"When people began to increase on earth and daughters were born to them, the divine beings saw how beautiful the daughters of men were and took wives from among those that pleased them.  Hashem said, ‘My breath shall not abide in man forever, since he too is flesh; let the days allowed him be 120 years.  It was in those days, and later, too, that the Nephilim appeared on earth, when the divine beings cohabited with the daughters of men, who bore them offspring.  They were the mighty ones of old, notorious men."

by a human shall his blood be shed,
for in His image did God make the human being.

בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ
כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם:

And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto Yaaqov, went out to see the daughters of the land. And Shehem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her and he took her, lay with her, and raped her. His soul cleaving unto Dinah the daughter of Yaaqov and being in love with the maiden, he spoke tenderly to the maiden. So Shehem said to his father Hamor, saying: "Get me this girl as a wife." Now Yaaqov heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter, but since his sons were with his cattle in the field, Yaaqov kept silent until they came. And Hamor the father of Shehem went out unto Yaaqov to speak with him. Meanwhile, the sons of Yaaqov came in from the field when they heard, and the men were distressed and very angry, because he had committed an outrage in Israel in lying with Yaaqov's daughter-such a thing should not be done!

And Hamor spoke with them, saying, "My son Shehem longs for your daughter with his life. Please give her to him as a wife. Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our daughters for you. And you will dwell with us and the land shall be before you; dwell, trade, and acquire possessions it." And Shehem said unto her father and unto her brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and I will give you whatever you tell me. Ask me for the highest bride-price, as well as gifts, and I will give whatever you tell me; just give me the maiden for a wife."

Yaaqov's sons answered Shechem and Hamor his father, speaking with guile, because he had defiled Dinah their sister, and said unto them, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that is a disgrace for us. Only on this condition will we consent to you: if you will be as we are, that each of your males be circumcised, then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then will we take our daughter, and go." Their words pleased Hamor and Shehem, Hamor's son. The youth lost no time in doing the thing, because he desired Yaaqov's daughter-and he was the most respected in his father's house.

Hamor and Shehem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying, "These people are peaceable with us; let them settle in the land and trade in it, for the land is large enough for them. We shall take their daughters as wives, and give them our daughters. But only on this condition will the men consent to settle among us and be as one people-if each of our males is circumcised, as they are circumcised. Their cattle, their substance and all their beasts will be ours if only we consent to them, so that they will settle among us." All who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shehem his son, and all males-all who went out of the gate of his city-were circumcised.

On the third day, when they were in pain, two of Yaaqov's sons, Shimon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took each one his sword, and came confidently upon the city and slew all the males. They slew Hamor and Shehem his son with the sword, took Dinah out of Shehem's house, and left. The sons of Yaaqov came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their flocks, herds, and asses, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field; all their wealth, all their children, and their wives they took as captives and booty, as well as all that was in the houses.

Yaaqov said to Shimon and Levi, "You have brought me trouble, making me odious to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, when mine are few in number, such that if they unite against me and smite me, I and my house will be destroyed." But they said, "Should our sister be treated as a whore!?"

(א) וַתֵּצֵא דִינָה בַּת לֵאָה אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְיַעֲקֹב לִרְאוֹת בִּבְנוֹת הָאָרֶץ:  (ב) וַיַּרְא אֹתָהּ שְׁכֶם בֶּן חֲמוֹר הַחִוִּי נְשִׂיא הָאָרֶץ וַיִּקַּח אֹתָהּ וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֹתָהּ וַיְעַנֶּהָ:  (ג) וַתִּדְבַּק נַפְשׁוֹ בְּדִינָה בַּת יַעֲקֹב וַיֶּאֱהַב אֶת הַנַּעֲרָ וַיְדַבֵּר עַל לֵב הנַּעֲרָ:  (ד) וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁכֶם אֶל חֲמוֹר אָבִיו לֵאמֹר קַח לִי אֶת הַיַּלְדָּה הַזֹּאת לְאִשָּׁה:  (ה) וְיַעֲקֹב שָׁמַע כִּי טִמֵּא אֶת דִּינָה בִתּוֹ וּבָנָיו הָיוּ אֶת מִקְנֵהוּ בַּשָּׂדֶה וְהֶחֱרִשׁ יַעֲקֹב עַד בֹּאָם:  (ו) וַיֵּצֵא חֲמוֹר אֲבִי שְׁכֶם אֶל יַעֲקֹב לְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ:  (ז) וּבְנֵי יַעֲקֹב בָּאוּ מִן הַשָּׂדֶה כְּשָׁמְעָם וַיִּתְעַצְּבוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים וַיִּחַר לָהֶם מְאֹד כִּי נְבָלָה עָשָׂה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל לִשְׁכַּב אֶת בַּת יַעֲקֹב וְכֵן לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה: 

(ח) וַיְדַבֵּר חֲמוֹר אִתָּם לֵאמֹר שְׁכֶם בְּנִי חָשְׁקָה נַפְשׁוֹ בְּבִתְּכֶם תְּנוּ נָא אֹתָהּ לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה:  (ט) וְהִתְחַתְּנוּ אֹתָנוּ בְּנֹתֵיכֶם תִּתְּנוּ לָנוּ וְאֶת בְּנֹתֵינוּ תִּקְחוּ לָכֶם:  (י) וְאִתָּנוּ תֵּשֵׁבוּ וְהָאָרֶץ תִּהְיֶה לִפְנֵיכֶם שְׁבוּ וּסְחָרוּהָ וְהֵאָחֲזוּ בָּהּ:  (יא) וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁכֶם אֶל אָבִיהָ וְאֶל אַחֶיהָ אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵיכֶם וַאֲשֶׁר תֹּאמְרוּ אֵלַי אֶתֵּן:  (יב) הַרְבּוּ עָלַי מְאֹד מֹהַר וּמַתָּן וְאֶתְּנָה כַּאֲשֶׁר תֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָי וּתְנוּ לִי אֶת הַנַּעֲרָ לְאִשָּׁה: 

(יג) וַיַּעֲנוּ בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב אֶת שְׁכֶם וְאֶת חֲמוֹר אָבִיו בְּמִרְמָה וַיְדַבֵּרוּ אֲשֶׁר טִמֵּא אֵת דִּינָה אֲחֹתָם:  (יד) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵיהֶם לֹא נוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לָתֵת אֶת אֲחֹתֵנוּ לְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לוֹ עָרְלָה כִּי חֶרְפָּה הִוא לָנוּ:  (טו) אַךְ בְּזֹאת נֵאוֹת לָכֶם אִם תִּהְיוּ כָמֹנוּ לְהִמֹּל לָכֶם כָּל זָכָר:  (טז) וְנָתַנּוּ אֶת בְּנֹתֵינוּ לָכֶם וְאֶת בְּנֹתֵיכֶם נִקַּח לָנוּ וְיָשַׁבְנוּ אִתְּכֶם וְהָיִינוּ לְעַם אֶחָד:  (יז) וְאִם לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ אֵלֵינוּ לְהִמּוֹל וְלָקַחְנוּ אֶת בִּתֵּנוּ וְהָלָכְנוּ:  (יח) וַיִּיטְבוּ דִבְרֵיהֶם בְּעֵינֵי חֲמוֹר וּבְעֵינֵי שְׁכֶם בֶּן חֲמוֹר:  (יט) וְלֹא אֵחַר הַנַּעַר לַעֲשׂוֹת הַדָּבָר כִּי חָפֵץ בְּבַת יַעֲקֹב וְהוּא נִכְבָּד מִכֹּל בֵּית אָבִיו:

(כ) וַיָּבֹא חֲמוֹר וּשְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ אֶל שַׁעַר עִירָם וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֶל אַנְשֵׁי עִירָם לֵאמֹר:  (כא) הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה שְׁלֵמִים הֵם אִתָּנוּ וְיֵשְׁבוּ בָאָרֶץ וְיִסְחֲרוּ אֹתָהּ וְהָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה רַחֲבַת יָדַיִם לִפְנֵיהֶם אֶת בְּנֹתָם נִקַּח לָנוּ לְנָשִׁים וְאֶת בְּנֹתֵינוּ נִתֵּן לָהֶם:  (כב) אַךְ בְּזֹאת יֵאֹתוּ לָנוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים לָשֶׁבֶת אִתָּנוּ לִהְיוֹת לְעַם אֶחָד בְּהִמּוֹל לָנוּ כָּל זָכָר כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵם נִמֹּלִים:  (כג) מִקְנֵהֶם וְקִנְיָנָם וְכָל בְּהֶמְתָּם הֲלוֹא לָנוּ הֵם אַךְ נֵאוֹתָה לָהֶם וְיֵשְׁבוּ אִתָּנוּ:  (כד) וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל חֲמוֹר וְאֶל שְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ כָּל יֹצְאֵי שַׁעַר עִירוֹ וַיִּמֹּלוּ כָּל זָכָר כָּל יֹצְאֵי שַׁעַר עִירוֹ: 

(כה) וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיוֹתָם כֹּאֲבִים וַיִּקְחוּ שְׁנֵי בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אֲחֵי דִינָה אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ וַיָּבֹאוּ עַל הָעִיר בֶּטַח וַיַּהַרְגוּ כָּל זָכָר:  (כו) וְאֶת חֲמוֹר וְאֶת שְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ הָרְגוּ לְפִי חָרֶב וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת דִּינָה מִבֵּית שְׁכֶם וַיֵּצֵאוּ:  (כז) בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב בָּאוּ עַל הַחֲלָלִים וַיָּבֹזּוּ הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר טִמְּאוּ אֲחוֹתָם:  (כח) אֶת צֹאנָם וְאֶת בְּקָרָם וְאֶת חֲמֹרֵיהֶם וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר בָּעִיר וְאֶת אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה לָקָחוּ:  (כט) וְאֶת כָּל חֵילָם וְאֶת כָּל טַפָּם וְאֶת נְשֵׁיהֶם שָׁבוּ וַיָּבֹזּוּ וְאֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בַּבָּיִת: 

(ל) וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל שִׁמְעוֹן וְאֶל לֵוִי עֲכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי לְהַבְאִישֵׁנִי בְּיֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ בַּכְּנַעֲנִי וּבַפְּרִזִּי וַאֲנִי מְתֵי מִסְפָּר וְנֶאֶסְפוּ עָלַי וְהִכּוּנִי וְנִשְׁמַדְתִּי אֲנִי וּבֵיתִי:  (לא) וַיֹּאמְרוּ הַכְזוֹנָה יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת אֲחוֹתֵנוּ

(יד) כִּי תָבֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּה בָּהּ וְאָמַרְתָּ אָשִׂימָה עָלַי מֶלֶךְ כְּכָל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי: (טו) שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בּוֹ מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ לֹא תוּכַל לָתֵת עָלֶיךָ אִישׁ נָכְרִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא אָחִיךָ הוּא: (טז) רַק לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ סוּסִים וְלֹא יָשִׁיב אֶת הָעָם מִצְרַיְמָה לְמַעַן הַרְבּוֹת סוּס וַיהֹוָה אָמַר לָכֶם לֹא תֹסִפוּן לָשׁוּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה עוֹד: (יז) וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים וְלֹא יָסוּר לְבָבוֹ וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ מְאֹד: (יח) וְהָיָה כְשִׁבְתּוֹ עַל כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ וְכָתַב לוֹ אֶת מִשְׁנֵה הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת עַל סֵפֶר מִלִּפְנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם: (יט) וְהָיְתָה עִמּוֹ וְקָרָא בוֹ כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו לְמַעַן יִלְמַד לְיִרְאָה אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו לִשְׁמֹר אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת וְאֶת הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה לַעֲשֹׂתָם: (כ) לְבִלְתִּי רוּם לְבָבוֹ מֵאֶחָיו וּלְבִלְתִּי סוּר מִן הַמִּצְוָה יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים עַל מַמְלַכְתּוֹ הוּא וּבָנָיו בְּקֶרֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל:

Let Reuben live and not die though his numbers are few.

And this for Yehudah, and he said: Hear, Hashem, the voice of Yehudah, and bring him to his people. Though his hands strive for him, be a help against his foes.

And of Levi he said: Let Your Tummim and Urim be with Your holy one, whom You tested at Massah, challenged at the waters of Merivah. Who said of his father, and mother: "I have not seen him;" neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew he his own children. Your word alone they observed and kept Your covenant. They shall teach Yaaqov Your laws, and Israel Your instructions; they shall put incense before You, and whole-offerings on Your altar. Bless, Hashem, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite the loins of his foes and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

Of Benjamin he said: Beloved of Hashem, he shall dwell securely beside Him; He protects him all the day and dwells between his shoulders.

And of Yoseph he said: Blessed of Hashem be his land; with the bounty of dew from heaven and of the deep that couches beneath. With the bounteous yield of the sun, and the bounteous crop of the moons; With the tops of the ancient mountains, and for the bounty of the everlasting hills; with the bounty of the earth and its fullness, and the favor the Presence in the bush. May these rest on the head of Yoseph on the crown of the prince among his brethren. Like a firstling ox is his majesty; his horns are the horns of the wild-ox; with them he shall gore the peoples, the ends of the earth one and all. These are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Menasheh.

And of Zevulun he said: Rejoice, Zevulun, in your journeys, Yissahar, in your tents. They shall call peoples to the mountain, where they offer sacrifices of righteousness; for they shall nurse from the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the sand.

And of Gad he said: Blessed be He who enlarges Gad! Poised is he as a lion to tear off arm and scalp. He chose the best for himself, for there a portion of a ruler was reserved, where came the heads of the people. He executed Hashem's judgments, and His decisions for Israel.

And of Dan he said: Dan is a lion's whelp that leaps forth from Bashan.

And of Naphtali he said: O Naphtali, sated with favor, and full with Hashem's blessing. Take possession on the west and the south.

And of Asher he said: Blessed be Asher above sons; let him be the favored of his brethren; may he dip his foot in oil. May iron and brass be your bars and your security last all your days.

How can it be! The gold is dimmed, changed is the finest gold. The hallowed stones are spilled at every street corner.
The children of Zion-so precious, hallowed like gold-how can it be! They are thought of as like clay pitchers, the work of a potter's hand!