Dina: Locked in a Box

(22) And so the gift went on ahead, while he remained in camp that night. (23) That same night he arose, and taking his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children, he crossed the ford of the Jabbok. (24) After taking them across the stream, he sent across all his possessions. (25) Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.

(1) ואת אחד עשר ילדיו AND HIS ELEVEN CHILDREN — But where was Dina? He placed her in a chest and locked her in so that Esau should not set his fancy upon her (desire to marry her). On this account Jacob was punished — because he had kept her away from his brother for she might have led him back to the right path; she therefore fell into the power of Shechem (Genesis Rabbah 76:9).

That same night he arose, and taking his two wives, his two maidservants, etc.

But where was Dina? He placed her in a chest and locked her in. He said, this wicked one has a wandering eye; let him not see her and take her from me. Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Abba HaKohen Bardela: God said to him, "He who withholds kindness from a friend [forsakes the fear of the almighty]"; You have withheld kindness from a friend, you have withheld your kindness from your brother. Had you married her to [Esau] she would not have sinned. You didn't want her to marry one who is circumcised? She married an uncircumcised one! You didn't want her to marry legally? She married illegitimately! As it says, (Gen 32:24) "And Dina, daughter of Leah, went out."

(1) Where was Dina? You might ask: How does Rashi know this? Perhaps Dina was among the eleven, and one of the sons was missing. The answer is: It is written in v. 43:29, “Hashem be gracious to you, my son.” Yoseif said this to Binyamin. And, as Rashi explains, Yoseif blessed him so because for the other brothers it had already been said (v. 33:5), “The children whom Hashem has graciously granted your servant”. [Yaakov said this to Eisov when they met.] Since Binyomin was not yet born at that time, Yoseif blessed him now with grace. This clearly shows that “his eleven children” were the eleven sons, without Dina. For otherwise, the question stands: why did Yoseif bless only Binyomin with grace, and not the other son who was missing at the time [that Yaakov met Eisov]? (2) So that Eisov could not set eyes on her... I.e., for this reason we must say that it was Dina who was missing, and that Yaakov placed her in a box because of Eisov. For otherwise, why was Yaakov punished through Dina[i.e., the episode with Shechem]? Perforce, he was punished because he feared Eisov, and Yaakov therefore put her in a box. And this answers the question in the previous entry.

And where was Dina?

...There is a difficulty with [the explanation of the midrash]; one could say the opposite - perhaps Jacob could have been rewarded for what he did, in that he saved Dina from the hands of a wicked person? The answer must be that Yaakov had negative intentions. He didn't want his brother to improve, so that Esau would not end up fulfilling the words of the blessing, "you shall be a master to your brothers." Therefore, he was punished.

He went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and the serpent bit him" (Amos v. 19). When Jacob went into his house in the land of Canaan the serpent bit him. || And who was the serpent? This was Shechem, the son of Chamor. Because the daughter of Jacob was abiding in the tents, and she did not go into the street; what did Shechem, the son of Chamor, do? He brought dancing girls who were (also) playing on pipes in the streets. Dinah went forth to see those girls who were making merry; and he seized her, and he slept with her...

And where was Dina? It seems to me that the daughters would travel with their mothers.