[Avodah] Did RSRH Write LH about Shimon and Levi

[Yitzhak Grossman]

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:35:29 EST
T613K at aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 12/15/2008, celejar at gmail.com writes:
> 
> RnTK  takes for granted that Dinah was kidnapped and raped, but there is
> actually  no textual basis for these assumptions.  There is no clear
> indication  that any force was involved; the word 'va'ye'a'neha is
> problematic, but it  is far from clear that it implies force - see, e.g.,
> the remarks of Rashi,  Ibn Ezra and Ramban.  
> 
> 
> >>>>>
> I didn't look at Ibn Ezra but there is no possible  way to read Rashi and 

Look at Ibn Ezra.

> Ramban and see in the word "vayena'eha" anything other  than force.  Ramban notes 
> the use of the same word with the Pilegesh  BeGiv'ah.  Any reading of these 
> pesukim that sees seduction rather than a  violent crime is simply perverse.  
> Ramban on Ber 34:2 is long but everyone  should read it.
>  
> Rashi says "Vayishcav -- kedarka" and "veyena'eha -- shelo kedarka" -- very  
> very plain that Shechem raped Dinah more than once and more than way -- just a 

Not plain at all.  More than one way, certainly.  Rape, unclear.

>  horrendous crime against a young girl -- and he didn't let her go after he  
> violated her, either, but kept her as his prisoner.

Says you.  What's the textual evidence?  As I mentioned, the Torah
merely states "va'yedaber al lev ha'na'ara", and makes no mention of
her response. 

> To quote just a few snippets from Ramban (Chavel translation):

...

Of course Ramban maintains that she was raped.  It's Rashi and Ibn Ezra
who don't say anything about rape.

> One more thing about pesukim 34:25-26 -- "Shimon and Levi, THE  BROTHERS OF 
> DINAH, took each man his sword and came to the city...and killed  Chamor and 
> his son Shechem by the sword and they took Dinah from the house of  Shechem."  
> Rashi there says that they are called "the brothers of Dinah"  there "lefi 
> shemasru atzman aleha"  -- i.e., they risked their lives for  her, they put 
> themselves out for her sake, more than any of the other brothers  they felt for her 
> pain and risked everything to rescue her.  Rashi's words  also suggest a 
> sympathy and warmth towards the brothers and their protectiveness  towards their 
> sister.

Certainly, but brothers can feel protective and supportive of sisters
who succumb to seduction and the blandishments of attractive, powerful
men, and not just to victims of rape.

> And finally to quote Ramban again, 34:12 >>Scripture does not  mention what 

You have ignored the Medrashim I cited.

> --Toby Katz

Yitzhak
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