Vayishlach
Gen. 32:4 - 36:43Précis: As he nears his return to his homeland, Jacob sent (vayishlach) messengers to Esau to ascertain Esau’s state of mind after their 20-year separation. While he awaits a reply, Jacob encounters an “adversary” (most assume an angel) with whom Jacob wrestles through the night. As dawn breaks, the adversary announces that Jacob’s name is to be changed to Israel: “He who wrestles with God.” On the following day, Esau approaches, and despite Jacob’s fears, there is a happy reunion. We then read the story of how a local prince rapes Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, and then asks to marry her. Jacob agrees on condition that all men of the city are circumcised. While the men are recovering, Jacob’s sons Simon and Levi attack the city and kill all of the inhabitants in revenge for the insult to their sister. Jacob soon travels to Beth-el (the site of his ladder dream), and on the way, Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and dies in childbirth. Thereafter, Isaac’s death is noted, as is his burial by Esau and Jacob. The parasha ends with a genealogy of Esau and his descendants.
Gen. 34:33 “And it happened on the third day, while they were recovering, that Jacob’s two sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brother, each took his sword, and came upon the city unopposed, and they killed every male.”
Whether or not the brothers acted properly in seeking revenge for the harm done to their sister has been debated for centuries. Most traditional commentators see it as permitted. Maimonides sees justification in the slaying of Dinah’s rapist (after all, she was raped!) but is not quite as certain about killing the other men of Shechem. He comes down on the side of the brothers, noting that the townsmen failed to bring the rapist to justice. Under his view, all human beings are obligated to obey the Seven Laws of Noah, one of which is to establish legal systems of justice. When the men of Shechem failed to do this, he concludes that their deaths were justified.
It is an important principle. A society is obligated to create a system of justice. Those who attempt to undercut an established justice system may not merit extermination but do certainly merit condemnation. As is noted in Lev.19, we cannot stand by idly when justice is perverted.
Whether or not the brothers acted properly in seeking revenge for the harm done to their sister has been debated for centuries. Most traditional commentators see it as permitted. Maimonides sees justification in the slaying of Dinah’s rapist (after all, she was raped!) but is not quite as certain about killing the other men of Shechem. He comes down on the side of the brothers, noting that the townsmen failed to bring the rapist to justice. Under his view, all human beings are obligated to obey the Seven Laws of Noah, one of which is to establish legal systems of justice. When the men of Shechem failed to do this, he concludes that their deaths were justified.
It is an important principle. A society is obligated to create a system of justice. Those who attempt to undercut an established justice system may not merit extermination but do certainly merit condemnation. As is noted in Lev.19, we cannot stand by idly when justice is perverted.
