Midrasz do Rodzaju 34:1

(Numb. 22:2:) NOW BALAK <BEN ZIPPOR> SAW. He saw retribution which Israel inflicted against the Ammonites.³Tanh., 7:2; Numb. R. 20:2. It would have been better for the wicked if they had been blind,⁴Cf. Matthew 5:29; 18:9 // Mark 9:47. for their eyes bring a curse to the world. With reference to the generation of the flood, [it is written] (in Gen. 6:2): THE SONS OF GOD SAW <HOW BEAUTIFUL> THE HUMAN DAUGHTERS WERE <AND TOOK WHOMEVER THEY CHOSE AS THEIR WIVES>. [It is also written] (in Gen. 9:22): THEN HAM, THE FATHER OF CANAAN, SAW <THE NAKEDNESS OF HIS FATHER AND TOLD HIS TWO BROTHERS OUTSIDE>. [It is also written] (in Gen. 12:15): SO PHARAOH'S COURTIERS SAW HER (i.e., Abram's wife Sarah) <AND PRAISED HER TO PHARAOH, AND THE WOMAN WAS TAKEN TO PHARAOH'S HOUSE>. [It is also written] (in Gen. 34:1–2): <NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH WENT OUT….> THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR <THE HIVITE, THE PRINCE OF THE LAND,> SAW HER…. So also <here> (in Numb. 22:2): NOW BALAK <BEN ZIPPOR> SAW. <The matter> is comparable to someone who appointed guards to guard from an invader; and he had confidence in them, because they were warriors. When the invader came over and killed them, he trembled with fear for himself. It was the same also with Balak. When he saw what happened with Sihon and Og to whom he had been sending payment to guard him, he was afraid for himself. And in addition to that, he had seen the miracles at the wadies of Arnon.⁵According to Numb. 21:26-31, Sihon defeated the King of Moab and captured his territory as far at the Arnon. See above, Numb. 6:47 // Numb. R. 19:25, for a description of the miracles. See also below, Numb. 7:6 // Numb. R. 20:7, according to which Sihon’s victory resulted from a curse by Balaam.

(Lev. 9:1) “And it came to pass on the eighth day….” This text is related (to Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry….’” What is the meaning of [the words], “I say to the merrymakers (rt.: hll), ‘do not make merry (rt.: hll)?’”⁴This root can also mean “act with abandon” and is to be taken in that sense here. For another interpretation of the word, see Lev. R. 20:2. [The verse refers] to whoever sings in a mahanaim dance (mahol),⁵As in Cant. 7:1 [6:13]. In comparing these two words, the midrash assumes that both words come from the root HLL and ignores the fact that in the first case the H is a he while in the second case the H is a het. and so it says (in Jud. 21:21), “to dance (lehol) in the dances.” [Because no happiness endures for a mortal] (Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry (rt.: hll).’” Why? The one who is happy today shall not be happy tomorrow; and the one who is depressed today shall not be depressed tomorrow. And so it says (in Eccl. 2:2), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad (rt.: hll)….’”⁶Cf. PRK 26:2–3. Are you willing to understand? As behold, even the happiness of the Holy One, blessed be He, did not endure. When? When the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world. He was very happy, as stated (in Ps. 104:31), “the Lord shall be happy in His works.” It also says (in Gen. 1:31), “Then God saw everything which He had made; and behold, it was very good.” [These verses are] to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, found pleasure in and took pride in His works. Then He gave the first Adam an easy commandment, but he did not fulfill it. Immediately He rendered him a verdict⁷Gk.: apophasis. [of death], as stated (in Gen. 3:19), “for dust you are, and unto dust you shall return.” So He, as it were, did not remain in His happiness but said, “I created everything only for the human, and now he dies. What pleasure is there for Me? [Now surely if the Holy One, blessed be He,] did not remain [happy], how much the less shall people [remain happy! It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘do not make merry.’”] How happy Abraham was! He was blessed in the world, magnified, slew some kings and handed over heaven and earth to the Holy One, blessed be He. Also when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him a son at age one hundred, he circumcised him and reared him. Then finally he was told (in Gen. 22:2), “Please take your son, your only son…, [and go unto the land of Moriah,] and offer him there as a burnt offering.” So he made a three-day journey, as stated (in Gen. 22:4), “On the third day….” When he returned from Mount Moriah, he buried Sarah. He did not find a place to bury her until he bought one for four hundred silver shekels. Then after that, old age came upon him. Now surely if such was the case with Abraham the righteous, how much the more is it the case with the wicked! Isaac did not remain in his happiness: He escaped from the sword and from the men of Gerar. And [God] informed them about who he was, so that they came to him. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 26:26, 28), “Then Abimelech came unto him from Gerar […. And they said, ‘We have clearly seen that the Lord is with you.’]” But he did not remain in his happiness. Rather (according to Gen. 27:1), “Now it came to pass, that when Isaac was old and his eyes were too weak to see.” So just as [this loss of happiness] happened in the case of Isaac the burnt offering of the Holy One, blessed be He, (according to Gen. 22:2), how much the more does it happen in the case of the wicked! Jacob was the first-born of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Exod. 4:22), “Israel is My first-born son.” How happy he was! He saw a ladder, and (according to Gen. 28:12-13) “the angels of god were ascending and descending [….] And behold, the Lord stood upon it and said, I am the Lord….” Then he went to Laban, fled from Esau, became Laban's servant for twenty years and in the end became wealthy, sired children and returned in peace. He also met Esau and was saved from him, and paid his vow. But in the end he did not remain in his happiness. Instead (according to Gen. 34:1), “Now Dinah [the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob] went out…,” and was raped]. There also came upon him the trouble over Joseph. Now surely if Jacob the righteous – one to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, had said, “In whom I will be glorified,” as stated (in Is. 49:3), “Israel, in whom I will be glorified” – did not remain in his happiness, how much the less will the wicked [so remain! It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry.’”] How happy Joshua was! He slew thirty-one kings, gave Israel the land to possess, and distributed it. In addition all Israel gave him a [helping] hand and said (in Josh. 1:18), “Anyone who disobeys your command… [shall be put to death.” Such an honor was] something of which [even] Moses our master did not merit. Still he (i.e., Joshua) did not remain in his happiness, but rather died childless. It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry.’” How happy Eli was, when he was king, chief justice, and high priest! It is so stated (in I Sam. 1:9), “now Eli [the priest] was sitting on the throne by the doorpost of the Temple of the Lord.” “Now Eli the priest was sitting on the throne,” because he was king. [He was] “by the doorpost of the Temple of the Lord,” because he was chief justice. Still he did not remain in his happiness. Instead (according to I Sam. 4:18), “And it came to pass that when he (i.e., a messenger) mentioned the ark of God, he (i.e., Eli) fell backward from off the throne….” Moreover, his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas died. So just as this [shift in fortune] happened with Eli the righteous, how much the more [does it happen with] the wicked! You find neither man nor woman who saw joys like Elisheba bat Amminadab, [the wife of Aaron, as stated (in Exod. 6:23), “And Aaron took for a wife Elisheba bat Amminadab”].⁸PRK 26:2; Zev. 102a; Tanh. (Buber), Lev. 6:2. She saw her husband become high priest serving in the high priesthood and [as a] prophet. In addition, Moses, her husband's brother, was king and prophet. Moreover, her sons were deputies [to the high priest] in the priesthood, and her brother Nahshon was head of all of the princes of Israel.⁹According to Numb. 10:13, Nahshon was in command of the troops of Judah, and the troops of Judah headed those of the other tribes. See also Numb. 2:3; I Chron. 2:10. Still she did not remain in her happiness. Rather, when two of her sons went in to offer a sacrifice, (according to Lev. 10:2,) “Fire came forth from before the Lord and consumed them, so that they died before the Lord.” It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry.’” And so Solomon said (in Eccl. 2:2), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad.’” There is a story about one of the great Babylonian [scholars], who married off his son,¹⁰PRK 26:2; Lev. R. 20:2. and made a great banquet for the sages. He said to his son, “Go up and bring us a jar of such and such a wine from the attic.” He went up to the attic. [There] a snake [from] among the jars bit him, and he died. His father remained with those who were reclining [at his table]. So he delayed and did not come. [Finally,] his father said, “Let me go up and see what my son is doing.” His father went up [and] found him cast down dead among the jars. What did that saint do? He waited by himself until the guests had eaten and drunk sufficiently. When they had finished, he said, “You came to say a bridegrooms' blessing over my son. [But instead] say a mourners' blessing over him. You came to bring my son to the wedding canopy. [Instead] bring him to [his] grave.” They said about R. Zakkay of Kabul and they opened about him (in the words of Eccl. 2:2), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad; and what does joy do?’”

E Iáacov, que era o Primogênito do SANTO – Bendito Seja – como foi dito [em Shemot 4: 22] Israel é meu Primogênito. Quão grande era sua Alegria! Ele teve o sonho profético aonde viu a Escada [tal qual Bereshit 28: 12, 13] onde os malahim do Elohim subiam e desciam..e ainda, Note: O HaShem estava no topo e disse: Eu Sou – HaShem. E então, ele vai a Lavan, fugindo de seu irmão Essáv que desejava matá-lo, e por isso acaba virando escravo de Lavan, por nada menos que vinte anos. E ao final, fica rico e tem filhos e volta em paz. Mas ele também encontrou Essav no caminho de volta e, foi salvo dele, cumprindo seu voto. Ao final de tudo isso, ele não permaneceu na sua felicidade. Em vez disso [tal qual Bereshit 34: 1] lemos, Agora, Diná [filha dele com Leah] saiu [e acabou sendo estuprada, gerando o assassinato dos habitantes de Shehem].

Jacob was the first-born of the Holy One, as stated (in Exod. 4:22): ISRAEL IS MY FIRST-BORN SON. How happy he was! He saw a ladder, and (according to Gen. 28:12) THE ANGELS OF GOD WERE ASCENDING AND DESCENDING, as they looked at him with the Holy One standing above it. It is so stated (in Gen. 28:13): AND BEHOLD, THE LORD STOOD UPON IT…. Then he went to Laban, fled from Esau, became Laban's servant for twenty years, and in the end became wealthy, sired children, and returned in peace. He also met Esau, was saved from him, and paid his vow. But in the end he did not remain in his happiness. Instead (according to Gen. 34:1): NOW DINAH < THE DAUGHTER WHOM LEAH HAD BORNE TO JACOB > WENT OUT…, < and was raped >. There also came upon him the trouble over Joseph. Now surely if Jacob the Righteous, one to whom the Holy One had said: In whom I will be glorified, as stated (in Is. 49:3): ISRAEL, IN WHOM I WILL BE GLORIFIED, did not remain in his happiness, how much the less will the wicked < so remain >! [It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5 [4]): I SAY TO THE MERRYMAKERS: DO NOT MAKE MERRY.]

And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto Jacob, went out (Gen. 34:1). May it please our master to teach us whether a woman is permitted to walk about on the Sabbath while adorned with jewelry (gold medallions)? Thus do our masters teach us: A woman is prohibited from walking about on the Sabbath with a gold medallion suspended about her neck, with a signet ring upon her finger, or wearing an eyeless hairpin in her hair. If she wears any of these adornments in the public thoroughfare, she must bring a sin offering. In the courtyard of her home, however, she is permitted to wear them.

And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out (Gen. 34:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: All honor to the king’s daughter within the palace (Ps. 45:14). R. Yosé asserted: If a woman conducts herself modestly in her home, she is worthy of marrying a high priest, and of rearing high priests, as is written: All honor to the king’s daughter, etc. If she behaves honorably in her home, Her raiment is of chequer work (ibid.); that is, she will marry a man about whom Scripture says: And thou shalt weave a tunic in chequer work (Exod. 28:39).⁶Referring to the priestly vestments, which were of checkered work.

Observe that when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to fashion Eve, He gave considerable thought to the parts of Adam’s body out of which He would create her. He said: If I create her out of a portion of his head, she will be haughty; if I fashion her from his eyes, she will be inquisitive; if I mold her out of his mouth, she will babble; from the ear, she will be an eavesdropper; from the hands, she will steal; and from the feet, she will be a gadabout. What did He do? He fashioned her out of one of Adam’s ribs, a chaste portion of the body, so that she would stay modestly at home, as it is said: And the rib which the Lord had taken (Gen. 2:22). Nevertheless, women do not lack any of these failings. He did not create her from the head of Adam lest she be haughty, nevertheless the daughters of Zion arose and were haughty, as is said: Moreover, the Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty (Isa. 3:16). He did not fashion her from his eyes lest she be inquisitive, yet Eve was inquisitive, as it is said: And the woman saw that the tree was good (Gen. 3:6). He did not mold her from his mouth lest she babble, but Leah came and babbled, as it is written: And she said unto her: “Is it a small matter that thou hast taken away my husband?” (Gen. 30:15), and it states elsewhere: And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses (Num. 12:1). He did not create her from the ear, lest she eavesdrop, yet Sarah did eavesdrop, as is said: And Sarah heard in the tent door (Gen. 18:10); He did not fashion her out of his hand, lest she steal, nevertheless Rachel stole the teraphim, as it is said: And Rachel stole (ibid. 31:19); He did not create her from the foot, lest she be a gadabout, but Leah came and was a gadabout, as is said: And Leah went out (ibid. 30:16), and similarly Dinah went out (ibid. 34:1).

And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out to see (Gen. 34:1). Was she not also Jacob’s daughter? Indeed, but Scripture associates her name with that of her mother. Leah’s daughter (Dinah) loved to roam about just as her mother did. How do we know this about Leah? It is written: And Leah went out to meet him (Gen. 30:16). Ezekiel declared: Behold, everyone that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying: As the mother, so her daughter (Ezek. 16:44). To see should be read as “to be seen,” for though she went out to see, she was, in fact, seen, as it is said: And Shechem the son of Hamor … saw her (Gen. 34:2).

“And dominate /ur’du the fish of the sea”—said R’ Chanina: If [a person] merited, “dominate! /ur’du” [the animals]; and if not, “they will be dominated /yeiradu” [by the animals]. Said R’ Yaakov of K’far Chanan: The one that is “in our image as our likeness” – “dominate! /ur’du”; the one that is not in our image and in our likeness – “they will be dominated /yeiradu”.

(Gen. 34:1:) NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH < WHOM SHE HAD BORNE TO JACOB > WENT OUT. Let our master instruct us: Is is legitimate for a woman to go out with her jewelry on the Sabbath into a public place?⁴⁷Tanh., Gen. 8:5. Thus have our masters taught (according to Shab. 6:1): A WOMAN SHALL NOT GO OUT into a public place on the Sabbath with her jewelry, NOR WITH A HAIR NET … NOR WITH A GOLDEN TIARA, NOR WITH A CATELLA⁴⁸The Latin word denotes a small ornamental chain worn by women. {i.e., a type of jewelry} < … > NOR WITH A NEEDLE HAVING NO EYE. BUT, IF SHE SHOULD GO OUT, SHE IS NOT LIABLE FOR [A SIN OFFERING], < i.e., > when she goes out < of her rooms > with them < but remains > within the house. Let her not, however, go out into a public place with a single piece of jewelry. Now, our masters say: Even on a weekday she must not go out into a public place. Why? Because people will stare at her. Thus the Holy One gave jewelry to a woman only for her to adorn herself with them inside of the house; for one does not give an opening⁴⁹I.e., an occasion for transgression. to the trustworthy person, let alone to the thief. And so Job has said (in Job 31:1): I HAVE MADE A COVENANT WITH MY EYES. HOW THEN SHALL I GAZE ON A MAIDEN? Come and see Job's righteousness. If in the case of a maiden, at whom any man has a right to look, perhaps to marry her or perhaps to marry her to his son or to one of his kin, Job did not look at her, how much the less in the case of someone's wife, at whom he has no right to look. It is therefore written (in Ps. 45:14 [13]): ALL GLORIOUS IS THE KING'S DAUGHTER WITHIN. So, if she acts to conceal herself and is worthy, (ibid., cont.:) HER CLOTHING IS OF GOLD BROCADE. R. Levi said: She was worthy to raise up priests to put on the high priestly garments. Now there is no BROCADE except priestly garments. Thus it is stated (regarding Aaron's vestments in Exod. 28:13): AND YOU SHALL MAKE GOLD BROCADE. There is already an allusion in the Torah about this thing, that a woman should not go about a lot in a marketplace. Where? Where it is so written (in Gen. 1:28): THEN GOD BLESSED THEM, AND GOD SAID TO THEM: < BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY, FILL THE EARTH > AND SUBDUE HER. [AND SUBDUE HER is written < here >].⁵⁰Tanh., Gen. 2:12; Gen. R. 8:12; cf. Yev. 65b. The man subdues the woman, and the woman does not subdue the man. But, if she walks about a lot and goes out into the marketplace, she finally comes to a state of corruption, to a state of harlotry. And so you find in the case of Jacob's daughter Dinah. All the time that she was sitting at home, she was not corrupted by transgression; but, as soon as she went out into the marketplace, she caused herself to come to the point of corruption.

(Gen. 34:1:) NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH … WENT OUT. This text is related (to Prov. 11:12): ONE WHO DESPISES HIS NEIGHBOR IS LACKING IN SENSE. Whoever scorns his neighbor is called LACKING IN SENSE. But, if that same person who was despised was a person of knowledge and understanding, he would put his hand over his mouth and be silent. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): BUT A PERSON OF UNDERSTANDING WILL KEEP SILENT. (Prov. 11:12:) ONE WHO DESPISES HIS NEIGHBOR IS LACKING IN SENSE. This is Hamor,⁵¹A name which means “ass” in Hebrew. the father of Shechem, who said (in Gen. 34:8): THE SOUL OF MY SON, SHECHEM, LONGS FOR YOUR DAUGHTER. (Prov. 11:12, cont.:) BUT A PERSON OF UNDERSTANDING WILL KEEP SILENT. This is Jacob of whom it is stated (in Gen. 34:5): SO JACOB KEPT SILENCE UNTIL THEY CAME. For what reason? On account of this corruption (in Gen. 34:1-2): NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH, < WHOM SHE HAD BORNE TO JACOB > WENT OUT…. < THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR THE HIVITE, THE PRINCE OF THE LAND, SAW HER. SO HE TOOK HER, LAY WITH HER, AND VIOLATED HER >.

[(Gen. 34:1:) NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH … WENT OUT.] This text is related (to Ezek. 16:44): BEHOLD, EVERYONE WHO USES PROVERBS WILL USE A PROVERB ABOUT YOU AND SAY: LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER.⁵²See ySanh. 2:6 (29d); Gen. R. 80:1. These versions draw a conclusion missing here, that, like her mother, Leah, Dinah also played the harlot. Our master asked R. Hiyya: In what sense do you say: LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER? He said to him: Just as the altar, so are its priests. Rabbi (in his day) had taken a lot of pains with < this text >. He said to him: Tell < me > the truth; in what sense do you say it? He said to him: Just as the prince, so is the generation.⁵³‘Arakh. 17a.

Another interpretation (of Ezek. 16:44): LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER. This refers to Dinah. What is written of Leah (in Gen. 30:16)? LEAH WENT OUT TO MEET HIM. So also (in Gen. 34:1): NOW < LEAH'S DAUGHTER > DINAH … WENT OUT.

(Gen. 34:1:) NOW < LEAH'S DAUGHTER > DINAH … WENT OUT. This text is related (to II Kings 14:9): THE THISTLE THAT WAS IN LEBANON. This thistle was Shechem's father, Hamor.⁵⁴Gen. R. 80:3; cf. Tanh., Gen. 8:7; cf. also rule 26 in the thirty-two middot of R. Eliezer b. R. Jose the Galilean. (Ibid., cont.:) SENT TO THE CEDAR THAT WAS IN LEBANON. This is Jacob, as stated (in Ps. 92:13 [12]): THE RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL FLOURISH LIKE THE PALM, LIKE A CEDAR IN LEBANON SHALL HE GROW. (II Kings 14:9, cont.:) GIVE YOUR DAUGHTER TO MY SON FOR A WIFE. Thus it says (in Gen. 34:8): PLEASE GIVE HER TO HIM FOR A WIFE. (II Kings 14:9, cont.:) BUT A WILD BEAST PASSED BY. These are the tribes, who have been compared to wild beasts.⁵⁵See Gen. R. 99:4. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 49:9): JUDAH IS A LION'S WHELP, (in vs. 27:) BENJAMIN IS A RAVENOUS WOLF, (in vs. 21:) NAPHTHALI IS A HIND LET LOOSE, (and in vs. 14:) ISSACHAR IS A STRONG-BONED ASS. (II Kings 14:9, cont.:) AND TRAMPLED DOWN THE THISTLE. This is Hamor and his son Shechem, whom < the tribes > killed with the edge of the sword because of Dinah, as stated (in Gen. 34:1): NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH … WENT OUT. In every place the female child is accompanied by males, but here she is accompanied by her mother. Thus, the corruption had begun with her mother.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 34:1): NOW < LEAH'S DAUGHTER > DINAH … WENT OUT. But < had she gone out > from sin? After all, Jacob had said (in Gen. 32:11 [10]): I AM UNWORTHY OF ALL THE KINDNESSES. R. Aha said: < The Holy One said >: I have nourished your ancestors from their < good > deeds, but you say: I AM UNWORTHY! The Holy One said to him: Jacob, < it is > through your righteousness < that > I have done all these miracles of which you say that you are unworthy. But look, she is going out; yet your merit shall remain for you. (Gen. 34:1:) NOW < LEAH'S DAUGHTER > DINAH … WENT OUT.

[(Gen. 34:1:) NOW < LEAH'S DAUGHTER > DINAH … WENT OUT.] This text is related (to Prov. 1:25): BUT YOU HAVE SPURNED ALL MY COUNSEL AND WOULD NOT ACCEPT MY REBUKE. < The verse > speaks about Eve. When the Holy One wanted to create her,⁵⁶Tanh., Gen. 9:6; Gen. R. 18:2; 80:5. the Holy One said: If I create her from Adam's head, her spirit will be haughtily above her; < if > from his eyes, < she will be > flirtatious; < if > from his mouth, she will be loquacious; < if > from his hands, she will be a thief; < if > from his feet, she will be a gadabout. The Holy One said: All this counsel I took before I created her, and I did not depart from it. I said: If I create her from his head, her spirit will be haughtily above her; < yet >, as stated (in Is. 3:16): MOREOVER, THE LORD SAID: BECAUSE THE DAUGHTERS OF ZION ARE HAUGHTY…. < If > from his eyes; < yet >, (ibid., cont.:) < HER > EYES ARE ROVING ABOUT. < If > from < the > ears; < yet >, (in Gen. 18:10:) SARAH WAS LISTENING < AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT >. < If > from his mouth; < yet >, (in Numb. 12:1:) THEN MIRIAM … SPOKE < AGAINST MOSES >. < If > from his hands; < yet >, (in Gen. 31:19) RACHEL STOLE. < If > from his feet, she will be going in and out; < yet >, (in Gen. 34:1) DINAH … WENT OUT. Ergo (in Prov. 1:25): BUT YOU HAVE SPURNED ALL MY COUNSEL….

(Gen. 34:1:) NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH… WENT OUT. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: The male is always attributed to the wife, and the female, to the husband.⁵⁷See Tanh. (Buber), Lev. 4:4; Tanh., Lev. 4:3. Then why is this < daughter > attributed to her mother? Because her pregnancy was originally male. However, when Leah had borne six < sons >, Billah, two, and Zilpah, two, for a total of ten; then she prayed on behalf of < the barren > Rachel, and < the child > in her womb became female.⁵⁸See above, 7:19; Ber. 60a; Gen. R. 72:6. Ber. 60a explains that Jacob could have no more than twelve sons and that, therefore, if Leah’s seventh child were a son, there would only be one son left for Rachel to have. Then Rachel would not even be equal to one of the handmaidens. For that reason, she was attributed to her mother. (Gen. 34:1:) NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH … WENT OUT.

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: "And He built" is written; He contemplated from where to create her. He said: I will not create her from the head, lest she be haughty; I will not create her from the eye, lest she be coquettish; I will not create her from the ear, lest she be an eavesdropper; I will not create her from the mouth, lest she be a chatter-box; I will not create her from the heart, lest she be jealous; I will not create her from the hand, lest she be a thief; I will not create her from the leg, lest she be a run-about; rather, I will create create her from the most modest place on a person, as even when a person stands naked this place is covered. And as He created each and every limb of the woman, He would say to her: be a modest woman, be a modest woman! Nevertheless, "And they have disregarded all of my counsel" (Proverbs 1:25). I did not create her from the head, and yet she is haughty, as it says: "And they walk with stretched-forth necks" (Isaiah 3:16). And not from the eye, yet she is coquettish, as it says: "and with wanton eyes" (ibid.). And not from the ear, and yet she is an eavesdropper, as it says: "And Sarah listened from the entrance of the tent" (Genesis 18:10). And not from the heart, and yet she is jealous, as it says: "And Rachel was jealous of her sister" (Genesis 30:1). And not from the hand, and yet she is a thief, as it says: "And Rachel stole the idols" (Genesis 31:19). And not from the leg, and yet she is a run-about, as it says: "And Dinah went out..." (Genesis 34:1).

(Gen. 34:1:) < NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH, WHOM SHE HAD BORNE TO JACOB, WENT OUT > TO SEE THE DAUGHTERS OF THE LAND. TO SEE < implies > TO BE SEEN.⁵⁹The unpointed Hebrew text could be read either way by assuming a contraction of the passive common in Mishnaic Hebrew. See M.H. Segal, A Grammar of Mishnaic Hebrew (Oxford: Clarendon, 1958), section 115. See also Gen. 22:14, where the same contracted passive is used to explain a place-name based on the active Hebrew verb, “to see.” On Gen. 22:14, see E.A. Speiser, Genesis (“Anchor Bible,” 1; Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1964), pp. 163f. To what is the matter comparable? To one who was walking in the marketplace with a piece < of meat > in his hand.⁶⁰Gen. R. 80:5. A dog, having seen it, went after it, and snatched it from him. Thus did Dinah go out TO SEE (and TO BE SEEN) when Shechem saw her and seized her.⁶¹See Eccl. R. 10:8:1. Another interpretation (of Gen. 34:1): TO SEE THE DAUGHTERS OF THE LAND. When the children of Jacob came into the land of Israel, they began to exhibit their strength, their wealth, and their beauty. They exhibited their strength (according to Gen. 34:25): THAT TWO OF JACOB'S SONS, < SIMEON AND LEVI, BROTHERS OF DINAH >, [EACH TOOK HIS SWORD … AND KILLED EVERY MALE]. They exhibited their wealth (according to Gen. 33:17): BUT JACOB JOURNEYED TO SUCCOTH, BUILT A HOUSE FOR HIMSELF, AND MADE STALLS (sukkot) FOR HIS CATTLE. He began opening < cattle > bazaars.⁶²Gk.: katalusis (“resting place” or “inn”). See Gen. R. 79:6; Eccl. R. 10:8:1; Esth. R. 3:7. And where is it shown concerning their beauty? (In Gen. 34:1:) NOW LEAH'S DAUGHTER DINAH, WHOM SHE HAD BORNE TO JACOB, WENT OUT TO SEE AND TO BE SEEN.⁶³Note that the midrash understands the one verb, “see,” in both an active and passive sense. See above, note 59. (Gen. 34:2:) THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR THE HIVITE, THE PRINCE OF THE LAND, SAW HER. < It is > the wicked < who > "see." (Thus in Esth. 3:5:) WHEN HAMAN SAW. (Similarly in Gen. 28:6:) WHEN ESAU SAW. (So also here, in Gen. 34:2:) THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR … SAW. David said (in Ps. 69:24:) LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED SO THAT THEY DO NOT SEE.

... “He will save him because He delights in him.” (Tehillim 22:9) R’ Shimon ben Lakish said that the Holy One expressed His love for Israel with three languages of affection, with ‘cleaving,’ with ‘desiring,’ and with ‘wanting.’ With cleaving – “But you who cleave to the Lord your God are alive…” (Devarim 4:4) With desiring – “…did the Lord desire you…” (Devarim 7:7) With wanting – “…for the Lord wants you…” (Yeshayahu 62:4) We learn all of these from that wicked one of the story of “And Dinah went out…” (Bereshit 34:1) With cleaving – “And his soul cleaved to Dinah…” (Bereshit 34:3) With desiring – “My son Shechem his soul desires your daughter.” (Bereshit 34:8) With wanting – “…because he wanted Jacob's daughter…” (Bereshit 34:19) R’ Aba bar Elisha added two more, with love and with speaking to the heart. With love, as it says “I loved you, said the Lord…” (Malachi 1:2) With speaking to the heart, as it says “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem…” (Yeshayahu 40:2) We learn these also from the story of that wicked one – “…he loved the girl and spoke to the girl's heart.” (Bereshit 34:3) “He will save him because He delights in him.”

JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN
"OR went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and the serpent bit him" (Amos 5:19). When Jacob went into his house in the land of Canaan the serpent bit him. || And who was the serpent? This was Shechem, the son of Chamor. Because the daughter of Jacob was abiding in the tents, and she did not go into the street; what did Shechem, the son of Chamor, do? He brought dancing girls who were (also) playing on pipes in the streets. Dinah went forth to see those girls who were making merry; and he seized her, and he slept with her, and she conceived and bare Asenath. The sons of Israel said that she should be killed, for they said that now people would say in all the land that there was an immoral daughter in the tents of Jacob.

(5) And Sarai said to Avram: My anger is on you! (Genesis 16:5) Rabbi Yudan says, in the name of Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon: You made violence on me with your words. Why? Because you heard my being despised and you were silent. Rabbi Berachia in the name of Rabbi Aba bar Kahana said: I have a grievance against you! This is similar to two men who are imprisoned, and when the king passes through one says: King! Make justice for me! The king says to let him go. His companion said: I have a grievance against you! If you had said 'make justice for us' both of us would be free, but since you said 'make justice for me' he released you but not me. So too, had you [Avram] said "and we go childless" just as you got a child I would have gotten a child. But since you said "and I go childless" (Genesis 15:2) you received a child but not I. ... Rabbi Tanchuma said, in the name of Rabbi Chiyah... whoever runs after the characteristic of judgment does not escape its hands. Sarah should have reached the same age as Avraham, but because she said "may God judge between you and me" (Genesis 16:5) 38 years were deducted from her. Behold, it is written "And he came to Hagar, and she conceived" (Genesis 16:4) but it also says "behold you are pregnant and you will give birth to a son"(Genesis 16:11) it teaches you that Sarah set the evil eye upon Hagar, and she miscarried. Rabbi Chanina said: even if just the prophet Elisha had said that to her it would have been enough, rather, she merited to receive these news through the angel.

Dinah the daughter of Leah went out (Genesis 34,1) Why, everyone who uses proverbs applies to you the proverb “Like mother, like daughter.” (Ezekiel 16,44) Yosi from Me‘ona was giving Targum (translating in exegetical fashion) in Shul in Me‘ona the verse, (Hosea 5,1) “Hear this, O priests, Attend, O House of Israel, And give ear, O royal house…” He said, “In the future G-d will take the Cohanim and make them stand trial, saying to them ‘Why didn’t you put effort into learning Torah? Didn’t you have the 24 Priestly gifts?’ and the Cohanim responded, ‘They [Bnei Yisrael] didn’t give us anything.’ So Hashem says “‘Attend, O House of Israel,’ why didn’t you give the Cohanim their 24 gifts that are written in the Torah?” and Bnei Yisrael replied, “Because the taxes of Nasi already took it all.” So G-d turns to the house of the king, “‘And give ear, O royal house For right conduct is your responsibility’ it’s yours! [make sure that] ‘This then shall be the priests’ due from the people:’ (Devarim 18,3)therefore the [G-d’s] trait of judgment will befall you and your house! Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi heard this, was incensed, and left. Then Reish Lakish said to Rabbi Yehuda to appease him after the Yosi Me’ona incident, “Rebbe, we need to thank the nations of the world for bringing mimes into their theaters and circuses and performing before them, so they don’t come to talk to each and get into meaningless fights, Yosi Me’ona said a word of Torah and you’re so bothered by it?!? [Reish Lakish] continues, “Do you think he knows Torah?” Rabbi Yehuda, “Yes.” Reish Lakish, “Has he been taught and learned something?” Rabbi Yehuda, “Yes” Reish Lakish, “If we ask him something would he be able to answer? Rabbi Yehuda, “Yes.” Reish Lakish, “If so, let’s leave here and go see him.” [Reish Lakish] asks [Yosi from Me‘ona], “What is meant by the verse ‘Why, everyone who uses proverbs applies to you the proverb “Like mother, like daughter.”’ Yosi replies, "Like the daughter so too is the mother, the generation is like its Nasi, the altar is like its Cohanim. Around here we say like the garden so is the gardener." Reish Lakish said to him, “You still haven’t apologized for the first comment and you insult him again?” So what about the main point of ‘all who rule over you?’” Yosi said, “There is no cow that gores until its daughter is a kicker, no daughter prostitutes herself unless her mother has. Reish Lakish and Rabbi Yehuda, “Are you calling Leah our Matriarch a prostitute?!?” Yosi replied to them, “‘Leah went out to meet him [Yaakov]…’ and Leah went out dressed like a prostitute, therefor Dinah also went out dressed like a prostitute.”