The Cursed Ones

While learning ספר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ  I came across an interesting similarity between the story of the גבעונים and the story of שכם in ספר בראשית. Let's begin with the story in יהשוע first. In פרק ט the Navi relates to us an incident that occurred to the Jewish people upon entering the land of Israel. The Navi tells us at that when the kings that were west of the Jordan and along the coast of the Mediterranean sea, heard about the advancing Jewish nation that they joined together their forces to battle against the Jewish people. There was however a population called the גבעונים that were afraid because they feared the G-d of Israel and chose instead, a path of peace. They approached the nation of Israel disguised as sojourners from a faraway land that had heard of the miracles of the G-d of Israel and had traveled a great distance in order that they could join this great nation. The ruse turned out to be successful. Joshua and the Jewish people were fooled into believing their story and as a result the גבעונים were sworn an oath of protection against any harm. It was only three days later that the Jewish people realized that they were fooled. When the  גבעונים were confronted, they replied in Perek 9  כד וַיַּעֲנוּ אֶת-יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֹּאמְרוּ, כִּי הֻגֵּד הֻגַּד לַעֲבָדֶיךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת-מֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ, לָתֵת לָכֶם אֶת-כָּל-הָאָרֶץ, וּלְהַשְׁמִיד אֶת-כָּל-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶם; וַנִּירָא מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵינוּ מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וַנַּעֲשֵׂה אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה.  כה וְעַתָּה, הִנְנוּ בְיָדֶךָ:  כַּטּוֹב וְכַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֶיךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת לָנוּ, עֲשֵׂה -But they replied  to Joshua,"you see,your servants had heard that the lord your G-D had promised His servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all the inhabitants of the country on your account; so we were in great fear for our lives on your account.That is why we did this thing. and now we are at your mercy;do with us what you consider right and proper." So יהשוע made these converts into wood cutters and water drawers for the community and the altar of the temple-
כז וַיִּתְּנֵם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, חֹטְבֵי עֵצִים וְשֹׁאֲבֵי מַיִם--לָעֵדָה; וּלְמִזְבַּח יְהוָה עַד-הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחָר. (later on King David appointed them to preside next to the Leviim in the service of the temple in Jerusalem-see Ezra 8:20).

In the story of  שכם we find  a similar story but with a much different outcome. The daughter of Jacob was raped by  שכם and as a result of his love/lust of her he wanted to join both his family and his people with the children of Jacob. By the story of  שכם,  it was the children of Jacob-specifically the brothers, Simeon and Levi that were deceiving.  They convinced  שכם and his people that they were willing to enter a covenant with  them  as long as they were willing to circumcise themselves. Here too, it was  on the "third day" after the circumcision, that Simeon and Levi killed everyone in the city(see  ספר בראשית - perek 34).

When we look at both stories we can see some very interesting similarities in both their content and also their wording.  Both stories involve the "third day" as the day of reckoning by שכם  and the day that  יְהוֹשֻׁעַ realized that he was fooled . Both  שכם and theגבעונים are Hivites.  We also find similar phrasing- the word (guile)בְּמִרְמָה is used to refer to the deception  by the brothers of   שכם  (pasuk 13) while by Joshua the word  בְּעָרְמָה  (cunning) is used when referring to the  גבעונים ( Joshua 9,4).
I find it also very interesting that at the end of his life, Jacob "cursed "the anger of Simeon and Levi(Bereishit 49,7) and when Joshua summoned the גבעונים,  after he found out that they had fooled him. He said to them, "therefore be accursed!"(Joshua 9,23).   

There is a real irony that the   גבעונים  who were a G-D fearing people (they believed in G-D and in the prophecy of Moshe) and therefore wanted to join the Jewish people, were appointed as wood cutters and water drawers for the house of G-D-next to/together with the tribe of Levi. This is the same Levi that hundreds of years earlier slaughtered   שכם and his people. In the end the fate of  both peoples were eventually joined. The same cursed Levites were joined together with their arch enemy, the cursed   גבעונים, in the service of the Jewish people and the temple of G-D.

גבעונים ושכם בן חמור החוי

While learning ספר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ  I came across an interesting similarity between the story of the גבעונים and the story of שכם in ספר בראשית. Let's begin with the story in יהשוע first. In פרק ט the Navi relates to us an incident that occurred to the Jewish people upon entering the land of Israel. The Navi tells us at that when the kings that were west of the Jordan and along the coast of the Mediterranean sea, heard about the advancing Jewish nation that they joined together their forces to battle against the Jewish people. There was however a population called the גבעונים that were afraid because they feared the G-d of Israel and chose instead, a path of peace. They approached the nation of Israel disguised as sojourners from a faraway land that had heard of the miracles of the G-d of Israel and had traveled a great distance in order that they could join this great nation. The ruse turned out to be successful. Joshua and the Jewish people were fooled into believing their story and as a result the גבעונים were sworn an oath of protection against any harm. It was only three days later that the Jewish people realized that they were fooled. When the גבעונים were confronted, they replied in Perek 9  כד וַיַּעֲנוּ אֶת-יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֹּאמְרוּ, כִּי הֻגֵּד הֻגַּד לַעֲבָדֶיךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת-מֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ, לָתֵת לָכֶם אֶת-כָּל-הָאָרֶץ, וּלְהַשְׁמִיד אֶת-כָּל-יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶם; וַנִּירָא מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵינוּ מִפְּנֵיכֶם, וַנַּעֲשֵׂה אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה.  כה וְעַתָּה, הִנְנוּ בְיָדֶךָ:  כַּטּוֹב וְכַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֶיךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת לָנוּ, עֲשֵׂה -But they replied  to Joshua,"you see,your servants had heard that the lord your G-D had promised His servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all the inhabitants of the country on your account; so we were in great fear for our lives on your account.That is why we did this thing. and now we are at your mercy;do with us what you consider right and proper." So יהשוע made these converts into wood cutters and water drawers for the community and the altar of the temple-
כז וַיִּתְּנֵם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, חֹטְבֵי עֵצִים וְשֹׁאֲבֵי מַיִם--לָעֵדָה; וּלְמִזְבַּח יְהוָה עַד-הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחָר. (later on King David appointed them to preside next to the Leviim in the service of the temple in Jerusalem-see Ezra 8:20).

In the story of  שכם we find  a similar story but with a much different outcome. The daughter of Jacob was raped by  שכם and as a result of his love/lust of her he wanted to join both his family  and his people with the children of Jacob. Over here it was the children of Jacob-specifically the brothers Simeon and Levi that did the deceiving.  They convinced  שכם and his people that they were willing to bring them into their family as long as they were willing to circumcise themselves. Here too it was  on the "third day" after the circumcision that Simeon and Levi killed everyone in the city, while the population was still recovering and in pain from their circumcision(see  ספר בראשית - perek 34)

When we look at both stories we can see some very interesting similarities in both these stories and their wording.  Both stories involve the "third day" as the day of reckoning. We also find similar phrasing. for instance we have the word (guile)בְּמִרְמָה being used to refer to the deception  by the brothers of   שכם  (pasuk 13). By Joshua we have the word  בְּעָרְמָה  (cunning) when referring to the  גבעונים (pasuk 4).

                         

                              NOTE


It's been more than ten years since I started working on this and I would like to discuss similarities between the story of שכם and פילגש בגבעה (many have pointed out the obvious similarities between  פילגש and Sodom but I have not seen discussed the comparisons below)


Notice that the only brother that was not yet alive during the rape of Dinah was בנימין.
Trauma in a theoretical model is not as effective as when one experiences it. Perhaps that's why later on by פילגש בגבעה, it was in the tribe of בנימין that this horrible rape was able to happen. His tribe didnot inherit the trauma of the rape of his sister, that so horrified the other tribes against this type of behavior.

We also see similar terminology between the two stories. To start with it was only after three days that the tribes were able to be victorious over the trible of בנימין (three days after circumcision of the people that  שמעון ולוי were able to kill all the males of the city).
Notice by the story of פילגש, the constant mentioning of חמור(donkey) which reminds us of  חמור the father of שכם. It also mentions  the word נבלה four times by the husband of the פילגש- Judges chapter 19

כג וַיֵּצֵא אֲלֵיהֶם, הָאִישׁ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם, אַל-אַחַי אַל-תָּרֵעוּ נָא; אַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר-בָּא הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה, אֶל-בֵּיתִי--אַל-תַּעֲשׂוּ, אֶת-הַנְּבָלָה הַזֹּאת. 
 כד הִנֵּה בִתִּי הַבְּתוּלָה וּפִילַגְשֵׁהוּ, אוֹצִיאָה-נָּא אוֹתָם וְעַנּוּ אוֹתָם, וַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם, הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם; וְלָאִישׁ הַזֶּה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ, דְּבַר הַנְּבָלָה הַזֹּאת

Judges 20-

ו וָאֹחֵז בְּפִילַגְשִׁי, וָאֲנַתְּחֶהָ, וָאֲשַׁלְּחֶהָ, בְּכָל-שְׂדֵה נַחֲלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל:  כִּי עָשׂוּ זִמָּה וּנְבָלָה, בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.

 י וְלָקַחְנוּ עֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים לַמֵּאָה לְכֹל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמֵאָה לָאֶלֶף וְאֶלֶף לָרְבָבָה, לָקַחַת צֵדָה, לָעָם--לַעֲשׂוֹת, לְבוֹאָם לְגֶבַע בִּנְיָמִן, כְּכָל-הַנְּבָלָה, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל

The same language of נבלה is said by Dinah-

לד,ז וּבְנֵי יַעֲקֹב בָּאוּ מִן-הַשָּׂדֶה, כְּשָׁמְעָם, וַיִּתְעַצְּבוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים, וַיִּחַר לָהֶם מְאֹד:  כִּי-נְבָלָה עָשָׂה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לִשְׁכַּב אֶת-בַּת-יַעֲקֹב, וְכֵן, לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה

We also see an interesting language by the seduction of Dinah- וידבר  על לב הנער

לד,ג וַתִּדְבַּק נַפְשׁוֹ, בְּדִינָה בַּת-יַעֲקֹב; וַיֶּאֱהַב, אֶת-הַנַּעֲרָ, וַיְדַבֵּר, עַל-לֵב הַנַּעֲרָ

By the פילגש in perek 19 a similar language is used-לדבר על לבה

ג וַיָּקָם אִישָׁהּ וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ, לְדַבֵּר עַל-לִבָּהּ להשיבו (לַהֲשִׁיבָהּ), וְנַעֲרוֹ עִמּוֹ, וְצֶמֶד חֲמֹרִים; וַתְּבִיאֵהוּ, בֵּית אָבִיהָ, וַיִּרְאֵהוּ אֲבִי הַנַּעֲרָה, וַיִּשְׂמַח לִקְרָאתוֹ. 


Finally the story by פילגש ends with the tribes feeling bad about the virtual destruction of the tribe of Benjamin by crying in the city of בית אל-shoftim 20-

ב וַיָּבֹא הָעָם, בֵּית-אֵל, וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם עַד-הָעֶרֶב, לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים; וַיִּשְׂאוּ קוֹלָם, וַיִּבְכּוּ בְּכִי גָדוֹל.

The story of Dinah ends with Yaakov recieving prophecy in בית אל-

לה,א וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל-יַעֲקֹב, קוּם עֲלֵה בֵית-אֵל וְשֶׁב-שָׁם; וַעֲשֵׂה-שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ--לָאֵל הַנִּרְאֶה אֵלֶיךָ, בְּבָרְחֲךָ 

If you look closely, you will see many more comparisons...

Amon and Moab

After Davening every Shabbos there is a Chinuch shiur followed by a kiddush. This week the group was learning about Amon and Moab and why even after conversion they are never allowed to marry a Jewish woman. This applies to all future generations and the prohibition is never lifted. The Chinuch explains that the reason for this is, that Amon and Moab refused to even sell food and water to the Jewish people when they passed near their territory before coming into the land of Israel. This behavior is counter to everything that the Jewish People and their ancestors stood for, Gemilat Chasodim. Our religion was built on helping and inviting people into our homes when they are in need. As a result of Amon and Moab's abhorrent behavior we reject them from entering our homes, even after conversion (it almost seems that Sodom influenced the children of Lot-my thought). The Chinuch continues that the females were not blamed or guilty of this behavior because it was not normal or modest in those days for woman to greet strangers into their homes. Therefore they are welcomed(after conversion) to marry Jewish males.
I find it ironic that Ruth (a convert from Moab)spent her days gathering from the fields of Boaz in order to sustain her mother-in-law,Naomi(a Jewess). It was this humility,love and concern for a fellow human being/Jew which was counter to the abhorrent behavior of her ancestors. As a result she eventually married Boaz. This marriage resulted in her building through her descendants,King David and the kingdom of Israel.

Yisro

R' Avraham Ben Harambam says that his father followed the opinion that Yisro came to Moshe after the giving of the Torah at Sinai. He says that otherwise it would have been too short of a time for Yisro to hear about the miracles and then arrive before Matan Torah. There is an irony here because this would mean that the two children of Moshe were not present at Mount Sinai. In Exodus Perek 18 pasuk 6, Yisro refers to the children as "her"(Tziporah's)children and not Moshe's children. The pasuk perhaps is telling us that as a result of his children not being present at Har Sinai they were not considered Moshe's children but were outside the influence of klal yisroel and were instead under her influence. In fact the Rambam writes in Yesodei Hatorah chapter 8 Halacha 1-2, that the reason we believe in the prophecy of Moshe is not because of the miracles that he performed but because of what we heard at Har Sinai. The Rambam also writes in his Igeret Teimon that anyone that denies the Torah or Moshe Rabbeinu, it can be assumed that his forefathers were not present at Har Sinai. So it is not surprising that a descendant of the children of Moshe was the infamous Michah that was known for his idol-Pesel Michah.

The question still remains why did the Torah tell the story of Yisro before Har Sinai if in fact it took place after. If we look at the advice that Yisro gave Moshe in judging the people we may have an answer. Yisro tells Moshe in Perek18 Pasuk 20 "and you shall make known to them the path in which they should go and the deeds that they should do". The Rambam states in his Sefer Minyan Mamitzvohs(Shoresh 2),that many mitzvohs are learned out from this pasuk that fall under the single mitzvah of "love thy neighbor". They include doing gracious deeds,visiting the sick,burying the dead,laws between man and his fellow man(monetary laws) and performing good deeds even outside the letter of the law. Yisro then tells Moshe in Pasuk 21, that he should appoint judges from "men of accomplishment,G-D fearing people,men of truth and people who despise money". The Rambam in Sanhedrin perek 2 halacha 7 explains "men of accomplishment" as one that is strong in the commandments and controls his urges until there is no embarrassment or bad name. Also included from "men of accomplishment"is to save the oppressed from the oppressor(justice). He continues that "men of truth" means people that run after righteousness,who love truth and hate corruption. He then says that"Who despise money" are people that aren't busy running after money.
It is this kind of person, that has accomplished these kind of attributes and perfections that can potentially rise to the level of the Jews at Har Sinai and possibly relive the experience of prophecy. It is for this reason that the Torah tells us the story of Yisro before Har Sinai. Yisro is in fact the future recipe to our reliving the experience throughout history.