Yaakov's Parting Words to Shimon and Levi/2

Shimon and Levi – Blessed or Cursed?

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Slaughter of Shekhem

Yaakov's words to Shimon and Levi reference their slaughter of Shekhem and express  his anger at the deed.

Sources:Testament of LeviLevi 6About Testaments of the Patriarchs, Ibn EzraBereshit First Commentary 49:5-7Bereshit Third Commentary 49:5-7About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, R. Yosef Kimchi,  RadakBereshit 49:5-7About R. David Kimchi, R. Avraham b. HaRambamBereshit 49:5-8About R. Avraham Maimonides, RambanBereshit 49:5About R. Moshe b. Nachman, R. HirschBereshit 49:5-7About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch?

"כְּלֵי חָמָס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם" – According to most of these commentators, the word "מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם" means "their abode" or "origins" as used in the phrase "מְכֹרֹתַיִךְ וּמֹלְדֹתַיִךְ" (Yechezel 16:3).¹

• According to R. Avraham b. HaRambam and Ramban , Yaakov is saying that the brothers' origins (and, thus, the whole fabric of their lives) lie in acts of violence, (as demonstrated in Shekhem).
• Ibn Ezra and Radak, in contrast, assert that Yaakov tells the brothers that since the Shekhemites were living with them in the land (מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם[ב‎]) and thought that they were at peace with each other,² Shimon and Levi's attack was unjust (חָמָס).³

"בְּסֹדָם אַל תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי" – 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.

כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ – The word "איש" can refer either to the individual Shekhem, or to the people of the city as a whole.

"וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר" – These sources offer three possible explanations of the word "שׁוֹר" and the phrase as a whole:

• Ox – Yaakov is referring to the oxen which were taken in booty and hamstrung.
• Wall – The word "שׁוֹר"  is understood as if written "שׁוּר", and means wall.⁴ Yaakov is speaking of the walls of the city which the brothers destroyed.
• Leader – The word is a metaphor for a strong idnividual, and thus can refer to either Shekhem or Chamor., whom the brothers killed.

Yaakov's evaluation of the slaughter – Yaakov's words here and at the end of Chapter 34 are proof that he faulted the brothers for their actions in Shekhem. 

• Radak claims that Yaakov felt that the brothers were unjustified in killing the entire city, as Shekhem alone had sinned. Moreover, in so doing they endangered the entire family, opening them up to the vengeance of surrounding peoples.
• Ramban adds that the brothers should not have broken their promise after the Shekhemites kept their side of the bargain, for it was possible that they were sincere and would return to Hashem.
• R. Hirsch claims that though Yaakov felt that the brothers' motives and goals were fine, their methods were problematic.

Hashem's evaluation of the deed – Most of these sources would likely agree with R. D"Z Hoffmann, that the Torah expresses its negative evaluation of the brothers by giving the last say to Yaakov, through his words in these verses ("בגזר דינו של יעקב גוזרת התורה את דינה על מעשה זה").

Sale of Yosef

Sources:R. Moshe AlshikhBereshit 49:5About R. Moshe Alshikh, Or HaChayyimBereshit 49:5-7About R. Chayyim b. Atar

Angry & Violent Nature

Worthy of Censure

Sources:R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBereshit 49:5-7About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor

Worthy of Praise

Sources:R. Yehuda HeChasidBereshit 49:5About R. Yehuda HeChasid

Combination

Sources:TanchumaVayechi 9-10About the Tanchuma, Tanchuma (Buber)Vayechi 12About the Tanchuma, Targum YerushalmiBereshit 49:5-7About Targum Yerushalmi, RashiBereshit 49:5-7About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Abarbanel Bereshit 49:5-7

¹ R. Avraham b. HaRambam and Ramban raise this as one possibility as well, but explain that the phrase means that the brothers' entire life was predicated on blood and war.

² These commentators are referring to the fact that the brothers had cut a covenant with Shekhem.

³ In one of the possibilities brought by R. Avraham b. HaRambam, he offers a similar understanding of the verse as a whole, but works off a different definition of the word "מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם".  He suggests that the word means "negotiations" (perhaps from the root "מכר" to sell) and that Yaakov is saying that the brothers' covenant and negotiations with Shekhem were all based on "כלי חמס" and their desire for battle.  R. Hirsch, too, reaches a similar understanding of the verse.  He suggests that the root "מכר" refers to an attempt to achieve or acquire something.  Shimon and Levi's methods in so doing were "כלי חמס", as they pretended to negotiate a dowry and reach a friendly agreement, when really plotting a violent slaughter.

⁴ See the word's usage in Bereshit 49:22, "בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר".