Who was Sha'ul ben ha'Kena'anis?
Rashi: He is the son of Dinah, who had been raped by a Kena'ani (Shechem). Dinah refused to leave Shechem until Shimon promised to marry her (which he subsequently did). 1
Ramban (to 38:2) and Targum Onkelos: He is the son of Shimon's wife. 2
Targum Yonasan: Sha'ul is alias Zimri, 3 who behaved like a Kena'ani in Shitim (when he flagrantly had relations with Kozbi - Bamidbar 25:6). Sanhedrin 82b gives his five names; his real name was Shelumi'el (the first Nasi of Shimon). 4
Was this not forbidden? Refer to 46:10:151, 46:10:151.1, and 16:10:151.2.
Shimon was the only one of Yaakov's sons to marry a Kena'anis (Ramban).
See also Targum Yonasan. Perush Yonasan asks how he lived until that episode 250 years later.
Peninim mi'Shulchan ha'Gra: Chalilah to say so about Shelumi'el ha'Tzadik, the choicest of Yisrael! Rather, the Gemara means that there was a root of evil in Sha'ul which sprouted in Zimri, and blemishes his family and Shevet.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "Son of the Canaanitess' - [I.e.,] son of Dinah, who had been violated by a Canaanite." Why wouldn't 'Canaanitess' be understood literally?
Gur Aryeh #1: Rashi to 37:5 gives two opinions as to whether the Shevatim married their sisters, or married Canaanite women. According to R. Yehudah (see Rashi ibid.), they deemed it forbidden to marry into Canaan; 1 so this must refer to Dinah.
Gur Aryeh #2: According to R. Nechemyah (ibid., also see Rashi to 50:13), the Shevatim in general married Canaanite women; so why would the mother of this son be singled out? It must refer to Dinah.
Gur Aryeh: As Avraham and Yitzchak had instructed them.
Rashi writes: " Son of the Canaanitess' - [I.e.,] son of Dinah." If so, let the verse write explicitly, 'son of Dinah'?
Gur Aryeh: The term alludes to how it came about that she married Shimon - she had been violated by a Canaanite, and she refused to leave until Shimon promised to marry her.
Rashi writes: "Dinah refused to leave [the house of Shechem], until Shimon swore to marry her." Why was Dinah married to Shimon specifically?
Gur Aryeh: Shimon's power lay in Midas ha'Din, as Yaakov later said, "Kelei Chamas Mecheiroseihem" (49:5). Dinah was of course also connected with Midas ha'Din (as her name indicates).
Rashi writes: "Shimon swore to marry her." But isn't one's maternal sister forbidden, even to Bnei Noach?
Moshav Zekenim; also Targum Yonasan, Da'as Zekenim, Hadar Zekenim, and Chizkuni to 30:21: Dinah was formed primarily in Rachel's womb, and was switched [with Yosef, so she is not considered Leah's daughter]. 1
Riva; Gur Aryeh: The author of this Midrash must hold like R. Akiva (in Sanhedrin 58a-b), who permits 2 a Ben Noach to his sister, even one born to the same mother.
This is astounding. Dinah is listed among Leah's daughters, and Yosef is considered Rachel's son. Also, if we follow the majority of the pregnancy, why did we not even suggest resolving from here the case of a weasel that swallowed a fetus from an animal's womb and deposited it in another animal's womb (Chulin 70a)? (PF)
Gur Aryeh: Despite that we could infer from Bereishis 20:12 that a maternal sister is forbidden to a Ben-Noach, he permits it (see Rashi to Sanhedrin ad loc).
Rashi writes: "Shimon swore to marry her." But the Avos voluntarily observed the Torah, even before it was commanded (Yoma 28b)! The Torah would later forbid marrying a sister!
Gur Aryeh #1: The Avos, by accepting to keep the Mitzvos, each assumed the status of converts; who are like newly-born, and therefore have no prohibited relatives for marriage. 1
Gur Aryeh #2: In the specific examples when they contravened the Torah, they did so based on Ru'ach ha'Kodesh [and for specific reasons -- in this case, so that the newly-founded nation of Am-Yisrael would not be connected to any other nation 2 ]. He Who usually forbade such marriages, permitted it to them here. 3
Refer to 46:10:151.2:2.
Gur Aryeh: Nevertheless, the generation that left Egypt was forbidden to marry their relatives.
Also refer to 37:35:1.1. Gur Aryeh compares this to Adam's children, who married their sisters.
Gur Aryeh: This also explains the cases of Yaakov, Yehudah, and Amram marrying relatives.
Rashi writes: "Shimon swore to marry her." Avraham had commanded his offspring "to guard the way of Hashem" (18:19; 26:5); how could Shimon ignore Avraham's teachings by marrying his sister?
Gur Aryeh #1: While Avraham did teach his offspring what would later be commanded in the Torah; he also taught them what Mitzvos did or did not apply to their own generation. It was based on this instruction that they were lenient in certain instances, e.g. following the laws of Arayos only insofar as they applied before Matan Torah. A person might merit to fulfill Peru u'Revu only with the wife that was decreed for him; and in some cases, the entire world depended on the offspring of these unions. 1
Gur Aryeh #2: Prior to Matan Torah, observance of Mitzvos Lo Sa'aseh, which had not yet been commanded, was not uniform; 2 rather, every member of Bnei Yisrael observed them to a degree, according to his level and unique traits. They did observe Mitzvos Aseh, which bring reward (just as women today observe time-dependent Mitzvos Aseh, although they have not been commanded to do so). As for Mitzvos Lo Sa'aseh (which do not entail an action that brings reward), however, there is no reason to fulfill them without having been commanded (just as women do not voluntarily refrain from Lo Sashchisu, a prohibition from which they are exempt). 3
Gur Aryeh: As they knew b'Ruach ha'Kodesh, refer to 46:10:151.1:2. For example, the Shevatim came from Rachel and Leah; also Moshe, Aharon and Miriam came from Amram and Yocheved.
Gur Aryeh: Although Chazal teach that Avraham and Yaakov observed the entire Torah - both positive and negative Mitzvos - not necessarily did their descendants do so prior to Matan Torah.
Gur Aryeh: The distinction is that a positive Mitzvah is an acquisition, an added merit, and if one does not fulfill it, he will be lacking that acquisition - despite that he was not obligated to perform it. A negative Mitzvah is not an extra merit, but rather refraining from violating HaSh-m's will. As such, when HaSh-m did not command it, there is no reason to refrain. At that time, each person fulfilled Mitzvos Aseh according to his level, and was more careful about those prohibitions that were associated with his nature.
Rashi writes that Dinah married Shimon. If so, why is she listed below (46:15)? Verse 46:26 says, "excluding the wives of Yaakov's sons"!
Gur Aryeh: This opinion holds that the verse excludes only wives not from Yaakov's seed. 1
Perhaps Dinah was not considered Shimon's wife, for after Matan Torah there is no marriage with a sister. Or, the Torah does not list the wives, for Ishto k'Gufo; but this applies only to Zivug Rishon. Dinah was not Zivug Rishon. (PF)
Mizrachi: This is difficult. Why should we even think to include them among "Yotz'ei Yerecho"?! Gur Aryeh (to 46:26) - This is lest we think that they died. Or, this verse 'includes' them by reference, even though they are not named or counted. Toras Moshe (to 46:15) - It excludes fetuses in their wives at the time they descended, e.g. Yocheved.
