- How is Dina described?
- Why is she described that way?
- According to the pshat, where did she go?
- What are the some ways her actions can be understood?
- How can verse 2 be understood?
- Did Shechem love Dina?
- Did Dina love Shechem?
(א) ותדבק נפשו בדינה בת יעקב, דבקה נפשו בה בעבור יפיה ועוד שהיתה בת אדם גדול ונכבד.
(ב) וידבר על לב הנערה, בעבור שעינה דבר על לבה שלא יחר לה, וכי הוא ישאנה לאשה, והוא נשיא הארץ:
(1) ותדבק נפשו בדינה בת יעקב, his soul felt a strong attachment to her on account of her beauty as well as on account of the fact that she was the daughter of an outstanding personality, Yaakov.
(2) וידבר על לב הנערה, seeing that he had caused her pain, he now did his best to soothe her feelings as he was intent of marrying her and needed her consent. He hoped that his being the crown prince would help sway her opinion in his favour.
(א) ותדבק נפשו על הפך באמנון לתמר אחר ששכב אותה:
(ב) בדינה בת יעקב בשביל שהיתה בת יעקב הנכבד בעיני האומות כאמרו אח''כ כי חפץ בבת יעקב:
(1) ותדבק נפשו, this was the opposite of Amnon having raped Tamar whose infatuation with her turned to disgust the moment he had satisfied his biological urge. (Samuel II 13,14-16)
(2) בדינה בת יעקב, because she was the daughter of the widely respected Yaakov, someone of an international reputation. The Torah confirms this once more later in verse 19 when it describes Shechem as desiring the “daughter of Yaakov.”