Today, we’re diving into one particularly intense moment: Jacob's words about Simeon and Levi.

It all starts with the verse: "Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of villainy are their heritage" (Genesis 49:5). Ouch! But what does it mean?

The Midrash, specifically Bereshit Rabbah 99, unpacks this loaded statement, revealing layers of family drama and moral reckoning. Imagine Reuben, Jacob’s eldest, walking around dejected. Why? Because Jacob is laying into Simeon and Levi. Jacob calls them "brothers for degradation." He reminds them, "You were brothers for Dina," referencing their violent revenge after Shechem violated their sister, as it's written: "Two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dina’s brothers, each took his sword" (Genesis 34:25). But, Jacob pointedly asks, were they brothers when it came to Joseph? Because they certainly didn’t act like it when they sold him into slavery.

Rabbi Simlai adds another layer. He reminds us that it's written about Reuben: “In order to deliver him from their hand, to restore him to his father” (Genesis 37:22). This tells us that Reuben wasn't involved in selling Joseph. And Judah, another older brother, even questioned, "What profit [is there if we kill our brother]?" (Genesis 37:26). So, if Reuben and Judah were against it, who was behind it? Bereshit Rabbah suggests that it must have been Simeon and Levi, who organized the sale.

Want more proof? When the brothers later went to Egypt, who did Joseph (in disguise, of course) single out? Simeon. "He took Simeon from them [and incarcerated him before their eyes]" (Genesis 42:24). This is why Jacob lumps the two together.

Then comes the phrase, "weapons of villainy." What are those? Jacob says they were "stolen" by them. They belong to Esau, Jacob’s brother, who was told, "By your sword you shall live" (Genesis 27:40). The Midrash connects "villainy" to Esau, referencing the verse: "For the villainy to your brother Jacob" (Obadiah 1:10). So, according to Jacob, Simeon and Levi are wielding weapons that aren't even rightfully theirs; they belong to the archetype of the villain, Esau.

The text then delves into the meaning of "their heritage [mekheroteihem]". Rabbi Yoḥanan suggests it might be a Greek expression, makhirin, meaning swords or daggers. Others say it refers to "their residences [meguroteihem]," linking it to the verse: "Your origins [mekhorotayikh] and your birthplace" (Ezekiel 16:3). This could imply that their violent tendencies are deeply ingrained, part of their very being.

Jacob continues, "Let my soul not come in their company; with their assembly let my glory not be associated; for in their anger they killed men, and with their will they hamstrung oxen" (Genesis 49:6). The Midrash interprets this as Jacob disassociating himself from future misdeeds of their descendants. When Zimri, a Simeonite, commits a public act of immorality with Cozbi, Jacob doesn’t want his name mentioned there. And when Korah, a Levite, leads a rebellion against Moses, Jacob wants no association. In both cases, the lineage is traced back to Simeon or Levi, but stops short of Jacob.

But what about the phrase "they killed men [ish]"? Didn't they kill all the males of Shechem? The Midrash answers that, from God’s perspective, they were all considered as one man. Just as Isaiah says: “Behold [hen], nations may be regarded like a drop from a bucket…” (Isaiah 40:16). Hen, in Greek, means "one." So, their actions were seen as a singular, unified act of violence.

Finally, Jacob pronounces: "Cursed is their anger, as it is fierce, and their wrath, as it is harsh; I will divide them in Jacob, and I will disperse them in Israel" (Genesis 49:7). Notice he curses their anger, not them directly. The Midrash connects this to Bilam, who says, "How will I curse, where God has not cursed?" (Numbers 23:8). Even in anger, Jacob is careful.

"I will divide them in Jacob." How does this play out? The tribe of Simeon dwindles after the incident with Zimri. Tradition says that the widows of the fallen warriors had to be absorbed by other tribes. The tribe of Levi, on the other hand, becomes the priestly tribe, supported by tithes. Even though they are elevated, they still circulate, asking for their portion, fulfilling Jacob’s prophecy. The Holy One blessed be He elevated [Levi] and gave him one-tenth, and he circulates and says: ‘Give me my portion.’

So, what do we take away from this complex and troubling passage? It's a reminder that actions have consequences, rippling through generations. It's a meditation on the nature of anger and violence, and how even in moments of intense emotion, restraint and careful consideration are paramount. And perhaps most profoundly, it’s a glimpse into the burdens and complexities of family, and the enduring legacy – both positive and negative – that we inherit and pass on. What aspects of your family's legacy do you find yourself grappling with?