Vayishlach
Dinah is avenged Jacob says it's a SHANDE* Brothers disagree
It's a story not often told in Sunday school.Jacob and Leah's daughter Dinah is defiled by Shechem (Genesis 34:2), who then says he loves her and wants to take her as his wife (34:4) Despite their father's silence, Jacob's sons are angry about this "outrage." (34:5-7).Shechem's father Hamor brings his son's request to Jacob, suggesting a sort of "merger through intermarriage" (my words, not the text) of two communities, and offering to "pay whatever you tell me." (34:8-12).Jacob's sons demand that "every male among you is circumcised" (34:15), which Hamor and Shechem make sure is done (34:24). But the demand was part of a plan by the brothers to avenge the rape of their sister."On the third day [after the circumcisions] when they were in pain, Simeon and Levi ... took each his sword ... and slew all the males." (34:25) This was followed by the other brothers plundering the town (34:27-29).Jacob is not happy, saying, "You have brought trouble on me, making me odious among the inhabitants of the land." (34:30). But the brothers reply, "Should our sister be treated like a whore?" (34:31)Jacob's reaction to the incident - first silence, then anger at his son's actions - is troubling. But so is the magnitude of the actions taken by Dinah's brothers to defend their sister's honor. Not to mention the actions of Shechem. *shande (Yiddish) - shame, disgrace