Why Dinah Went Out To See and To Be Seen at Shechem

"To see the daughters of the land" (Genesis 34:1) — "to see" implies "to be seen." To what is the matter comparable? To one who was walking through the marketplace with a piece of meat in his hand. A certain dog saw it, went after it, and snatched it from him. So too was Dinah going out to see, and Shechem saw her and snatched her. Another interpretation of "to see the daughters of the land": When the sons of Jacob came to the Land of Israel, they began to display their strength, their wealth, and their beauty. They displayed their strength, as it is written, "and two of the sons of Jacob took, [each man his sword … and they killed every male]" (Genesis 34:25). They displayed their wealth, as it is written, "And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and for his cattle he made booths" (Genesis 33:17) — he began to open stalls. And their beauty, from where? "And Dinah the daughter of Leah went out" — to see and to be seen. "And Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her" (Genesis 34:2). The wicked "see": "And Haman saw" (Esther 3:5); "And Esau saw" (Genesis 28:6); "And Shechem the son of Hamor saw them" (Genesis 34:2). David said, "Let their eyes be darkened that they see not" (Psalms 69:24).