וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם לֹ֤א נוּכַל֙ לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לָתֵת֙ אֶת־אֲחֹתֵ֔נוּ לְאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ עָרְלָ֑ה כִּֽי־חֶרְפָּ֥ה הִ֖וא לָֽנוּ׃
Mereka berkata kepada mereka: “Kami tidak dapat melakukan hal ini, yaitu memberikan saudara perempuan kami kepada seorang laki-laki yang tidak bersunat, sebab hal itu merupakan aib bagi kami.”
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Gen. 30:23): GOD HAS TAKEN AWAY < MY SHAME >.61See above, 7:12, and the note there. In the hour that Rebekah gave birth to Jacob and Esau, two daughters were born to Laban. They sent letters to each other, saying: You have given birth to two daughters; and I, to two sons. Let us give them to each other. When Leah heard about Esau's conduct, she would cry; but, when Rachel heard about Jacob's conduct she would be happy. [Where is it shown that Leah cried? Where it is stated] (in Gen. 29:17): AND LEAH'S EYES WERE WEAK. The interpreter of R. Jose interpreted < the verse as follows > :62Cf. Gen. R. 70:16. What is the meaning of WEAK? Bleary {i.e., circular}.63I.e., Leah had dark circles under her eyes. R. Johanan said to him: You did not interpret well. Then what is the meaning of WEAK (rakkot)? Long (arukkot), because all that the Holy One gave her (through her children) was long < -lasting > : high priesthood, kingship, and anointing oil. Then, when Leah gave birth for Jacob, Rachel was depressed, saying: Perhaps Esau will take her,64The text should probably be emended from “her” to “me” in agreement with Rashi’s interpretation of Gen. 30:22. According to Rashi, Rachel feared that Esau might take her if Jacob divorced her for being childless. since I have not given birth to a child. But when she had given birth to Joseph, she said (in Gen. 30:23): GOD HAS TAKEN AWAY MY SHAME. Now there is no shame but foreskin, as stated (concerning foreskin in Gen. 34:14): FOR THAT IS SHAME TO US. (Gen. 30:24:) SO SHE CALLED HIS NAME JOSEPH (Yosef), SAYING: MAY THE LORD ADD (yosef) ANOTHER SON FOR ME. The Holy Spirit foresaw < here > that she would only bear one other son.
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
THE TRIALS OF ABRAHAM (continued)
THE eighth trial (was as follows): "And when Abram was ninety-nine years old" (Gen. 17:1), the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Until now thou hast not been perfect before Me; but circumcise the flesh of thy foreskin, and "walk before me, and be thou perfect" (ibid.). Moreover, the foreskin is a reproach, as it is said, "For that is a reproach unto us" (Gen. 34:14), because the foreskin is more unclean than all unclean things, as it is said, "For henceforth there shall no more || come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean" (Isa. 52:1). For the foreskin is a blemish above all blemishes. Circumcise the flesh of thy foreskin and be perfect.
THE eighth trial (was as follows): "And when Abram was ninety-nine years old" (Gen. 17:1), the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Until now thou hast not been perfect before Me; but circumcise the flesh of thy foreskin, and "walk before me, and be thou perfect" (ibid.). Moreover, the foreskin is a reproach, as it is said, "For that is a reproach unto us" (Gen. 34:14), because the foreskin is more unclean than all unclean things, as it is said, "For henceforth there shall no more || come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean" (Isa. 52:1). For the foreskin is a blemish above all blemishes. Circumcise the flesh of thy foreskin and be perfect.
Bereshit Rabbah
Jacob’s sons answered Shekhem and Ḥamor his father with guile, and spoke, as he had defiled Dina their sister” (Genesis 34:13).
“Jacob’s sons answered Shekhem…” – what do you think, that there is deceit here? The Divine Spirit says: “As he had defiled Dina their sister…”
“They said to them: We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who has a foreskin, as it is a disgrace for us” (Genesis 33:14).
“They said to them: We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who has a foreskin, as it is a disgrace” – Rabbi Neḥemya said: Where do we find that the foreskin is called disgrace? It is from here, as it is stated: “As it is a disgrace.”
“Are their livestock and their property and all their animals not ours? We only must accede to them, and they will live with us” (Genesis 34:23).
“Their livestock and their property” – they thought to despoil them, and were despoiled.
“All who emerged from the gate of his city heeded Ḥamor and Shekhem his son; every male, all who emerged from the gate of his city, was circumcised” (Genesis 34:24).
“[They] heeded Ḥamor and Shekhem his son…” – one of them would enter the city bearing his burden, and they would say to him: ‘Go and be circumcised.’ He would say: ‘Shekhem is marrying and Magbai is circumcised?’15Magbai is a generic name. Just because Shekhem is marrying, I should get circumcised?
“Jacob’s sons answered Shekhem…” – what do you think, that there is deceit here? The Divine Spirit says: “As he had defiled Dina their sister…”
“They said to them: We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who has a foreskin, as it is a disgrace for us” (Genesis 33:14).
“They said to them: We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who has a foreskin, as it is a disgrace” – Rabbi Neḥemya said: Where do we find that the foreskin is called disgrace? It is from here, as it is stated: “As it is a disgrace.”
“Are their livestock and their property and all their animals not ours? We only must accede to them, and they will live with us” (Genesis 34:23).
“Their livestock and their property” – they thought to despoil them, and were despoiled.
“All who emerged from the gate of his city heeded Ḥamor and Shekhem his son; every male, all who emerged from the gate of his city, was circumcised” (Genesis 34:24).
“[They] heeded Ḥamor and Shekhem his son…” – one of them would enter the city bearing his burden, and they would say to him: ‘Go and be circumcised.’ He would say: ‘Shekhem is marrying and Magbai is circumcised?’15Magbai is a generic name. Just because Shekhem is marrying, I should get circumcised?