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Towards the middle of this week’s Parashah, we learn that Dinah was assaulted by Shechem. Upon hearing this, her brothers became extremely angry. So, they tricked Shechem into having all the males of the city circumcised, which then allowed Shimon and Levi to lead an attack against the city while its men were defenseless.
This narrative raises several important questions, particularly in relation to the Seven Mitzvot of Bnei Noach:
What permission, if any, did Shimon and Levi have to kill the people of Shechem?
The verses suggest that Yaakov Avinu was present when his sons spoke deceitfully to Shechem and Chamor. If Yaakov knew and allowed their plan—especially since he would never have agreed to give Dinah to Shechem—why was he angry afterward?
The verses indicate that all the brothers participated in the planning and deception, yet only Shimon and Levi carried out the actual killing. Since the other brothers were also part of the scheme, why was Yaakov’s anger directed specifically at Shimon and Levi?
According to the Ramban, the plan that all the brothers agreed to—and which Yaakov heard and approved—was limited. They demanded that all the males of Shechem undergo Brit Milah, assuming that the men of the city would refuse, which would force Dinah to be returned according to law. Even if the city agreed to circumcision, the brothers’ plan was only to enter the city on the third day, when the men were weakened, and forcibly retrieve Dinah. This was the full extent of what Yaakov approved: a plan to recover Dinah, nothing more.
The Ramban explains that Shimon and Levi went far beyond this permission. They killed all the men of Shechem, not solely because of the incident with Dinah, but because they judged the entire city guilty of grave sins, such as Avodah Zarah and Giluy Arayot, offenses considered capital crimes under the Seven Mitzvot Bnei Noach. This was the “permission” Shimon and Levi believed they had: they saw themselves as executing justice on a corrupt society. However, this was their own judgment, not Yaakov’s.
According to Rambam, the Seven Mitzvot Bnei Noach include prohibitions against idolatry, murder, sexual immorality, theft, eating the limb of a living animal, and cursing God, as well as the obligation to establish courts of law. The seventh command obligates every society to appoint judges who enforce the other six laws. A Ben Noach who violates any of these prohibitions is liable to the death penalty, and even one who witnesses another committing such a violation but fails to intervene is also liable. Based on this, the people of Shechem—who saw Shechem kidnap and violate Dinah yet did nothing—were themselves guilty, while Shechem personally was liable for both robbery and immorality.
However, according to Ramban, this does not fully explain why Yaakov was angry with Shimon and Levi. The Chatam Sofer clarifies that although the people of Shechem were technically liable for death under those laws, this penalty is theoretical and is not a mitzvah for Jews to carry out, especially when doing so endangers themselves. Shimon and Levi were not commanded to enforce the 7 laws, and by attacking the entire city, they risked their own lives unnecessarily. Yaakov’s anger, therefore, stemmed from the fact that, even if their reasoning had merit, their actions were improper because they acted beyond their obligation.
The Ohr HaChaim adds another perspective, explaining that Shimon and Levi killed the men of Shechem because the townspeople stood against them and did not punish their king for his actions. Additionally, the people had assisted Shechem in taking Dinah, an act forbidden by the Seven Mitzvot of Bnei Noach. The Ohr HaChaim further notes that the brothers took spoils from Midian as retribution for the humiliation and harm caused to Dinah.
According to the Meshech Chochmah, the death penalty was warranted because it is forbidden for a Ben Noach to deliberately harm himself. When the men of Shechem underwent circumcision, it was not for genuine conversion, but rather as a deceitful means to allow Yaakov and his sons to take their wives, livestock, and property. For this reason, they were considered deserving of death.
May we all be Zoche to learn from the lesson of Yaakov, Shimon, and Levi - to take action to fulfill the will of Hashem, not blindly, but peacefully, guided with the correct intentions.