[Avodah] RSRH about Shimon and Levi

[Meir Rabi]

Is it not striking that in the dialogue between YaAkov and his sons, the
Torah leaves the sons with the last word, "should our sister then be treated
like a harlot?"?

[BTW the two question marks looks bizarre is it correct?]

 

Perhaps the response was not a matter of principle, that's no way to treat
my sister; but a matter of survival - If we allow this to go unpunished then
we will certainly be seen as easy prey and attacked from all quarters. Is
the T saying this is a legitimate and unanswerable position? But
nevertheless it is not the T way?

 

In a slightly similar fashion Yosef tells his brothers Bereishis 50:19,
"don't worry I am not going to harm you, even though you deserve to be for
your terrible behaviour [since they never resolved and gained Mechilah from
Yosef] because I understand that this is to meted out by HKBH and I am not
HKBH." This is reflected in the Medrash of R Bachya that the Paytan of the
ten martyrs puts the accusation/rationalisation in the mouth of the torturer
that the martyrs are being tortured for the unresolved sin of the ten
brothers against Yosef. 

 

Meir Rabi

 

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