Today, let's step into the world of the sons of Jacob, and listen to the final exhortations of Simon to his sons.
Like his brother Reuben before him, Simon focused intently on a particular vice: unchastity. Why? Because, according to him, it's the root of all evil! Can you imagine? The mother of all evil! That’s a pretty strong statement.
And what are the consequences of this vice? Simon warns his sons that unchastity separates a person from God, and abandons them to Behar. Who is Behar? Well, the text doesn't elaborate here, but we understand it to be a demonic force, an embodiment of temptation and destruction. So, unchastity doesn’t just have earthly consequences, it has spiritual ones too.
But Simon doesn't stop there. He goes on to deliver a prophecy, a grim prediction for his descendants. "In the writings of Enoch I saw that your sons would be corrupted through unchastity, and they would maltreat the sons of Levi with the sword." Wow. He’s not mincing words, is he?
He foresees conflict, specifically between his descendants and those of Levi. And it's not going to be a pretty picture. His sons will be corrupted and violent towards Levi's line. It’s interesting that he references the writings of Enoch here. These texts, though not part of the standard biblical canon, were clearly influential in the thought of the time.
But there’s a glimmer of hope, or perhaps a sense of divine justice, in his words. "But they will not be able to do aught against Levi, for the war he will wage is the war of the Lord, and he will vanquish all your armies." Levi, it seems, will be protected. His cause is righteous, divinely ordained. He will win.
And what will be the fate of Simon's descendants? "As a small remnant you will be scattered among Levi and Judah, and none among you will rise to be a judge or a king of our people, as, my father Jacob prophesied in his blessing." A stark pronouncement. Diminishment. Scattering. No leadership. It’s a heavy burden to lay on his children as he departs from this world.
Simon's warning is a powerful reminder that choices have consequences, rippling effects that can impact generations to come. But it also illustrates a key theme within Jewish thought: The idea that righteousness, particularly when aligned with divine will, ultimately triumphs. It's a message of caution, but also a message of hope. Even in the face of corruption and conflict, the righteous path offers protection and ultimate victory.