- All of our major cities create associations in our minds. New York is "The City That Never Sleeps", Chicago is "The Windy City", and Philadelphia is the "City of Brotherly Love". The names of these cities and their nicknames recall aspects of the city's history and the character of their inhabitants. So too, Jerusalem and many of the cities in Eretz Yisrael have distinctive feels and characters.
- Sticking with Jerusalem specifically as an example, though it is not mentioned outright in the Biblical text until David conquers the city, the Rabbis interpret many of the most significant Biblical events as happening on Har Habayit (Akeidat Yitzchak, Yaakov's dream, etc). Therefore, when David purchases the hill on which his son will eventually build the temple, we as readers have a clear picture of Jerusalem and what it means in our minds.
- In this Shiur, I intend to examine another Biblical city, Shechem, which is the site of many important events throughout Jewish history. I will show that there is a pattern to the events that happen in Shechem. Its name is significant and was chosen specifically to reflect fundamental aspects of the place.
I. Shoulder or Back
(כג) וַיִּקַּח֩ שֵׁ֨ם וָיֶ֜פֶת אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֗ה וַיָּשִׂ֙ימוּ֙ עַל־שְׁכֶ֣ם שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וַיְכַסּ֕וּ אֵ֖ת עֶרְוַ֣ת אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וּפְנֵיהֶם֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וְעֶרְוַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ׃
(23) But Shem and Japheth took a cloth, placed it against both their backs and, walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness; their faces were turned the other way, so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.
(טו) וַֽיְהִי־ה֗וּא טֶ֘רֶם֮ כִּלָּ֣ה לְדַבֵּר֒ וְהִנֵּ֧ה רִבְקָ֣ה יֹצֵ֗את אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֻלְּדָה֙ לִבְתוּאֵ֣ל בֶּן־מִלְכָּ֔ה אֵ֥שֶׁת נָח֖וֹר אֲחִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְכַדָּ֖הּ עַל־שִׁכְמָֽהּ׃
(15) He had scarcely finished speaking, when Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder.
(ה) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ עִ֠בְר֠וּ לִפְנֵ֨י אֲר֧וֹן יהוה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְהָרִ֨ימוּ לָכֶ֜ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶ֤בֶן אַחַת֙ עַל־שִׁכְמ֔וֹ לְמִסְפַּ֖ר שִׁבְטֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(5) and Joshua said to them, “Walk up to the Ark of the LORD your God, in the middle of the Jordan, and each of you lift a stone onto his shoulder—corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel.
(ב) וְלוֹ־הָיָ֨ה בֵ֜ן וּשְׁמ֤וֹ שָׁאוּל֙ בָּח֣וּר וָט֔וֹב וְאֵ֥ין אִ֛ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ט֣וֹב מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מִשִּׁכְמ֣וֹ וָמַ֔עְלָה גָּבֹ֖הַּ מִכׇּל־הָעָֽם׃
(2) He had a son whose name was Saul, an excellent young man; no one among the Israelites was handsomer than he; he was a head taller than any of the people.
On one level, the city's name could refer to its geographical position between the shoulders of the Gerizim and Eival mountains.
II. Separation and Togetherness
Rav Yitzchak Levy: Mashgiach at Yeshivat Har Etzion.
- It is interesting that the name "Shekhem" has a dual meaning On one hand, the word has the etymological meaning of "division" (in accordance with one of the ways of understanding Bereishit 48:22; see Ibn Ezra ad loc); on the other hand, it also means "togetherness," as in, "Then I shall convert the nations into a pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of God and serve Him together (shekhem echad)" (Tzefanya 3:9). (Translated by Kaeren Fish)
The verse states: “And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel came to Shechem, to make him king” (I Kings 12:1). It was taught in the name of Rabbi Yosei: Shechem is a place ordained for calamity. In Shechem, they tormented and raped Dinah, in the outskirts of Shechem the brothers sold Joseph, in Shechem the kingdom of the house of David was divided.
a. First Encounter
(ו) וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ר אַבְרָם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ עַ֚ד מְק֣וֹם שְׁכֶ֔ם עַ֖ד אֵל֣וֹן מוֹרֶ֑ה וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י אָ֥ז בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
(6) Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, at the terebinth of Moreh. The Canaanites were then in the land.
- What is it that Avram did at this tree back in Genesis 12 and is this the very same tree? Why is this the first place he goes to? (Rashi says Avram prayed for the forgiveness of his grandchildren's future sins, but that does not reflect Pshat. Ramban makes his comment on Ma'aseh Avot Siman Lebanim here to show, just as Avraham took hold of Shechem first, so would his grandsons. I disagree though that Avraham ever gained ownership over Shechem.) I guess that the failure to explain this stop on Avraham's journey without delving into Drash is a support for the opinion that he prayed here. (Rav Yitzchak Levy notes Shechem is often a place of firsts: The first attempt at monarchy, the first stop on the Road of Avot, and the first stop in Israel after the Midbar with the blessings and curses.) Ibn Ezra makes the simple point here that the name Shechem was only given to this location later after Shechem ben Chamor lived.
b. Yaakov: Purchase and Treachery
(יח) וַיָּבֹא֩ יַעֲקֹ֨ב שָׁלֵ֜ם עִ֣יר שְׁכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן בְּבֹא֖וֹ מִפַּדַּ֣ן אֲרָ֑ם וַיִּ֖חַן אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י הָעִֽיר׃ (יט) וַיִּ֜קֶן אֶת־חֶלְקַ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽטָה־שָׁם֙ אׇהֳל֔וֹ מִיַּ֥ד בְּנֵֽי־חֲמ֖וֹר אֲבִ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם בְּמֵאָ֖ה קְשִׂיטָֽה׃ (כ) וַיַּצֶּב־שָׁ֖ם מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּ֨קְרָא־ל֔וֹ אֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {ס}
(18) Jacob arrived safe in the city of Shechem which is in the land of Canaan—having come thus from Paddan-aram—and he encamped before the city. (19) The parcel of land where he pitched his tent he purchased from the kin of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred kesitahs. (20) He set up an altar there, and called it El-elohe-yisrael.
- First, we must note the purchase of this piece of land and its transfer into Israelite ownership. Yaakov at this point is whole and at ease in a way that he has not been for over two decades. He escaped from the clutches of Lavan and his encounter with Eisav was not the nightmare that he feared it might be. He has no apparent rivals, is returning to the land God promised to give to him, and has a large family that is past the contentious years of child-rearing. He and his family are whole in all respects, at least for the time being. (Bavli: Sha. 33b) This is where things begin to fall off the rails though.
(טו) אַךְ־בְּזֹ֖את נֵא֣וֹת לָכֶ֑ם אִ֚ם תִּהְי֣וּ כָמֹ֔נוּ לְהִמֹּ֥ל לָכֶ֖ם כׇּל־זָכָֽר׃ (טז) וְנָתַ֤נּוּ אֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵיכֶ֖ם נִֽקַּֽח־לָ֑נוּ וְיָשַׁ֣בְנוּ אִתְּכֶ֔ם וְהָיִ֖ינוּ לְעַ֥ם אֶחָֽד ... (כו) וְאֶת־חֲמוֹר֙ וְאֶת־שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנ֔וֹ הָרְג֖וּ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וַיִּקְח֧וּ אֶת־דִּינָ֛ה מִבֵּ֥ית שְׁכֶ֖ם וַיֵּצֵֽאוּ׃
(15) Only on this condition will we agree with you; that you will become like us in that every male among you is circumcised. (16) Then we will give our daughters to you and take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell among you and become as one kindred. ... (26) They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword, took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went away.
- The sons of Yaakov answered Shechem in a duplicitous manner. Particularly striking is this insinuation that the two groups would become "one nation" if the residents of the city received circumcision. Shechem opens his speech to convince his people to agree to the terms by saying that Yaakov's sons are "שְֽׁלֵמִ֧ים הֵ֣ם אִתָּ֗נוּ"; That they are our friends; That we are a good fit for each other in terms of character, above and beyond the marital and economic benefits to the partnership. This is the nastiest part of the trickery of Shimon and Levi. They violated the terms of the truce and used the desire for wholeness/unity against the inhabitants.
(ד) וַיִּתְּנ֣וּ אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֗ב אֵ֣ת כׇּל־אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַנֵּכָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָדָ֔ם וְאֶת־הַנְּזָמִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאׇזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּטְמֹ֤ן אֹתָם֙ יַעֲקֹ֔ב תַּ֥חַת הָאֵלָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִם־שְׁכֶֽם׃
(4) They gave to Jacob all the alien gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the terebinth that was near Shechem.
- Now we have the identification of Shechem with idol worship. Why place the idols specifically under this tree which Avraham had passed through? Would this not be defiling a place of certain religious significance?
(ה) שִׁמְע֥וֹן וְלֵוִ֖י אַחִ֑ים כְּלֵ֥י חָמָ֖ס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ (ו) בְּסֹדָם֙ אַל־תָּבֹ֣א נַפְשִׁ֔י בִּקְהָלָ֖ם אַל־תֵּחַ֣ד כְּבֹדִ֑י כִּ֤י בְאַפָּם֙ הָ֣רְגוּ אִ֔ישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָ֖ם עִקְּרוּ־שֽׁוֹר׃ (ז) אָר֤וּר אַפָּם֙ כִּ֣י עָ֔ז וְעֶבְרָתָ֖ם כִּ֣י קָשָׁ֑תָה אֲחַלְּקֵ֣ם בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
(5) Simeon and Levi are a pair; Their weapons are tools of lawlessness. (6) Let not my person be included in their council, Let not my being be counted in their assembly. For when angry they slay a man, And when pleased they maim an ox. (7) Cursed be their anger so fierce, And their wrath so relentless. I will divide them in Jacob, Scatter them in Israel.
- Here, Yaakov finally condemns his two sons for their actions. His curse for them is Midah K'Neged Midah. It is because Shimon and Levi chose betrayal instead of compromise, division/violence instead of unity, that they will be scattered throughout the land.
c. Yosef and the Brothers: Rejecting One of Their Own
(יב) וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶחָ֑יו לִרְע֛וֹת אֶׄתׄ־צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶ֖ם בִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ ... (כו) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוּדָ֖ה אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו מַה־בֶּ֗צַע כִּ֤י נַהֲרֹג֙ אֶת־אָחִ֔ינוּ וְכִסִּ֖ינוּ אֶת־דָּמֽוֹ׃ (כז) לְכ֞וּ וְנִמְכְּרֶ֣נּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֗ים וְיָדֵ֙נוּ֙ אַל־תְּהִי־ב֔וֹ כִּֽי־אָחִ֥ינוּ בְשָׂרֵ֖נוּ ה֑וּא וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ אֶחָֽיו׃
(12) One time, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flock at Shechem. ... (26) Then Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain by killing our brother and covering up his blood? (27) Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let us not do away with him ourselves. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers agreed.
- Shechem is again the site of betrayal for Yaakov's sons. This line from Yehudah is so painful. At once, he acknowledges that Yosef is their brother, but simultaneously, has no problem selling him to foreign traders. If the unity of the family really ever mattered to Yehudah, Yosef would never have been sold.
d. Renaming Shechem and Defining its Borders
(כב) וַאֲנִ֞י נָתַ֧תִּֽי לְךָ֛ שְׁכֶ֥ם אַחַ֖ד עַל־אַחֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר לָקַ֙חְתִּי֙ מִיַּ֣ד הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י בְּחַרְבִּ֖י וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי׃ {פ}
(22) And now, I assign to you one portion more than to your brothers, which I wrested from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
- Jacob could literally be talking about the city of Schechem which is in Menasheh's territory. Ephraim was the second son, so should not have an ancestral parcel of land. Once Ephraim is given the Bechora though, Menasheh should not have territory. The blessing for Yosef is that he will have this extra place - Shechem. It seems to be the main city and the rest of the territory is named after it. (Rashi and Ramban both agree this Pasuk is referring to Shechem, though they state it differently.)
(כט) בְּנֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה לְמָכִיר֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַמָּכִירִ֔י וּמָכִ֖יר הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־גִּלְעָ֑ד לְגִלְעָ֕ד מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַגִּלְעָדִֽי׃ (ל) אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י גִלְעָ֔ד אִיעֶ֕זֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָאִֽיעֶזְרִ֑י לְחֵ֕לֶק מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶלְקִֽי׃ (לא) וְאַ֨שְׂרִיאֵ֔ל מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָאַשְׂרִֽאֵלִ֑י וְשֶׁ֕כֶם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁכְמִֽי׃
(29) Descendants of Manasseh: Of Machir, the clan of the Machirites.—Machir begot Gilead.—Of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites. (30) These were the descendants of Gilead: [Of] Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites; (31) [of] Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; [of] Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites;
- This is an interesting source for multiple reasons. Firstly, we have Jews taking up the name Shechem. Schechem was not exactly the best guy so why would Israelites give their children this name? Was the city renamed or were the people called Shechemites because they lived in the region that used to be Shechem? Another question is if the name of Schechem completely fell out of use once the city was vanquished by the sons of Yaakov. If it did, why readopt the name after entering the land? Shechem was Manasheh's grandson, and he was born in Egypt (either before the rest of the Israelites came to Yosef or later during the period of bondage). The children of Yosef consciously choose to remember this place and consider it a good name. Yet, Yosef was sold into slavery in Schechem! Not exactly something you'd want to remember.
(א) וַיְהִ֤י הַגּוֹרָל֙ לְמַטֵּ֣ה מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּי־ה֖וּא בְּכ֣וֹר יוֹסֵ֑ף לְמָכִיר֩ בְּכ֨וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֜ה אֲבִ֣י הַגִּלְעָ֗ד כִּ֣י ה֤וּא הָיָה֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וַֽיְהִי־ל֖וֹ הַגִּלְעָ֥ד וְהַבָּשָֽׁן׃ (ב) וַ֠יְהִ֠י לִבְנֵ֨י מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה הַנּֽוֹתָרִים֮ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם֒ לִבְנֵ֨י אֲבִיעֶ֜זֶר וְלִבְנֵי־חֵ֗לֶק וְלִבְנֵ֤י אַשְׂרִיאֵל֙ וְלִבְנֵי־שֶׁ֔כֶם וְלִבְנֵי־חֵ֖פֶר וְלִבְנֵ֣י שְׁמִידָ֑ע אֵ֠לֶּה בְּנֵ֨י מְנַשֶּׁ֧ה בֶּן־יוֹסֵ֛ף הַזְּכָרִ֖ים לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃
(1) And this is the portion that fell by lot to the tribe of Manasseh—for he was Joseph’s first-born. Since Machir, the first-born of Manasseh and the father of Gilead, was a valiant warrior, Gilead and Bashan were assigned to him. (2) And now assignments were made to the remaining Manassites, by their clans: the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. Those were the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, by their clans.
- Here we see clearly that Menasheh's grandson was born long before the Jews re-entered the land. His descendants were granted the land around what had formerly been Shechem in the times of the Patriarchs.
e. Yehoshua: Trying to Pick up the Pieces
(ז) וַיַּקְדִּ֜שׁוּ אֶת־קֶ֤דֶשׁ בַּגָּלִיל֙ בְּהַ֣ר נַפְתָּלִ֔י וְאֶת־שְׁכֶ֖ם בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־קִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע הִ֥יא חֶבְר֖וֹן בְּהַ֥ר יְהוּדָֽה׃
(7) So they set aside Kedesh in the hill country of Naphtali in Galilee, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba—that is, Hebron—in the hill country of Judah.
- Is Efraim here to be taken literally? No, as Schechem was in Mannasheh's territory. Therefore, Efraim must be a more general moniker for north-central Israel. This notion of Shechem representing all of Northern Israel will be central once the city is made the capital of the Kingdom of Israel later.
(א) וַיֶּֽאֱסֹ֧ף יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־כׇּל־שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שְׁכֶ֑מָה וַיִּקְרָא֩ לְזִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּלְרָאשָׁ֗יו וּלְשֹֽׁפְטָיו֙ וּלְשֹׁ֣טְרָ֔יו וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ ... (יג) וָאֶתֵּ֨ן לָכֶ֜ם אֶ֣רֶץ ׀ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹֽא־יָגַ֣עְתָּ בָּ֗הּ וְעָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־בְנִיתֶ֔ם וַתֵּשְׁב֖וּ בָּהֶ֑ם כְּרָמִ֤ים וְזֵיתִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־נְטַעְתֶּ֔ם אַתֶּ֖ם אֹכְלִֽים׃ (יד) וְעַתָּ֞ה יְר֧אוּ אֶת־יהוה וְעִבְד֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ בְּתָמִ֣ים וּבֶאֱמֶ֑ת וְהָסִ֣ירוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר֩ עָבְד֨וּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֜ם בְּעֵ֤בֶר הַנָּהָר֙ וּבְמִצְרַ֔יִם וְעִבְד֖וּ אֶת־יהוה׃
(1) Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned Israel’s elders and commanders, magistrates and officers; and they presented themselves before God. ... (13) I have given you a land for which you did not labor and towns which you did not build, and you have settled in them; you are enjoying vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant. (14) “Now, therefore, revere the LORD and serve Him with undivided loyalty; put away the gods that your forefathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
- I want to think about why Yehoshua chose the city of Schechem for his speech. On one level, it is a big city located in central Israel (middle of 3 Israelite cities of refuge) so it would be easy for the people to gather there. Additionally, Yehoshua is from the tribe of Efraim and will be buried about 10 miles south of Schechem in his tribe's territory. He would not be able to travel far easily in his advanced age, so having the gathering in the closest city capable of hosting all of Israel makes sense.
- Still, I think there are points where the content of Joshua's history reflects the setting from which he is delivering the speech. The people are to pledge to forsake idols, as Yaakov made them centuries before. Likewise, telling the people they do not have a right to the land is particularly apt in a city where the Jews were duplicitous and massacred a population instead of establishing an alliance.
(לב) וְאֶת־עַצְמ֣וֹת י֠וֹסֵ֠ף אֲשֶׁר־הֶעֱל֨וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל ׀ מִמִּצְרַ֘יִם֮ קָבְר֣וּ בִשְׁכֶם֒ בְּחֶלְקַ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָנָ֧ה יַעֲקֹ֛ב מֵאֵ֛ת בְּנֵי־חֲמ֥וֹר אֲבִֽי־שְׁכֶ֖ם בְּמֵאָ֣ה קְשִׂיטָ֑ה וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ לִבְנֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף לְנַחֲלָֽה׃
(32) The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought for a hundred kesitahs from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, and which had become a heritage of the Josephites.
- Joseph himself is buried in Schechem, indicating that he does not have the same hard feelings about his sale to Egypt as he once did. That he was willing to forgive his brothers, a point to his merit. (Possibly, the rest of the Israelites were similarly forgiven for their actions in Schechem.) (I guess this all brings up questions of tribal unity: Could it be that Shechem, the site of the biggest failure for Shimon and Levi, did not have any of the same associations for the children of Yosef? Yaakov indeed told all of his children to throw away their idols [and Rachel had Terafim], but Yosef was very young at the time, so the sin was likely not his. Rashi (Gen 45:9) accuses Shimon and Levi also of being the first ones to suggest Yosef's murder [וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו הִנֵּ֗ה בַּ֛עַל הַחֲלֹמ֥וֹת הַלָּזֶ֖ה בָּֽא׃ וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ לְכ֣וּ וְנַֽהַרְגֵ֗הוּ] so Shechem is a double failure for them. The main point though is that what is painful for some tribes may have very different meanings for others. Interestingly, as a city of refuge, it was a Levite city.)
(כו) וַיִּכְתֹּ֤ב יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה בְּסֵ֖פֶר תּוֹרַ֣ת אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶ֣בֶן גְּדוֹלָ֔ה וַיְקִימֶ֣הָ שָּׁ֔ם תַּ֚חַת הָֽאַלָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּמִקְדַּ֥שׁ יהוה׃ {פ} (כז) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ אֶל־כׇּל־הָעָ֗ם הִנֵּ֨ה הָאֶ֤בֶן הַזֹּאת֙ תִּֽהְיֶה־בָּ֣נוּ לְעֵדָ֔ה כִּי־הִ֣יא שָֽׁמְעָ֗ה אֵ֚ת כׇּל־אִמְרֵ֣י יהוה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר עִמָּ֑נוּ וְהָיְתָ֤ה בָכֶם֙ לְעֵדָ֔ה פֶּֽן־תְּכַחֲשׁ֖וּן בֵּאלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
(26) Joshua recorded all this in a book of divine instruction. He took a great stone and set it up at the foot of the oak in the sacred precinct of the LORD; (27) and Joshua said to all the people, “See, this very stone shall be a witness against us, for it heard all the words that the LORD spoke to us; it shall be a witness against you, lest you break faith with your God.”
- Why is the tree a site of a sanctuary? Is this not similar to an Asheira -- a form of idol worship? The connection to the Avot is made explicit in verse 32 when it says Yosef was buried on the plot that Yaakov bought at Shechem. The same question applied to Avram should be applied to Yaakov: Even if his grandfather had found spirituality in this place, why would he still seek to settle it after the desecration that his sons caused in that place? Was he not ashamed of his sons, even if they had the last word when it came to Dinah? Is he silent because he agrees, or because he is dumbfounded by their response?
f. Avimelech: Ingenuous Calls for Unity
(ל) וּלְגִדְע֗וֹן הָיוּ֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים בָּנִ֔ים יֹצְאֵ֖י יְרֵכ֑וֹ כִּֽי־נָשִׁ֥ים רַבּ֖וֹת הָ֥יוּ לֽוֹ׃ (לא) וּפִֽילַגְשׁוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם יָֽלְדָה־לּ֥וֹ גַם־הִ֖יא בֵּ֑ן וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ ... (א) וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ אֲבִימֶ֤לֶךְ בֶּן־יְרֻבַּ֙עַל֙ שְׁכֶ֔מָה אֶל־אֲחֵ֖י אִמּ֑וֹ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֶל־כׇּל־מִשְׁפַּ֛חַת בֵּית־אֲבִ֥י אִמּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבְּרוּ־נָ֞א בְּאׇזְנֵ֨י כׇל־בַּעֲלֵ֣י שְׁכֶם֮ מַה־טּ֣וֹב לָכֶם֒ הַמְשֹׁ֨ל בָּכֶ֜ם שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ כֹּ֚ל בְּנֵ֣י יְרֻבַּ֔עַל אִם־מְשֹׁ֥ל בָּכֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֑ד וּזְכַרְתֶּ֕ם כִּֽי־עַצְמְכֶ֥ם וּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם אָֽנִי׃
(30) Gideon had seventy sons of his own issue, for he had many wives. (31) A son was also born to him by his concubine in Shechem, and he named him Abimelech. (32) Gideon son of Joash died at a ripe old age, and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash at Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (33) After Gideon died, the Israelites again went astray after the Baalim, and they adopted Baal-berith as a god. (34) The Israelites gave no thought to the LORD their God, who saved them from all the enemies around them. (35) Nor did they show loyalty to the house of Jerubbaal-Gideon in return for all the good that he had done for Israel. (1) Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and spoke to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family. He said, (2) “Put this question to all the citizens of Shechem: Which is better for you, to be ruled by seventy men—by all the sons of Jerubbaal—or to be ruled by one man? And remember, I am your own flesh and blood.”
(מו) וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ כׇּֽל־בַּעֲלֵ֖י מִֽגְדַּל־שְׁכֶ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־צְרִ֔יחַ בֵּ֖ית אֵ֥ל בְּרִֽית׃
(46) When all the citizens of the Tower of Shechem learned of this, they went into the tunnel of the temple of El-berith.
- What is this temple? Ba'al Berit and El Berit is/are ancient Canaanite god or gods. The Gemara in Sanhedrin 63b associates it/them with Ba'al Zevuv. Regardless, this idolatrous practice could explain why the people of the city were cursed by Yotam and deserved to have a tyrant spring up among them. They had broken the covenant that they made twice before in this very spot (Yaakov and Yehoshua).
(כח) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ גַּ֣עַל בֶּן־עֶ֗בֶד מִֽי־אֲבִימֶ֤לֶךְ וּמִֽי־שְׁכֶם֙ כִּ֣י נַעַבְדֶ֔נּוּ הֲלֹ֥א בֶן־יְרֻבַּ֖עַל וּזְבֻ֣ל פְּקִיד֑וֹ עִבְד֗וּ אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֤י חֲמוֹר֙ אֲבִ֣י שְׁכֶ֔ם וּמַדּ֖וּעַ נַעַבְדֶ֥נּוּ אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃
(28) Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech and who are [we] Shechemites, that we should serve him? This same son of Jerubbaal and his lieutenant Zebul once served the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem; so why should we serve him?
I mean this is my question? Who and what is Schechem?
(נז) וְאֵ֗ת כׇּל־רָעַת֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י שְׁכֶ֔ם הֵשִׁ֥יב אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּרֹאשָׁ֑ם וַתָּבֹ֣א אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם קִֽלְלַ֖ת יוֹתָ֥ם בֶּן־יְרֻבָּֽעַל׃ {פ}
(57) and God likewise repaid the men of Shechem for all their wickedness. And so the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal was fulfilled upon them.
g. Shechem: Maaseh Avot, Siman LiBanim
(א) וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֖ם שְׁכֶ֑ם כִּ֥י שְׁכֶ֛ם בָּ֥א כׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהַמְלִ֥יךְ אֹתֽוֹ׃ ... (ט) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם מָ֚ה אַתֶּ֣ם נֽוֹעָצִ֔ים וְנָשִׁ֥יב דָּבָ֖ר אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבְּר֤וּ אֵלַי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הָקֵל֙ מִן־הָעֹ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן אָבִ֖יךָ עָלֵֽינוּ׃ (י) וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו הַיְלָדִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר גָּדְל֣וּ אִתּוֹ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ כֹּה־תֹאמַ֣ר לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֡ה אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבְּר֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ לֵאמֹ֗ר אָבִ֙יךָ֙ הִכְבִּ֣יד אֶת־עֻלֵּ֔נוּ וְאַתָּ֖ה הָקֵ֣ל מֵעָלֵ֑ינוּ כֹּ֚ה תְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם קׇטׇנִּ֥י עָבָ֖ה מִמׇּתְנֵ֥י אָבִֽי׃ (יא) וְעַתָּ֗ה אָבִי֙ הֶעְמִ֤יס עֲלֵיכֶם֙ עֹ֣ל כָּבֵ֔ד וַאֲנִ֖י אוֹסִ֣יף עַֽל־עֻלְּכֶ֑ם אָבִ֗י יִסַּ֤ר אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּשּׁוֹטִ֔ים וַאֲנִ֕י אֲיַסֵּ֥ר אֶתְכֶ֖ם בָּעַקְרַבִּֽים׃ ... (טז) וַיַּ֣רְא כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כִּ֠י לֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע הַמֶּ֘לֶךְ֮ אֲלֵהֶם֒ וַיָּשִׁ֣בוּ הָעָ֣ם אֶת־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ׀ דָּבָ֣ר ׀ לֵאמֹ֡ר מַה־לָּ֩נוּ֩ חֵ֨לֶק בְּדָוִ֜ד וְלֹא־נַחֲלָ֣ה בְּבֶן־יִשַׁ֗י לְאֹהָלֶ֙יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַתָּ֕ה רְאֵ֥ה בֵיתְךָ֖ דָּוִ֑ד וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃ ... (יט) וַיִּפְשְׁע֤וּ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּבֵ֣ית דָּוִ֔ד עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ {ס} ... (כה) וַיִּ֨בֶן יָרׇבְעָ֧ם אֶת־שְׁכֶ֛ם בְּהַ֥ר אֶפְרַ֖יִם וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב בָּ֑הּ וַיֵּצֵ֣א מִשָּׁ֔ם וַיִּ֖בֶן אֶת־פְּנוּאֵֽל׃
(1) Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to acclaim him as king. ... (9) “What,” he asked, “do you advise that we reply to the people who said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father placed upon us’?” (10) And the young men who had grown up with him answered, “Speak thus to the people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us.’ Say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. (11) My father imposed a heavy yoke on you, and I will add to your yoke; my father flogged you with whips, but I will flog you with scorpions.’” ... (16) When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered the king: “We have no portion in David, No share in Jesse’s son! To your tents, O Israel! Now look to your own House, O David.” So the Israelites returned to their homes. ... (19) Thus Israel revolted against the House of David, as is still the case. ... (25) Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and resided there; he moved out from there and fortified Penuel.
- Strangely enough, just as Shechem was the site of Joseph's sale and betrayal of his brothers led by Yehudah, it is again the site of a breakdown between the tribes in the age of Kings. Just as Yehudah was the leader in the plot to sell Yosef in a moment of weakness, so too, his descendant Rechavam insists that he has the authority to impose heavy taxes on the people of Efraim. True, the people of Efraim are able to resist here and send Rechavam fleeing back to Jerusalem, but this is the beginning of the end for the northern tribes. While the sale is a low point for Yehudah before his redemptive ark, it is unclear here if there is ever a way for this situation to be righted. The northern tribes were ultimately exiled, and have yet to return. Dwelling on such elements of the parallel may be too much, but it seems clear that the children of Yehudah were unable to learn from their ancestor's mistakes. Hashem himself identifies the splitting of the Jewish people as the fulfillment of divine judgment, but the location of this split in Schechem of all cities is too eerie to only have a local cause.
h. A Final Proposition
(כב) וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לַלְוִיִּ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְי֤וּ מִֽטַּהֲרִים֙ וּבָאִים֙ שֹׁמְרִ֣ים הַשְּׁעָרִ֔ים לְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֑ת גַּם־זֹאת֙ זׇכְרָה־לִּ֣י אֱלֹהַ֔י וְח֥וּסָה עָלַ֖י כְּרֹ֥ב חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ {פ} (כג) גַּ֣ם ׀ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם רָאִ֤יתִי אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים֙ הֹשִׁ֗יבוּ נָשִׁים֙ (אשדודיות) [אַשְׁדֳּדִיּ֔וֹת] (עמוניות) [עַמֳּנִיּ֖וֹת] מוֹאֲבִיּֽוֹת׃ (כד) וּבְנֵיהֶ֗ם חֲצִי֙ מְדַבֵּ֣ר אַשְׁדּוֹדִ֔ית וְאֵינָ֥ם מַכִּירִ֖ים לְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוּדִ֑ית וְכִלְשׁ֖וֹן עַ֥ם וָעָֽם׃ (כה) וָאָרִ֤יב עִמָּם֙ וָאֲקַֽלְלֵ֔ם וָאַכֶּ֥ה מֵהֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וָֽאֶמְרְטֵ֑ם וָאַשְׁבִּיעֵ֣ם בֵּֽאלֹהִ֗ים אִם־תִּתְּנ֤וּ בְנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ לִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם וְאִם־תִּשְׂאוּ֙ מִבְּנֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם לִבְנֵיכֶ֖ם וְלָכֶֽם׃ (כו) הֲל֣וֹא עַל־אֵ֣לֶּה חָטָֽא־שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל וּבַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָרַבִּים֩ לֹֽא־הָיָ֨ה מֶ֜לֶךְ כָּמֹ֗הוּ וְאָה֤וּב לֵֽאלֹהָיו֙ הָיָ֔ה וַיִּתְּנֵ֣הוּ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל גַּם־אוֹת֣וֹ הֶחֱטִ֔יאוּ הַנָּשִׁ֖ים הַנׇּכְרִיּֽוֹת׃ (כז) וְלָכֶ֣ם הֲנִשְׁמַ֗ע לַעֲשֹׂת֙ אֵ֣ת כׇּל־הָרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדוֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את לִמְעֹ֖ל בֵּֽאלֹהֵ֑ינוּ לְהֹשִׁ֖יב נָשִׁ֥ים נׇכְרִיּֽוֹת׃ (כח) וּמִבְּנֵ֨י יוֹיָדָ֤ע בֶּן־אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל חָתָ֖ן לְסַנְבַלַּ֣ט הַחֹרֹנִ֑י וָאַבְרִיחֵ֖הוּ מֵעָלָֽי׃
(22) I gave orders to the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to preserve the sanctity of the Sabbath. This too, O my God, remember to my credit, and spare me in accord with your abundant faithfulness. (23) Also at that time, I saw that Jews had married Ashdodite, Ammonite, and Moabite women; (24) a good number of their children spoke the language of Ashdod and the language of those various peoples, and did not know how to speak Judean. (25) I censured them, cursed them, flogged them, tore out their hair, and adjured them by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, or take any of their daughters for your sons or yourselves. (26) It was just in such things that King Solomon of Israel sinned! Among the many nations there was not a king like him, and so well loved was he by his God that God made him king of all Israel, yet foreign wives caused even him to sin. (27) How, then, can we acquiesce in your doing this great wrong, breaking faith with our God by marrying foreign women?” (28) One of the sons of Joiada son of the high priest Eliashib was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; I drove him away from me.
- The capital of the northern kingdom subsequently was moved from Schechem multiple times, and it does not come up much more explicitly in Tanach. This source though is particularly interesting, as it depicts a stage in the formation of a distinct Samaritans community. Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem and removes a rival and that rival's family from the city. One of the grandchildren of the Kohen Gadol Eliashiv married a non-Jewish woman. It was the catalyst that sent many Samaritans north to establish a schismatic temple in Schechem and solidify as a separate people with Gerizim as their center. As we can see, Schechem is again the site of a breakdown in "Jewish" unity. I don't feel it is my place to extend the parallels far enough to call Samaritan worship idol-worship (as Yaakov's sons committed), but one can't deny the city's associations with less-than-deal religious practice. One particular point of emphasis in the Perek is Nehemiah's extreme hesitance to be so forceful in his coercion of Mosaic Law. Even as he tortures, banishes, and curses, Nehemiah repeatedly asks for God to "spare him" in light of his actions, as they were done for the sake of heaven.
- As we have seen, Shechem is the site where who exactly is included in the group of Bnei Yisrael is determined. It is the city Shimon and Levi refused to enter a marriage pact with; The pit where Yehudah and his brothers attempted to eliminate Yosef; The tower where Avimelech made the initial attempt at a unified Jewish monarchy; And it was the fortress where Rechavam pushed the people far enough to reject that same monarchy forever. It was the first place Avraham entered upon reaching the land, yet time and time again, his descendants failed to live up to their promises there. Yaakov's children engage in mass murder, looting, and idol worship. Yehoshua reestablishes a covenant with the entirety of Bnei Yisrael there, but it becomes a center for idol worship in the times of the Judges (Baal Brith) and the period of Kings (Baal Zevuv). It is the place where lofty expectations and hopes are squandered, where unity breaks down and treachery leads to distancing. Compromise is avoided and discord is the "modus operandi".
- Maybe this historical context can explain some of Nehemiah's trepidation in sending a group of Jews (albeit those who have sinned) away. Even if he made the correct decision in the end, perhaps he worried he dealt with Elishab's family too harshly. He lamented that people no longer taught their children Hebrew, and today, Samaritans in Schechem primarily converse in Arabic. His act of pushing them away could have been what lost them for good. Nehemiah made the tough - but nonetheless correct - decision to sever the limb and save the body: To forfeit the Samaritans so the remainder of Jewish life could survive. Still, this is not a simple utilitarian calculation that a man could make without pause. Many before Nehemiah had chosen to put up barriers and limit who was included in the religious/political community, and we look upon all of them unfavorably.