Kommentar zu Bereschit 34:7

וכן לא יעשה AND THUS IT OUGHT NOT TO BE DONE — viz., to do violence to a maiden, for even the heathens have trained themselves (literally, have fenced themselves round) against unchastity as a consequence of the Flood which had come upon the world as a punishment for this sin (Genesis Rabbah 80:6).

AND THUS IT OUGHT NOT TO BE DONE. I.e., to do violence to maidens, for the nations “had fenced themselves round” against unchastity as a result of the Flood. This is Rashi’s language. But I do not know this, for the Canaanites were immersed in unchastity with women, beasts and males, as it is written, For all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you,¹²⁸Leviticus 18:27. and they did not begin such practices in that generation [but rather it was their traditional behavior], and even in the days of Abraham and Isaac, the patriarchs feared lest they kill them in order to take their wives. Instead, the expression, and thus it ought not to be done, refers back to the word beyisrael (in Israel): because he had wrought a vile deed in Israel… and thus it ought not to be done among them. This is why Scripture said in Israel for it was not a base deed among the Canaanites. And Onkelos translated: “It is not proper that it be done,” meaning that it is forbidden, and that is why it was a base deed in Israel.

ובני יעקב באו מן השדה, during this time Chamor had come from the town to speak to Yaakov, finding the brothers present.

ויתיצבו האנשים ויחר, the sadness and sorrow described by the Torah as the brothers’ reaction pertained to the despicable deed that had been perpetrated against a member of Yisrael’s family. This was in spite of the fact that whereas Jews do not rape unmarried virgins, gentiles are known to be guilty of this. Seeing that even in gentile circles it was taboo to rape the daughters of prominent citizens, the Torah adds the words וכן לא יעשה, that such a thing was totally unacceptable. Their anger, ויחר, therefore was turned against the perpetrators and against those who had condoned the act.

ויעצבו…כי נבלה עשה בישראל. They were distressed… because he had committed a disgraceful act against Israel, etc. The Torah uses two expressions, 1) "they were angry," and 2) "they were distressed" to indicate that Shechem had been guilty of two wrongs. It would have been shameful for the family of Jacob even if Shechem had married Dinah, seeing that they would not give their sister to an "unclean" person. However, that would have been merely distressing. The fact that Shechem had raped their sister, something that was repugnant even to the local inhabitants, i.e. וכן לא יעשה, aroused their anger. Bereshit Rabbah 80,6 states that the Gentiles had accepted sexual restrictions upon themselves after the deluge. This included rape.

ובני יעקב...בישראל, the rape of Dinah was considered as a stain of the spiritual wholeness of all the family of Yisrael.

וכן לא יעשה, “such a thing must not be allowed to happen.” Rashi writes that even the gentile nations had agreed to outlaw rape. Nachmanides takes issue with Rashi, saying that the Canaanites had certainly practiced rape and worse sexual perversions as testified by the Torah in Leviticus He therefore explains the words וכן לא יעשה, as referring to what was forbidden to Jews, seeing that the Canaanites did not consider it as something immoral.

For the gentiles constrained themselves from illicit relationships as a result of the Flood. And one who transgresses is sentenced to death. So did they accept upon themselves, as Rashi mentioned in Parshas Chayei Sarah [24:16]. Although this was beyond the requirement of the law [i.e., to be sentenced to death in a case where the woman is unmarried]. And so too, the expression גדרו עצמן implies: they constrained themselves, although Hashem did not command it. Nachalas Yaakov objected to this answer: The prohibition on unmarried women was merely a constraint and decree that the descendants of Noach [placed upon themselves. If so,] why was Shechem liable for death? The Rambam says because of robbery, and the Ramban says because of Shechem’s various evil deeds, [but no one says that he was liable to be executed for engaging in illicit relations]. And Rashi does not mention the above reasons because he is not seeking to explain why Shechem was liable for death, but to explain that “Such a thing should not be done” even with an unmarried woman. This raises the question of Re’m: [“Is not an unmarried woman permitted to the descendants of Noach?”] to which Rashi answers, “For the gentiles constrained themselves....” See there for elaboration. [An alternate approach:] You might ask: Is not an unmarried woman permitted to the descendants of Noach? The answer is: Since Shechem kidnapped her and thereby had relations with her, it is considered like illicit relations. Thus, he was liable to be executed. (Re’m)

Von einem doppelten Gefühle waren die Männer beherrscht; עצב, von dem Schmerze der gewaltsamen Verzichtleistung, dem schmerzlichen Gefühle des Verlustes: ihre reine, sittlich keusche Dina war nicht mehr, sie hatten sie verloren, auch wenn sie sie aus Schechems Händen wieder erlangten. Dies das eine, das persönliche Gefühl. Die verruchte Tat aber "brannte" sie; denn 1/נבלה (— נפל נבל ,נול bezeichnen denselben Begriff in verschiedenen Kreisen. נול und נפל: Trümmer, Schutt; נבל: Welken der Blätter, Schwachwerden der Kraft, Ersterben des tierischen Lebens, Ersterben der sittlichen Kraft, allgemein: das In-Trümmergehen eines früher kräftigen Wesens. Daher נבלה: eine Tat, die von völliger sittlicher Entartung zeugt, eine Schandtat. Auch eine Tat, die die völlige sittliche Unwürdigkeit dessen voraussetzt, an welchem sie geübt wird, so selbst Hiob 42, 8. So auch נַבֵל: etwas als unwürdig, oder als nichtswürdig behandeln. Hier dürfte es in beiden Bedeutungen zu fassen sein —) hatte er an Israel geübt, eine Tochter Jakobs zu schänden!

כי נבלה עשה בישראל, “that a vile deed had been committed against Israel;” it would have been a vile deed against anyone, all the more so against the daughter of a man of the stature of Israel.

מן השדה כשמעם,”returned from the field after hearing (about Dinah’s rape).” They returned prematurely, in a hurry.

וכן לא יעשה, it was totally unforgivable for something of this nature to be done. This is why they were so angry that it had been done to them (of all people).

Jakob, die schwache, durch nichts geschützte Familie, kann — das erfuhren sie bei diesem ersten Zusammenstoss derselben mit den andern Völkern — nur gesichert sein durch Anerkennung ihres sittlichen, geistigen Adels, durch welchen sie eben in ihrer materiellen Schwäche das siegreiche Göttliche zur Erscheinung bringt und als solche Israel ist. Hier aber war diese Menschenwürde in Israel getötet: denn so würde sonst nicht geschehen sein; gegen eine einheimische, berechtigte Bürgerstochter hätte er das nicht gewagt; nur weil es ein "Judenmädchen" eine בת יעקב, gewesen, war solches geschehen. Das fühlten sie tief. Die kräftige "Sehne des festen Auftretens" den andern Völkern zu überlassen, war ihnen eben eingeschärft worden. Sie sollten es gleich erfahren, dass es doch Fälle geben könne, in denen, wie hier, wo es sich um Rettung der Reinheit, der Sittlichkeit handelt, man wünschen könne, das Schwert aus Esaus Händen in die eigenen nehmen zu können; dies das: ויחר להם.

וכן לא יעשה, “and such a thing must not happen,” even to the daughter of common parents, much less one of a distinguished family such as ours.