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Why did the brothers propose circumcision to Shechem after Dinah's violation? Rashi (רש"י) calls their plan "chochmah" (wisdom), not merely trickery. The shiur develops that they created a litmus test: if Shechem would endure pain and change to earn the privilege of marrying into Yaakov's family, he'd retroactively acknowledge their dignity—a wiser resolution than striking back in fury.
This shiur explores the narrative of Dinah's abduction by Shechem and the brothers' response in Parshas Vayishlach. The Torah (תורה) describes the brothers as both deeply pained (va'yis'atzu) and furious (va'yichar lahem me'od) when they heard what happened. Yet their response was to propose a treaty requiring circumcision of all the men of Shechem. The Torah calls this "va'ya'anu bnei Yaakov...b'mirmah" (the sons of Yaakov answered with mirmah). The Ramban (רמב"ן) questions the straightforward reading: if the brothers' plan was trickery from the start—intending to kill the city after they weakened themselves through circumcision—then why did Yaakov later complain to Shimon and Levi? He should have been a co-conspirator. The Ramban therefore explains that the original plan was only to weaken Shechem enough to retrieve Dinah; Shimon and Levi independently decided to destroy the entire city, which is why Yaakov singled them out for rebuke.
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Bereishis 34:7-13 (Parshas Vayishlach)
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