their role in the slaughter of Shekhem, expressing his anger at their deeds.
- According to R. Avraham b. HaRambam and Ramban, Yaakov is saying that the brothers' whole life is rooted in acts of violence (as demonstrated in Shekhem).
- Ibn Ezra and Radak, in contrast, assert that Yaakov tells the brothers that their attack was unjust (חָמָס) specifically because the Shekhemites were living with them in the land (מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם[בִּ]). In other words, since they had made a covenant with the Shekhemites to live together peacefully and share the land,5 their actions were deceitful and wicked.6
- Past - Most of these sources read this verse as if it were written in the past tense. Yaakov makes clear that he had not been part of either the brothers' secret scheme or its execution.7
- Future - R. Hirsch, in contrast, asserts that Yaakov is saying that due to the extremity of their deeds, Shimon and Levi's plots and gatherings will never represent or determine the will and honor of the nation. [R. Hirsch reads "נַפְשִׁי" and "כְּבֹדִי" to refer to the soul and honor of Israel, the nation, and not Yaakov, the individual.]
- Ox – Yaakov is referring to the oxen which were taken from Shekhem as booty and hamstrung.8
- Wall – The word "שׁוֹר" is understood as if written "שׁוּר", and means wall.9 Yaakov is speaking of the walls of the city which the brothers destroyed.10
- Leader – The word "שׁוֹר" is a metaphor for a strong individual, and thus can refer to either Shekhem or Chamor, whom the brothers killed.11 If so, the two clauses, "כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ" and "וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר", are parallel and refer to the same action.
- R. Avraham b. HaRambam and R. Hirsch stress that Yaakov cursed the brothers' extreme anger and violence, but not the brothers themselves.
- According to Radak and Ibn Ezra, in contrast, Yaakov's words "אָרוּר אַפָּם" constitute a prayer that Shimon and Levi's anger be diminished.12
Praise
Yaakov's words constitute a blessing to the brothers for their zealotry in defending Dinah.
Attempt to Kill Yosef
Yaakov's entire rebuke revolves only around Shimon and Levi's role in the plot to kill and sell Yosef.
Fiery Temperament
Yaakov is speaking not of any specific event, but rather about the brothers' fiery temperament and nature. This position subdivides regarding whether it views this trait as worthy of praise or censure:
Worthy of Censure
Yaakov views the brothers' wrath negatively, and points to it as the reason that neither Shimon nor Levi merit kingship.
Worthy of Praise
Yaakov praises the brothers' anger and willingness to kill, recognizing it as a necessary trait for the survival of the nation. The brothers' fiery temperament will ensure that there will always be someone to fight Israel's battles and instill fear in her enemies.
Combination
Yaakov's words to Yosef touch on multiple events, both the past crimes of selling Yosef and slaughtering Shekhem, and the future sins of Zimri and Korach.