This week the world watched with trepidation each and every day to see how many of our brethren would be released from captivity—mothers with their babies, children with mothers but not their fathers, older women but not their husbands. We were happy and sad. Elated to see the smiles on the free people’s faces. Yet we felt played by the murderous Hamas. The leaders of Israel are doing the best that they can, and we hope and pray that the rest of the captives will be freed right away. Interestingly, the first recorded time that we find a Jew being taking captive is in this week’s Torah portion, Vayishlach. The story relates how Dinah was taken against her will by Shechem. Jacob negotiated her release. The people of Shechem promised to circumcise themselves, and Jacob agreed to allow Dinah to remain with Shechem. Two of Jacob’s sons, Shimon and Levi, just thirteen at the time, were not satisfied with this arrangement, as they felt that their father had capitulated, so they took matters into their own hands. They killed the men of the city after they circumcised themselves. Jacob got angry at them for not honoring the agreement. Yet, it is from this story that we learn that the age of a Bar Mitzvah is thirteen. One second. If what Shimon and Levi did was wrong, not listening to their father, not honoring an agreement, why is it that it is specifically from this portion that we learn the age, and about the maturity of a Bar Mitzvah boy? Let’s take a closer look at the motivation behind the brothers’ actions. Were they intentionally disobeying their father? Or were they trying to save their sister? Or, were they trying to eradicate evil from this world? Reading the story, we see that the impetus that drove them to act was the desire to right what they knew was wrong. Dina had been violated. She was taken hostage against her will and they wanted revenge. No deal should be made under duress. But, Jacob wasn’t as sure as his sons. How about honoring one’s parents? Well, we can be sure that they knew about that moral code, but since the ten commandments had not been given yet, the power to uphold that ethic was not as powerful in their minds as the desire to make this world a better place. Ultimately, this is why we learn the unique quality and age a boy becomes Bar Mitzvah from this story – although on the surface it doesn’t seem to be an appropriate source for it. The lesson for us is that it is important to have a strong moral code as a Jew while at the same time honoring the law. But we must always remember what our motivation is. Are we here to make the world a better place?
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