Just Retribution?

Weekly Torah Lesson

Parsha: Va Yishlach – and he sent
Torah: Bereishit 32:3 – 36:43

** “Just Retribution” is the concept that the punishment fits the crime. I am curious to know what your thoughts are about the following situation.

BeReishit 34:2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. 3 And his soul joined to Dinah the daughter of Ya’akov, and he loved the damsel, and spoke kindly to the damsel. 4 And Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.

** When Yaakov heard about the rape of his daughter, he was quiet. There were plenty of natives living in the surrounding area that could have easily overwhelmed Yaakov and his family.

** When Yaakov’s sons heard about the crime, they were enraged. They quickly devised a plan to avenge the rape of their sister. The agreement reached between the natives and Yaakov’s sons was that all the native males would be circumcised before the family and the natives could be assimilated. Now, Hamor and Shechem had to persuade the men of their town to agree to be circumcised.

24 And to Hamor and to Shechem his son listened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.

** The residents of the town agreed and allowed themselves to be circumcised. The timing was right.

25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Ya’akov, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took each man his sword, and came on the city boldly, and slew all the males. 26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out. 27 The sons of Ya’akov came on the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their donkeys, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, 29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house. 30 And Ya’akov said to Simeon and Levi, You have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. 31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?

** What are your thoughts?