The Rape of Dinah and the Seeds of Redemption

 

One of the most tragic and perplexing stories in the entire Tanach takes place in Parshas Vayishlach, Genesis 34, with the abduction and rape of Jacob’s only daughter Dinah. 

While it is clear that the Torah is communicating many layers to this story including the condemnation of rape, abuse, and the support of female victims, there is a deeper mystical layer as well, one that touches on the Secrets of Creation and the Roots of Redemption. 

There are many intriguing details that can be gleaned from the text that hint to us that there is a hidden layer within this narrative. One of these facts comes out right in the beginning of the story in Genesis 34:3, where it describes, after the son of the local ruler Shechem ben Chamor abducts and violates Dinah, things take an unexpected turn:

וַתִּדְבַּ֣ק נַפְשׁ֔וֹ בְּדִינָ֖ה בַּֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֶּֽאֱהַב֙ אֶת־הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל־לֵ֥ב הַֽנַּעֲרָֽ

Being strongly drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and in love with the maiden, he spoke to the maiden tenderly.

You see instantly that this brutish, careless abuser suddenly turns into someone warm, sensitive and loving. How did this happen? What trait did Dinah possess that helped transform Shechem so quickly?

In addition, according to the Midrash, from this forced encounter, Dinah bore a daughter named Osnath, who ended up traveling down to Egypt and marrying Yosef. Now that is very interesting! Because according to another Midrash, Yosef and Dinah are very closely connected. When Leah sensed that she was destined to have a 7th son, that would mean that her sister, Rochel would have less tribes than the maidservants Bilah and Zilpah. In order to spare the dignity of her sister, she davened that the fetus get switched with her sister Rochel, so Leah would give birth to female Dinah and Rochel would give birth to Yosef. 

So Osnath marrying Yosef in the end is a real unification of sorts of the very same soul. In addition, we see a close connection between Yosef and Shechem itself. Yosef’s son Ephraim was given the portion of Shechem in Eretz Yisrael and Yosef was indeed buried in Shechem where his tomb exists today.

And if we think about it, Yosef and Osnath were actually the perfect Shidduch. Two people who both came from the house of Yaakov, both felt that they were rejected by the family, both forcibly sent down to Egypt, both suffered unwanted sexual advances and other personal tragedies. Yet despite all of this, they were two people who never lost their faith, were able to rise up the ranks and maintain their elevated status even in this most immoral and decadent surroundings. A match made in heaven!

But back to our original question. What gave Shechem a merit in all of this and what gave Dinah the power to transform him to the good?

The Arizal in Likutei Torah, Parashat Vayishlach describes that beneath Shechem’s heinous actions and tough exterior was actually supreme sparks of holiness. We see that although Shimon and Levi tricked Shechem and his people into performing a Bris Milah, nonetheless, the fact that he underwent this physical covenant, meant that deep down he was connected to Kedusha. 

According to Maharash M'Astropoli in Likkutei Shoshanim, Shechem ben Chamor was really the root soul of Rabbi Akiva. We see a hint to this where Rabbi Akiva describes that in his former life, he desired to bite Talmidei Chachamim like a donkey (Chamor). Shechem ben Chamor felt inside this deep connection with Dinah. And while he was clearly mistaken in taking her by force, we see their union unlocked something deep within him that wanted to connect to Klal Yisrael on the highest level. 

When Shimon and Levi came to rescue their sister and they executed Shechem ben Chamor, this represented the completion of his tikkun which would later be resurrected in the life of Rabbi Akiva and living through his next generation of Osnath and Yosef. 

In addition, perhaps we can suggest that Rabbi Akiva’s life and marriage was a microcosm of the Final Redemption itself. He married two women, the first was the famous Rochel who brought him to Teshuva and Torah greatness. After she died, he married the wife of Turnus Rufus, a beautiful convert who brought him much wealth. According to the Arizal this woman came from the soul of Leah and by Rabbi Akiva marrying her, he brought about the unification between these two sisters. This is hinted to by the Final Redemption being heralded by Moshiach ben Yosef, from Rochel and Moshiach ben Dovid, from Leah. 

Rabbi Akiva lived in a quasi-messianic era and in fact felt that Bar Kochba was, or at least had the potential to be in the Moshiach himself. Rabbi Akiva is very connected to Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe saw Rabbi Akiva teaching Torah when he went up to heaven. According to our tradition, both of them lived to the prime age of 120. The Midrash in Shemos Rabba 2:4 says that Moshe will be leading the people in the Final Redemption just as he did in the first redemption. 

The Torah is teaching us a profound insight. Nobody is excusing Shechem’s violent actions. But within the deepest personal and national tragedies, Hashem is driving the world to its Masterplan. We can choose to play victim and wallow in the past. Or we can rise up, just like Dinah, Yosef, Osnath, Moshe and Rabbi Akiva and understand that we aren’t limited by our challenges in life. We can use them to help propel us to greater heights and levels of leadership. This is what the Messianic process is really about, revealing hidden sparks and bringing light to the greatest darkness.