Комментарий к Берешит 34:30

עכרתם YE HAVE TROUBLED ME — This has the same meaning as (Berakhot 25b) “troubled (עכורים) waters” (i.e. waters that are disturbed, not clear). He meant “Now my mind will never be clear (without worry)”. There is an Agada, (Genesis Rabbah 80:12) “He said: the wine in the cask was clear but you have troubled it”. The Canaanites had a tradition that they would fall by the hands of the sons of Jacob, but they thought that this would happen only when the condition was fulfilled as expressed in the verse (Exodus 23:30) “when thou shalt in-crease, then shalt thou inherit the land”; consequently they had been silent until now (i.e. they had not attacked them).

להבאישני, to ruin our reputation. We have the same word used in a similar sense in Exodus 5,21 הבאשתם את ריחנו, where the overseers of the Jewish people accuse Moses and Aaron after the failure of their first audience with Pharaoh which had resulted in an increased workload, that they had ruined the reputation of the people as diligent workers.

להבאישני, the local population would accuse us of having gone back on our agreement after the people of Shechem had circumcised themselves.

Yaakov said. Yaakov had thought that they intended to rescue Deenah with their subterfuge and perhaps to kill Shechem as well, not to slaughter the entire city.

ויאמר...עכרתם, an expression meaning “destruction.” The word is used in this sense in Samuel I 14,29 עכר אבי את הארץ, “my father has destroyed the land.” [I do not see this meaning in the root עכר either here or in Samuel. I would translate it more appropriately as “confused, caused confusion. Ed.]

“When your numbers will increase, then will you inherit the land.” This is a verse in Parshas Mishpatim (Shemos 23:30). It implies: after you are fruitful and multiply, then you will inherit.

מתי מספר means A FEW MEN.

להבאשני, to cause me shame. The Canaanites in the region will despise me and try to remove me from the district as one removes a person who exudes a putrid stench. Yaakov reacted in the time-honoured fashion of being afraid, almost a trademark of his, whereas his sons were stout-hearted men willing to avenge the shame inflicted upon their very personalities.

They had, therefore, been silent. But now they will think the time has come, and they will attack us.