The story starts with a quote from (Genesis 49:5): "Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of villainy are their heritage." But what does it really mean? Bereshit Rabbah, an ancient collection of rabbinic interpretations of Genesis, unpacks this verse with layers of meaning (Bereshit Rabbah 98). It suggests that while Simeon and Levi were indeed brothers of Dinah, their sister, they weren’t quite seen as brothers in the same light as, say, Joseph.
And those "weapons of villainy"? The mekheroteihem? Jacob accuses them of possessing weapons that were essentially stolen. And who are these weapons fitting for? According to the text, they’re fitting for Esau, who makhar – sold – his birthright. It's a clever play on words, linking violence and betrayal.
Things get heavier. 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). This isn't just a father's disappointment; it's a profound spiritual separation.
The Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) connects this verse to specific events. "Let my soul not come in their company" alludes to the Israelite men's involvement with the Midianite women in Shittim – a deeply troubling episode of idolatry and immorality. And who was a leader in that debacle? Zimri son of Salu, a prince of the tribe of Simeon. Yikes.
"With their assembly let my glory not be associated" – that's tied to the rebellion of Korah, who challenged Moses' leadership. The text emphasizes that in these shameful moments, the Torah pointedly avoids mentioning that these individuals are "sons of Jacob." It's as if their actions severed the familial connection.
But there's a glimmer of hope. The same phrase, "With their assembly let my glory not be associated," finds redemption in the Temple service. The Levites, descendants of Levi, stood on the platform to sing, their voices a testament to praise. As we find in (1 (Chronicles 6:2)3), their lineage is proudly traced all the way back to Israel (Jacob). Redemption through service and devotion.
Now, about that "killing men" and "hamstringing oxen." The Midrash interprets the singular "man" (ish) as referring to Hamor, the father of Shechem. And the "hamstrung oxen"? That's where it gets really interesting. Rabbi Hunya and Rabbi Yirmeya, quoting Rabbi Aḥiya bar Abba, suggest it represents undermining the "security wall" of potential converts to Judaism. The massacre following the circumcision of the residents of Shechem created a chilling effect, making potential proselytes afraid of conversion.
There's even a fascinating detail about the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Torah. The story goes that the seventy-two elders, tasked with translating the Torah for King Ptolemy, subtly changed "killed men…and hamstrung oxen" to "killed oxen…and undermined troughs." Why? To soften the image of Simeon and Levi and avoid portraying them as murderers.
Finally, we arrive at (Genesis 49:7): "Cursed be 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." But hold on. Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Azarya, citing Rabbi Yoḥanan, explain that Jacob isn't cursing them, but their anger. It's a crucial distinction. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon offers a beautiful analogy: a king, seeing a serpent destined to bite his son, curses the serpent, not the son.
The "dividing" and "dispersing"? This is seen as the destiny of the tribes of Levi and Simeon. Levi, as in (Numbers 18:20), would have no land inheritance, instead serving in the Temple: "I am your portion [ḥelkekha] and your inheritance." Simeon, on the other hand, would be scattered throughout Israel. Rabbi Tanhuma notes that many of the poor came from the tribe of Simeon.
So, what do we take away from this complex and layered story? It's a reminder that actions have consequences, rippling through generations. But it's also a story of potential redemption, of finding purpose and meaning even in the face of a difficult legacy. It’s a powerful reminder that we are not defined solely by the mistakes of our ancestors, but by what we choose to do with the present. It's about harnessing the potential for good, even when shadowed by the past. And that, perhaps, is the most hopeful message of all.
“Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of villainy are their heritage” (Genesis 49:5) “Simeon and Levi are brothers” – brothers of Dina but not brothers of Joseph. “Weapons of villainy are their heritage [mekheroteihem]” – he said to them: These weapons in your possession have been stolen by you. For whom are they fitting? It is for mekheroteihem – for Esau, who sold [makhar] the birthright. “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). “Let my soul not come in their company” – when they come to take counsel in Shitim.36When the Israelite men engaged in harlotry with the Midianite women, in Shitim, one of their leaders, who encouraged this practice, was the prince of the tribe of Simeon, Zimri son of Salu. “With their assembly let my glory not be associated” – when they assemble against Moses in the congregation of Koraḥ.37In these instances, when the Torah identifies the perpetrators of these crimes, who descended from the tribes of Simeon and Levi, the verses do not mention that they are sons of Jacob. “With their assembly let my glory not be associated” – but for the platform, let my name be associated, when his descendants stand on the platform,38When the Levites stand on the platform to sing as part of the Temple service. as it is stated: “These are those who stood, and their sons, [from the sons of the Kehatites:] Heiman [the singer, son of Yoel, son of Samuel]” (I Chronicles 6:18). Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Ḥanina, and Rabbi Pinḥas: The three of them said: “Son of Yitzhar, son of Kehat, son of Levi, son of Israel” (I Chronicles 6:23).39In the verse regarding the congregation of Koraḥ, his lineage is traced only as far as Levi, but here the lineage is traced back to Jacob. “For in their anger they killed men [ish]”40The Hebrew ish is in the singular. – this is Ḥamor father of Shekhem. “Hamstrung [ikeru] oxen [shor]” – they undermined [akartun] the security wall [shuran] of proselytes.41As a result of the massacre following the circumcision of the residents of Shekhem, all proselytes will fear that perhaps the same will befall them after their circumcision. Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Aḥiya bar Abba: As it is written: “And with their will they hamstrung [ikeru] oxen” – in order to fulfill the will of your inclination, you undermined [akartem] the security wall of proselytes. “Undermined a trough” – this is one of the matters that they emended for King Ptolemy.42The seventy-two elders assembled by King Ptolemy introduced several emendations into the translation of the Torah into Greek (see Megilla 9a). One of them was that instead of writing, “killed men…and hamstrung oxen,” they wrote, “killed oxen…and undermined troughs,” so Ptolemy would not deem them murderers. “Cursed be 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). “Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce” – Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: [Jacob] increased the number of hot-tempered bohaknin43These were individuals afflicted with bohak, a skin condition characterized by white blotches on the skin. When the blotches appeared on the face, this was considered a sign that the individual was hot-tempered. among them. That is what is said regarding one who is afflicted with bohak patches, that he is hot-tempered. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: [This is analogous] to a king who had a son, and the king foresaw that a serpent was destined to bite his son. He said: May the serpent that seeks to bite my son be cursed. So, [Jacob] came to curse them, but he cursed their anger. “Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce, and their wrath [ve’evratam], as it is harsh” – and their transgression [vaaveratam], as it is harsh.44He did not curse them; rather, he cursed the anger and the transgression that was caused by that anger. “I will divide them [aḥalkem] in Jacob” – this is the tribe of Levi: “I am your portion [ḥelkekha] and your inheritance” (Numbers 18:20). “And I will disperse them in Israel” – this is the tribe of Simeon. That is what is said: Most of the poor were from the tribe of Simeon. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Although we explain and say: “And the cities that you shall give from the holding of the children of Israel, [from the greater you shall increase and from the lesser you shall decrease]” (Numbers 35:8), six cities, they and their open land, all of them were from Simeon.45The Torah states that forty-eight cities were to be given to the Levites (Numbers 35:7–8). Of these, nine were from the tribes of Judah and Simeon (Joshua 21:9-16). The midrash states that six of them were from Simeon and only three from Judah, despite the fact that Simeon was a small tribe and had only seventeen cities. When they saw that he was rebuking them,46When the rest of Jacob’s sons saw that he had rebuked Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. they began departing to the corners. When he saw that they were departing to the corners, he began calling each and every one.
