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Why does Yaakov call Shimon and Levi murderers when their killing of Shechem was halachically justified? The shiur distinguishes between non-Jewish standards that focus on correct action versus Jewish obligations that include proper motivation. Even justified actions performed with wrong intent carry the spiritual stain of the forbidden act itself.
This shiur examines the complex verse where Yaakov Avinu calls Shimon and Levi murderers for their actions in Shechem, addressing why the Septuagint translation changed this verse and what it reveals about Jewish moral standards. The speaker begins by noting that when King Ptolemy requested the Torah (תורה)'s translation into Greek, this verse was altered from 'they killed a person' to 'they uprooted a shore' to avoid portraying the Jewish forefathers as murderers. However, since the entire story of Dinah and the slaughter of Shechem remains in the Torah, what was gained by this change? The analysis reveals two possible readings of the verse 'ki ba'apam hargu ish' (in their anger they killed a person). The first interpretation suggests they were wrong to kill out of passion and vengeance. The second, deeper interpretation maintains that the killing was entirely justified - both the Rambam (רמב"ם) and Ramban (רמב"ן) agree that Shechem deserved death for kidnapping and rape, and the townspeople were culpable for not judging him according to the Noahide laws. The problem was not the action but the anger with which they performed it.
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Parshas Vayechi - Yaakov's blessing to Shimon and Levi
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