Dina, daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land (Genesis 34:1). “Dina, daughter of Leah…went out.” “Behold, all who cite proverbs will cite this proverb about you, saying: Like the mother is her daughter” (Ezekiel 16:44) – Yosei of Maon interpreted in the synagogue of Maon: “Hear this, priests, and listen, house of Israel, and hearken, house of the king” (Hosea 5:1) – he said: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to take the priests, place them on trial, and say to them: ‘Why did you not toil in Torah?
Did you not benefit from twenty-four priestly gifts?’ And they say to Him: ‘They did not give us anything.’ “Listen, house of Israel” – ‘why did you not give the priests twenty-four priestly gifts that I wrote for you in the Torah?’ They say to Him: ‘It is because of those from the house of Nasi,1The political leader. who take it all.’
“Hearken, house of the king, as judgment is yours” – ‘was it yours?2God tells the king. “This will be the due of the priests” (Deuteronomy 18:3). Therefore, to you and upon you, the attribute of justice will turn.’ Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi II] 3Grandson of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. heard and was angry.
At dusk, Reish Lakish ascended and inquired after the wellbeing of Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi II] and placated him regarding Yosei of Maon. He said to him: ‘Rabbi, we must be grateful to the nations of the world, who introduce clowns into their theaters and circuses so that they would not converse with one another and come to gratuitous altercations. Yosei of Maon said a Torah matter, and you became angry with him.'
He said to him: ‘And does he know anything of matters of Torah?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ ‘Has he received the Oral Law?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ ‘If I ask him, will he respond?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ ‘If so, let him ascend to here,’ and he ascended to there.
He [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi II] said to him: ‘What is what is written: “Behold, all who cite proverbs will cite this proverb about you, saying: Like the mother is her daughter”?’ He said to him: ‘Like the daughter, so is her mother; like the generation, so is the nasi; like the altar, so are its priests. Here they say: According to the garden, the gardener.’ Reish Lakish said to him: ‘Until now I have not finished placating him over that one, and now you are bringing another upon us?’ [Reish Lakish said to Yosei of Maon ]‘What is the essence of: “Behold, all who cite proverbs”?’4What is the literal explanation of the phrase that the daughter is like the mother?
He [Yosei of Maon] said to him: ‘There is no cow that is prone to gore that does not have a calf that kicks. There is no woman who engages in promiscuity that does not have a daughter who engages in promiscuity.’ They said to him: ‘If so, Leah our matriarch was a harlot?’ He said to them: ‘“Leah came out to meet him…” (Genesis 30:16) – she came out adorned like a harlot.’ That is why, “Dina, daughter of Leah…went out.”'