What did Yaakov mean when he accused Shimon and Levi of 'clouding him'?
Rashi #1: It means that they had caused his mind to become hazy - with worry due to what the Kena'ani and Perizi would now do. 1
Rashi #2 (citing a Midrash): It is a Mashal which means that the barrel contained clear water, and that they had caused it to become murky (refer to 34:30:3:1 and 34:30:3.1:1).
Targum Yonasan: You gave me a bad name.
Malbim: Until now, they hated me for two reasons. (a) They are Yoshevei ha'Aretz (residents), and I am a stranger. (b) They are different nations, and their creeds are different than mine. However, now they will gather against me, for they are Go'alei ha'Dam, and I cannot stand against them because I am few and they are an enormous number.
Ha'amek Davar: You made me leave my Midah of loving Shalom and dwelling confident [of serenity].
What does "l'Hav'isheni" mean?
Targum Onkelos: You created a rift between me and the local inhabitants.
Seforno: You caused them to say that we reneged on our agreement after they circumcised.
Ha'amek Davar: To instigate war with them.
What led Yaakov to believe that the local Kena'ani and Perizi would now attack him?
Rashi: Tradition had it that the Kena'anim would fall into the hands of Bnei Yaakov. This did not bother them, however, since they took for granted that this would only occur later in history, when Yisrael would increase and were ready to take possession of the Land. 1
See Shemos 23:30. Riva, citing R. Elyakim - until now they feared that they will fall to Bnei Yaakov. Now, they think that this was fulfilled through the conquest of Shechem [so they need not fear now]!
What was Yaakov's objection to Shimon and Levi's act?
Ramban: Besides the fact that they had endangered the lives of the entire family, they were guilty of committing a crime against the people of Shechem who had done them no harm. They said to them, in his presence, that they would join forces and become one nation, to which they agreed. In so doing, they trusted them, choosing to worship Hashem. Perhaps they would have done complete Teshuvah, and they killed them in vain. 1
Oznayim la'Torah (to 34:28): There is nothing in Yaakov's words to suggest that they had shed innocent blood, only that, without consulting him, they had initiated a war that they could not possibly win, since the Kena'ani and the Perizi would gang up against him, and defeat them based on sheer weight of numbers. 2
That is why Yaakov, cursing their anger, said about them that 'Their weapons are instruments of crime' (See Bereishis 49:5).
And it was only due to Hashem's intervention that that situation was averted. Refer to 35:5:1:1*. Ohr ha'Chayim (to 34:31) - when the nations have the upper hand, if they demand a particular person (and if not, they will kill all of us), we comply, even for Arayos - and all the more so here, that the Aveirah was already done!
What did Yaakov think was his sons' intent?
Ohr ha'Chayim: He thought that their scheme was to [weaken them through circumcision, and] take Dinah home by force; or to kill only Shechem, the transgressor, but not the entire city.
What is "Mesei Mispar"?
Ha'amek Davar: I have only few valiant warriors.
What is "v'Nishmadti"?
Ha'amek Davar: It is to destroy me, and not my sons. 1 Yaakov was not concerned for his sons, for we have a tradition that no Shevet will be wiped out. He was concerned for himself, his wives and [the rest of] his household.
This is like R. Pinchas (Midrash ha'Gadol to Devarim 9:20). Rashi (ibid.) and most Mefarshim there explain like R. Yehoshua d'Sichnin, that it is destroying his children.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "The barrel was clear; and you made it cloudy!" What does this mean?
Gur Aryeh: Just as the sediment of a barrel settles to the bottom, leaving the wine clear in the interim, the Canaanites thought that the decree (that Yisrael would take over the Land) would be fulfilled only later in history. Now, said Yaakov, they think that it will take place immediately!
Rashi writes: "The barrel was clear; and you made it cloudy." But another opinion in the Midrash interprets the opposite way - 'The barrel was cloudy; and you made it clear.' What does this mean?
Gur Aryeh: The decree itself had been cloudy, i.e. the Canaanites were not certain if it even existed. Now, Yaakov said, you made it clear to them [that Yisrael will take over the Land]. The Pasuk then means, 'You clouded me, by leaving the barrel clear.'
