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I would like to introduce you to a Biblical character which your teachers likely ignored in Hebrew school. Her name is Dinah, the often forgotten thirteenth child of Jacob.

But, as more women come forward to report accounts of sexual abuse, her story and how the Torah and commentators have interpreted it, have at last lifted Dinah from darkness to light.

In many ways, Dinah is the original #MeToo of the Torah.

In this week's Torah reading, Vayishlach, following the reconciliation of Jacob and his estranged brother Esau, Dinah decides to go out "to visit the daughters of the land." (Genesis 34:1)

The text indicates that Dinah is eager to meet her peers, in the city of Shechem, where she and her family have set up camp.

The Torah recounts how Shechem, the son the "chief of the country" saw her, "and took her and lay with her by force." The account has been referred to as the "Rape of Dinah."

The Torah then provides us with many reactions - from men.

Shechem, who committed the assault, is drawn to Dinah. He speaks to her "tenderly" and asks his father Hamor, to launch negotiations to "get me this girl as my wife." (Genesis 34:4)

Dinah's father, Jacob, keeps silent, waiting for Dinah's brothers to come home from the field. When they arrive, they are furious.

Shechem's father, Hamor, begins marriage talks with the Jacob family, and begins discussions regarding the merger of the two nations.

Jacob's sons strike a deal - upon one condition. They note, "We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, for this is a disgrace among us."

So all Shechem males agree to be circumcised.

Three days later, during the most painful day following circumcision, Jacob's sons, Levi and Shimon lead a war party, slaughtering all the males of the city. The remove Dinah from Shechem's house, and seize all of the children, wives, cattle and wealth.

The family's integrity is restored.

Jacob, upon learning of the attack, expresses his displeasure. He is concerned that others in the region will look upon his family as "odious among the inhabitants of the land."

I know what you are thinking. This is so much wrong with this story. This is not the Torah's brightest hour. There is assault, deception, sexism, control, self-interest, and vengeance. This runs counter to everything we stand for as Jews.

We read about many reactions to the assault: Jacob, Shechem, Hamor, Levi and Shimon.

But of course, there is one voice missing - that of Dinah. In the words of Jewish author and columnist Abigail Pogrebin, "she has no words, no lines, no voice."

Dinah's perspective has been explored in The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant. In this interpretation, Dinah loves the prince, and is willing to marry him. Indeed, the only assault here, was to the

image and dominance of Dinah's brothers.

Biblical commentators over time have blamed Dinah for going off on her own. But is this any different than commentators today blaming assault victims, based on what they were wearing, or their previous sexual history?

How interesting this text is as it intersects with modern times.

How often have women's stories been silenced? How often have men been empowered to frame a woman's victimization, or lack of?

On one hand, it is easy to paint Dinah as a feminist pioneer making her own sexual choices - ultimately with a non-Jew.

Yet, what about the millions who have endured sexual assault. Are we to revise the Torah's account, negating those who have stories of sexual assault to tell?

It is said in the Talmud, "there are seventy faces to the Torah." That statement has never been truer than in the reading of this week's long shushed text regarding Dinah.

It is one reason why, this week, while we are busy discussing the reuniting of Jacob and his wronged brother Esau, that we must not overlook Dinah's story.

Who was Dinah? Where is her voice? Who gets to tell her story?

There is so much information missing. Therefore, we need to read, discuss, agree and even disagree.

This is also the week in the Torah where Jacob is given a new name by an angel he wrestles with all night. The angel renames Jacob as Yisrael - or Israel.

Yisrael has been translated as "wrestler with God."

We as Jews, wrestle each day, with complex issues of faith, fairness, justice and truth.

Perhaps no other story in the Torah causes us to wrestle more than the story of Dinah.

What really happened? What do we know? What don't we know?

Indeed, there is an inherent sexism about this chapter of the Torah, told exclusively by men who appear to be more concerned about vengeance, and control over women.

I'm attaching two links if you wish to delve deeper. The first is the text itself.

https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8229/jewish/Chapter-34.htm

And the other is a fascinating nine minute discussion between commentator Abigail Pogrebin, and Orthodox rabbi Dov Linzer.

https://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/275650/parsha-in-progress-episode-4-the-rape-of-dinah

When you're done, please tell me, what do you think happened, and what can we learn from this story? And through this dialogue - through many perspectives - we will hopefully give voice to Dinah.

For as we reflect upon the pages of the Torah, we realize not much has changed over thousands of years. We are still debating these painful issues.

We are still wrestling with God and our angels.

Indeed, Dinah need not live in the shadows. Rather, she is a beacon of light for our times.

Shabbat Shalom, v'kol tuv.

Rabbi Irwin Huberman