לראות בבנות הארץ, לראות ליראות, למה הדבר דומה, למי שהיה מהלך שוק וחתיכה בידו, ראה אותה כלב אחד והיה מהלך אחריה וחטפה ממנו, כן היתה דינה יוצאת לראות וראה אותה שכם וחטפה. ד"א לראות בבנות הארץ, כיון שבאו בני יעקב לארץ ישראל התחילו מראין כחן ועשרן ונויין, מראין כהן ויקחו שני בני יעקב וגו' [איש חרבו וגו' ויהרגו כל זכר] (בראשית לד כה), מראין עושרן ויעקב נסע סכותה ויבן לו בית ולמקנהו עשה סוכות (שם לג יז), התחיל פותח אטלין, ונויין מנין, ותצא דינה בת לאה לראות וליראות. וירא אותה שכם בן חמור החוי נשיא הארץ, הרשעים רואים, וירא המן (אסתר ג ה), וירא עשו (בראשית כח ו), וירא אותם שכם בן חמור (שם לד ב), אמר דוד תחשכנה עיניהם מראות (תהלים סט כד)
(Gen. 34:1:) < NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH, WHOM SHE HAD BORNE TO JACOB, WENT OUT > TO SEE THE DAUGHTERS OF THE LAND. TO SEE < implies > TO BE SEEN.59The unpointed Hebrew text could be read either way by assuming a contraction of the passive common in Mishnaic Hebrew. See M.H. Segal, A Grammar of Mishnaic Hebrew (Oxford: Clarendon, 1958), section 115. See also Gen. 22:14, where the same contracted passive is used to explain a place-name based on the active Hebrew verb, “to see.” On Gen. 22:14, see E.A. Speiser, Genesis (“Anchor Bible,” 1; Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1964), pp. 163f. To what is the matter comparable? To one who was walking in the marketplace with a piece < of meat > in his hand.60Gen. R. 80:5. A dog, having seen it, went after it, and snatched it from him. Thus did Dinah go out TO SEE (and TO BE SEEN) when Shechem saw her and seized her.61See Eccl. R. 10:8:1. Another interpretation (of Gen. 34:1): TO SEE THE DAUGHTERS OF THE LAND. When the children of Jacob came into the land of Israel, they began to exhibit their strength, their wealth, and their beauty. They exhibited their strength (according to Gen. 34:25): THAT TWO OF JACOB'S SONS, < SIMEON AND LEVI, BROTHERS OF DINAH >, [EACH TOOK HIS SWORD … AND KILLED EVERY MALE]. They exhibited their wealth (according to Gen. 33:17): BUT JACOB JOURNEYED TO SUCCOTH, BUILT A HOUSE FOR HIMSELF, AND MADE STALLS (sukkot) FOR HIS CATTLE. He began opening < cattle > bazaars.62Gk.: katalusis (“resting place” or “inn”). See Gen. R. 79:6; Eccl. R. 10:8:1; Esth. R. 3:7. And where is it shown concerning their beauty? (In Gen. 34:1:) NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH, WHOM SHE HAD BORNE TO JACOB, WENT OUT TO SEE AND TO BE SEEN.63Note that the midrash understands the one verb, “see,” in both an active and passive sense. See above, note 59. (Gen. 34:2:) THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR THE HIVITE, THE PRINCE OF THE LAND, SAW HER. < It is > the wicked < who > "see." (Thus in Esth. 3:5:) WHEN HAMAN SAW. (Similarly in Gen. 28:6:) WHEN ESAU SAW. (So also here, in Gen. 34:2:) THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR … SAW. David said (in Ps. 69:24:) LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED SO THAT THEY DO NOT SEE.
2
ויקח אותה וישכב אותה ויענה. ומאיזו חטייא בא עליה הערל, כתיב למס מרעהו חסד ויראת שדי יעזוב (איוב ו יד), אלא בשעה שהיה יעקב אבינו בא והשבטים עמו היתה דינה עמו, כיון שבאו המלאכים ואמרו לו באנו אל אחיך אל עשו (בראשית לב ז), נטל יעקב דינה ונתנה בתיבה, שלא יראה אותה עשו ויטול אותה לאשה, א"ל הקב"ה הסכתה אותה ממנו חייך לאדם ערל היא מתוקנת, הוא דכתיב למס מרעהו חסד, אילו היתה נישאת לעשו שמא היתה מגיירת אותו, כשנטלה איוב לא גיירה אותו, לפיכך חסכתה אותה הרי בן מאירה בא כנגדה, וירא אותה שכם בן חמור.
(Gen. 34:2, cont.:) SO HE TOOK HER, LAY WITH HER, AND VIOLATED HER. Because of what sin did the uncircumcised one come upon her? It is written (in Job 6:14) TO ONE WHO IS DESPONDENT LOYALTY IS DUE FROM HIS NEIGHBOR EVEN THOUGH HE SHOULD ABANDON THE FEAR OF THE ALMIGHTY. However, when our father Jacob came along with the tribes, Dinah was with him < as well >. As soon as the messengers came and said to him (according to Gen. 32:7 [6]): WE CAME UNTO YOUR BROTHER ESAU, Jacob took Dinah and put her in a chest so that Esau would not see her and take her for a wife.64Gen. R. 76:9. The Holy One said to him: You have withheld her from him. By your life, she is ready for an uncircumcised man, i.e., the one about whom it is written (in Job 6:14): TO ONE WHO IS DESPONDENT LOYALTY IS DUE FROM HIS NEIGHBOR. If she had been married to Esau, perhaps she would have converted him. When Job took her, did she not convert him?65See ySot. 5:8 (20c); BB 15b; Gen. R. 57:4; 80:4. He therefore withheld her. See, < now > the son of a cursed (rt.: 'RH) one has come across her. Ergo (in Gen. 34:2): THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR … SAW (rt.: R'H) HER.
לראות בבנות הארץ, לראות ליראות, למה הדבר דומה, למי שהיה מהלך שוק וחתיכה בידו, ראה אותה כלב אחד והיה מהלך אחריה וחטפה ממנו, כן היתה דינה יוצאת לראות וראה אותה שכם וחטפה. ד"א לראות בבנות הארץ, כיון שבאו בני יעקב לארץ ישראל התחילו מראין כחן ועשרן ונויין, מראין כהן ויקחו שני בני יעקב וגו' [איש חרבו וגו' ויהרגו כל זכר] (בראשית לד כה), מראין עושרן ויעקב נסע סכותה ויבן לו בית ולמקנהו עשה סוכות (שם לג יז), התחיל פותח אטלין, ונויין מנין, ותצא דינה בת לאה לראות וליראות. וירא אותה שכם בן חמור החוי נשיא הארץ, הרשעים רואים, וירא המן (אסתר ג ה), וירא עשו (בראשית כח ו), וירא אותם שכם בן חמור (שם לד ב), אמר דוד תחשכנה עיניהם מראות (תהלים סט כד)
(Gen. 34:1:) < NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH, WHOM SHE HAD BORNE TO JACOB, WENT OUT > TO SEE THE DAUGHTERS OF THE LAND. TO SEE < implies > TO BE SEEN.59The unpointed Hebrew text could be read either way by assuming a contraction of the passive common in Mishnaic Hebrew. See M.H. Segal, A Grammar of Mishnaic Hebrew (Oxford: Clarendon, 1958), section 115. See also Gen. 22:14, where the same contracted passive is used to explain a place-name based on the active Hebrew verb, “to see.” On Gen. 22:14, see E.A. Speiser, Genesis (“Anchor Bible,” 1; Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1964), pp. 163f. To what is the matter comparable? To one who was walking in the marketplace with a piece < of meat > in his hand.60Gen. R. 80:5. A dog, having seen it, went after it, and snatched it from him. Thus did Dinah go out TO SEE (and TO BE SEEN) when Shechem saw her and seized her.61See Eccl. R. 10:8:1. Another interpretation (of Gen. 34:1): TO SEE THE DAUGHTERS OF THE LAND. When the children of Jacob came into the land of Israel, they began to exhibit their strength, their wealth, and their beauty. They exhibited their strength (according to Gen. 34:25): THAT TWO OF JACOB'S SONS, < SIMEON AND LEVI, BROTHERS OF DINAH >, [EACH TOOK HIS SWORD … AND KILLED EVERY MALE]. They exhibited their wealth (according to Gen. 33:17): BUT JACOB JOURNEYED TO SUCCOTH, BUILT A HOUSE FOR HIMSELF, AND MADE STALLS (sukkot) FOR HIS CATTLE. He began opening < cattle > bazaars.62Gk.: katalusis (“resting place” or “inn”). See Gen. R. 79:6; Eccl. R. 10:8:1; Esth. R. 3:7. And where is it shown concerning their beauty? (In Gen. 34:1:) NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH, WHOM SHE HAD BORNE TO JACOB, WENT OUT TO SEE AND TO BE SEEN.63Note that the midrash understands the one verb, “see,” in both an active and passive sense. See above, note 59. (Gen. 34:2:) THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR THE HIVITE, THE PRINCE OF THE LAND, SAW HER. < It is > the wicked < who > "see." (Thus in Esth. 3:5:) WHEN HAMAN SAW. (Similarly in Gen. 28:6:) WHEN ESAU SAW. (So also here, in Gen. 34:2:) THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR … SAW. David said (in Ps. 69:24:) LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED SO THAT THEY DO NOT SEE.
ויקח אותה וישכב אותה ויענה. ומאיזו חטייא בא עליה הערל, כתיב למס מרעהו חסד ויראת שדי יעזוב (איוב ו יד), אלא בשעה שהיה יעקב אבינו בא והשבטים עמו היתה דינה עמו, כיון שבאו המלאכים ואמרו לו באנו אל אחיך אל עשו (בראשית לב ז), נטל יעקב דינה ונתנה בתיבה, שלא יראה אותה עשו ויטול אותה לאשה, א"ל הקב"ה הסכתה אותה ממנו חייך לאדם ערל היא מתוקנת, הוא דכתיב למס מרעהו חסד, אילו היתה נישאת לעשו שמא היתה מגיירת אותו, כשנטלה איוב לא גיירה אותו, לפיכך חסכתה אותה הרי בן מאירה בא כנגדה, וירא אותה שכם בן חמור.
(Gen. 34:2, cont.:) SO HE TOOK HER, LAY WITH HER, AND VIOLATED HER. Because of what sin did the uncircumcised one come upon her? It is written (in Job 6:14) TO ONE WHO IS DESPONDENT LOYALTY IS DUE FROM HIS NEIGHBOR EVEN THOUGH HE SHOULD ABANDON THE FEAR OF THE ALMIGHTY. However, when our father Jacob came along with the tribes, Dinah was with him < as well >. As soon as the messengers came and said to him (according to Gen. 32:7 [6]): WE CAME UNTO YOUR BROTHER ESAU, Jacob took Dinah and put her in a chest so that Esau would not see her and take her for a wife.64Gen. R. 76:9. The Holy One said to him: You have withheld her from him. By your life, she is ready for an uncircumcised man, i.e., the one about whom it is written (in Job 6:14): TO ONE WHO IS DESPONDENT LOYALTY IS DUE FROM HIS NEIGHBOR. If she had been married to Esau, perhaps she would have converted him. When Job took her, did she not convert him?65See ySot. 5:8 (20c); BB 15b; Gen. R. 57:4; 80:4. He therefore withheld her. See, < now > the son of a cursed (rt.: 'RH) one has come across her. Ergo (in Gen. 34:2): THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR … SAW (rt.: R'H) HER.