(א) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּ֒שָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה:
(1) Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who sanctifies us with Your commandments and commands us to be engrossed in the words of Torah.
(א) וַתֵּצֵ֤א דִינָה֙ בַּת־לֵאָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלְדָ֖ה לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב לִרְא֖וֹת בִּבְנ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) וַיַּ֨רְא אֹתָ֜הּ שְׁכֶ֧ם בֶּן־חֲמ֛וֹר הַֽחִוִּ֖י נְשִׂ֣יא הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב אֹתָ֖הּ וַיְעַנֶּֽהָ׃ (ג) וַתִּדְבַּ֣ק נַפְשׁ֔וֹ בְּדִינָ֖ה בַּֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֶּֽאֱהַב֙ אֶת־הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל־לֵ֥ב הַֽנַּעֲרָֽ׃ (ד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁכֶ֔ם אֶל־חֲמ֥וֹר אָבִ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר קַֽח־לִ֛י אֶת־הַיַּלְדָּ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
(1) Now Dinah, the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land. (2) Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, chief of the country, saw her, and took her and lay with her and disgraced her. (3) Being strongly drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and in love with the maiden, he spoke to the maiden tenderly. (4) So Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as a wife.”
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How does the text introduce Dinah in verse 1? What does this introduction tell us about Dinah’s status?
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Although she is free to leave her father’s house and go to a public place, the events that follow suggest that Dinah assumes a risk in doing so. What is your impression of how the text portrays Dinah’s action?
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The word innah (from the root ‘-n-h) in verse 2 is translated here as “rape”; however, this verb can also be translated as “oppress,” “violate,” “overpower,” “humiliate,” or “subdue.” What are the ramifications of these different translations? How does the perspective of the translator of this verb compare with the interpretation of the commentators?
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What is Shechem's concern in verse 4 and what does that say about the status of women?
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Each time Dinah's name is mentioned, it is in accordance with Jacob or Leah, why may that be?
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According to the Central Commentary, what does the change from yaldah to ishah (translated here as “wife,” but it can also mean “woman”) in verse 4 indicate about Dinah’s change of status?
(ה) וְיַעֲקֹ֣ב שָׁמַ֗ע כִּ֤י טִמֵּא֙ אֶת־דִּינָ֣ה בִתּ֔וֹ וּבָנָ֛יו הָי֥וּ אֶת־מִקְנֵ֖הוּ בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְהֶחֱרִ֥שׁ יַעֲקֹ֖ב עַד־בֹּאָֽם׃ (ו) וַיֵּצֵ֛א חֲמ֥וֹר אֲבִֽי־שְׁכֶ֖ם אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֑ב לְדַבֵּ֖ר אִתּֽוֹ׃ (ז) וּבְנֵ֨י יַעֲקֹ֜ב בָּ֤אוּ מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה֙ כְּשׇׁמְעָ֔ם וַיִּֽתְעַצְּבוּ֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיִּ֥חַר לָהֶ֖ם מְאֹ֑ד כִּֽי־נְבָלָ֞ה עָשָׂ֣ה בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־בַּֽת־יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְכֵ֖ן לֹ֥א יֵעָשֶֽׂה׃ (ח) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר חֲמ֖וֹר אִתָּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנִ֗י חָֽשְׁקָ֤ה נַפְשׁוֹ֙ בְּבִתְּכֶ֔ם תְּנ֨וּ נָ֥א אֹתָ֛הּ ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ (ט) וְהִֽתְחַתְּנ֖וּ אֹתָ֑נוּ בְּנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ תִּתְּנוּ־לָ֔נוּ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ תִּקְח֥וּ לָכֶֽם׃ (י) וְאִתָּ֖נוּ תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם שְׁבוּ֙ וּסְחָר֔וּהָ וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ בָּֽהּ׃ (יא) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁכֶם֙ אֶל־אָבִ֣יהָ וְאֶל־אַחֶ֔יהָ אֶמְצָא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֑ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תֹּאמְר֛וּ אֵלַ֖י אֶתֵּֽן׃ (יב) הַרְבּ֨וּ עָלַ֤י מְאֹד֙ מֹ֣הַר וּמַתָּ֔ן וְאֶ֨תְּנָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר תֹּאמְר֖וּ אֵלָ֑י וּתְנוּ־לִ֥י אֶת־הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ (יג) וַיַּעֲנ֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־שְׁכֶ֨ם וְאֶת־חֲמ֥וֹר אָבִ֛יו בְּמִרְמָ֖ה וַיְדַבֵּ֑רוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר טִמֵּ֔א אֵ֖ת דִּינָ֥ה אֲחֹתָֽם׃ (יד) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם לֹ֤א נוּכַל֙ לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לָתֵת֙ אֶת־אֲחֹתֵ֔נוּ לְאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ עׇרְלָ֑ה כִּֽי־חֶרְפָּ֥ה הִ֖וא לָֽנוּ׃ (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׃ (יז) וְאִם־לֹ֧א תִשְׁמְע֛וּ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ לְהִמּ֑וֹל וְלָקַ֥חְנוּ אֶת־בִּתֵּ֖נוּ וְהָלָֽכְנוּ׃
(5) Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah; but since his sons were in the field with his cattle, Jacob kept silent until they came home. (6) Then Shechem’s father Hamor came out to Jacob to speak to him. (7) Meanwhile Jacob’s sons, having heard the news, came in from the field. The men were distressed and very angry, because he had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing not to be done. (8) And Hamor spoke with them, saying, “My son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him in marriage. (9) Intermarry with us: give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves: (10) You will dwell among us, and the land will be open before you; settle, move about, and acquire holdings in it.” (11) Then Shechem said to her father and brothers, “Do me this favor, and I will pay whatever you tell me. (12) Ask of me a bride-price ever so high, as well as gifts, and I will pay what you tell me; only give me the maiden for a wife.” (13) Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor—speaking with guile because he had defiled their sister Dinah— (14) and said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, for that is a disgrace among us. (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. (17) But if you will not listen to us and become circumcised, we will take our daughter and go.”
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In verse 5, the word timei (translated here as “defiled”) describes the consequence of what happens to Dinah. This is the same word root for ritual impurity, how can something defiled be made pure? How can Dinah’s status change from “defiled” to “pure”?
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What is Jacob’s reaction (v. 5) when he hears what happened to Dinah? How does that compare with the reaction of Dinah’s brothers when they learn what happened? What is your view of the brothers’ reaction that Shechem has committed “an outrage against Israel” (v. 7)?
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Beginning in verse 8, Hamor—Shechem’s father—enters into negotiations on behalf of his son. Who is involved in these negotiations? What is Dinah’s role, if any, in this discussion? What conclusions can we draw from this about Dinah’s place in this narrative?d
(2) בבתכם, not “your sister,” although she was the sister to 11 brothers, but “your daughter,” seeing her status as the daughter of Yaakov was the foremost consideration. Besides, each of Dinah’s brothers was concerned for her well being as if she had been his daughter, not just his sister.
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What is Dinah’s status in Shechem’s house? How does her removal from Shechem’s house by her brothers change her situation? What is Dinah’s place in society?
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Whom do the brothers punish (vv. 25–29) for what happened to Dinah? What questions do their actions raise for you?
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What is Jacob’s reaction (v. 30) to the actions of Dinah’s brothers? How does this compare with Jacob’s words to his sons in his deathbed blessing (Genesis 49:5–6)?
Midrash that explain the tale of Dinah from many different perspectives:
- As Punishment for Jacob
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As Punishment for Leah
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Shechem’s Guilt
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Dinah’s Responsibility
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What happened to Dinah after this? Some say she moved on and married Job, or Simeon, or was pregnant from Shechem and bore a child
https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/dinah-midrash-and-aggadah?fbclid=IwAR2uqyxYBoFEr5rPGyF2P95YoegQL-w0AT41G95oQOUyO16Gg-77t4bnYDw
Reading these not as stories of victims, but as stories of survivors. As a people who have been through many hard times and we, too, have survived.
R. Aviva Richman
Parashat VaYishlah 5782
The story of Dinah begins with quick action: Dinah “went out,” Shekhem “saw her,” “took her,” “lay with her,” and “humbled her." Then it zooms in on Shekhem’s emotional experience: “his soul clung to Dinah,” he “loved her” and he “spoke to her heart” (34:1-3). This relatively verbose discussion of Shekhem’s feelings makes it all the more glaring that we have no indication of what Dinah feels.
Scholars have investigated whether or not the word “he humbled her” (ויענה) indicates rape. The root generally reflects a violation of sexual honor, separate from any concern with her own consent. It seems that Dinah’s consent and experience is simply not of concern. The story turns on the concept of טומאה , her sexual pollution, which leads the brothers to avenge their family’s honor.
...The Torah offers an account like so many in our own moment, where women’s experiences of a charged sexual encounter are silenced and invisible, leaving only “טומאה—“an ongoing residue of stigma. It should bother us that we have no idea what Dinah’s experience was, whether or not she suffered a violation of her consent. And it should bother us that there are so many experiences of sexual victimization that remain a silent secret in our own day. We have to be wary of how others can project narratives onto someone who has been sexually victimized—like the range of interpretations that judge Dinah’s character based on dangerous idealizations, without sensitivity to the reality of this experience. Dinah’s voice is lost forever, but her silence offers us a challenge. It invites us to create meaningful contexts for people to speak of their sexual victimization, and to honor the multifaceted pathways of resilience in the face of stigma.
My name means nothing to you. My memory is dust.
This is not your fault, or mine. The chain connecting mother to daughter was broken and the word passed to the keeping of men, who had no way of knowing. That is why I became a footnote, my story a brief detour between the well-known history of my father, Jacob, and the celebrated chronicle of Joseph, my brother. On those rare occasions when I was remembered, it was as a victim. Near the beginning of your holy book, there is a passage that seems to say I was raped and continues with the bloody tale of how my honor was avenged.
It's a wonder that any mother ever called a daughter Dinah again. But some did. Maybe you guessed that there was more to me than the voiceless cipher in the text. Maybe you heard it in the music of my name: the first vowel high and clear, as when a mother calls to her child at dusk; the second sound soft, for whispering secrets on pillows. Dee-nah.
No one recalled my skill as a midwife, or the songs I sang, or the bread I baked for my insatiable brothers. Nothing remained except a few mangled details about those weeks in Shechem.”
- Prologue, The Red Tent