We studied the RAPE of Dinah, the only recorded daughter of Jacob/Israel this morning.  It was interesting to follow the responses to the unfolding of the drama of Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, who forced Dinah to submit to sexual intercourse and THEN asked his father to arrange a marriage for him and Dinah whom he had taken into his household.  Now, Jacob/Israel, waited for his sons who were working in the fields to return before he would consider the match.  The details were such that there could be no expiation for the sin committed by Schechem but a marriage between the two peoples could be arranged IF the Hivites would agree to be circumcised. The deal was consummated in the sense that the Hivite males WERE circumcised but then in their weakness, the brothers of Dinah (born of the same mother) went into the city and while the men there slept in pain they were all “put to the sword.”

It is interesting that Dinah says no words that were considered important enough to be recorded. Her history ceases when her rapist who wanted to marry her and was willing to mingle the two peoples was killed for his crime. I found it very interesting that, although women were the chattels of the men in their families that so much time was devoted to this story in the account of how Jacob became Israel and thus the father of the Jewish people ever after. Jacob was a liar and a thief who stole Isaac’s birthright from Esau and the blessing that was to be Esau’s.  He was not much to be proud about but such is human behavior and family dealings.  He made restitution with his brother Esau, if such it could be called. He dealt harshly with some of his sons and favored only Joseph and Benjamin. He had no part in settling the difficult problem of his daughter, a victim of rape.

I thought about the women and children of the Hivites who were taken into slavery and, although not stated, the women were raped. There was and is a double standard throughout history down to today in the way the female half of our human population is treated.  A little baby girl was named in Temple this morning during services where the portion containing the story of Dinah was read.  She was cherished, petted and loved by a very large turn out of her relatives and friends.  Her future will be very different from that of Dinah of whom we know so little except for the cause of shame, retribution and exacting special requirements for adult males to become Jews. Yet, women still suffer the ancient curse of Eve who bleeds monthly for her sin and among themselves they seem to accept this as just.

As an aside, Isaac Schectman, my father’s name was read, the anniversary of his death at age 65 in 1949, at the service today.