Chapter L
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them.
But however much she, since she is a woman, is found fearful with regard to works of fortitude, nevertheless she is provident and circumspect with regard to guarding of honor. And however much she does not know to please by fortitude, nevertheless she does know to please by beauty of form.
For it is Dina of admirable beauty and singular form who easily draws the eyes of those who look in admiration of her and quickly attracts by love of her the souls of those who admire. For who does not know how the modesty of shamefacedness renders men commendable and makes them lovable to all? For what is the reason that we nearly always embrace more affectionately shamefaced men rather than others, except that, when we marvel at the modesty of shamefacedness and the grace of modesty in them, we are attracted in a certain measure by Dina's beauty and captivated with love of her by the greatness of her beauty? O how singular is the beauty of this Dina! How famous is her love! Almost no person fails to marvel at her beauty. Almost no person fails to be delighted by love of her. Sichem, that son of Emor, ought to bear witness to this. He adhered to her with such ardent love that he preferred against custom to circumcise all his males rather than not have her.
Chapter L How a shamefaced mind steps over the boundaries of modesty when it is corrupted by pride and vainglory O how many there are even today who often do not delay in accomplishing for the love of Dina what they have not wished to do for God! And when an occasion of disorder arises, for the sake of avoiding the damage of shamefacedness they do not hesitate to cut off the superfluity of shameful deeds that they ought to amputate for God. They also prefer to undergo the annoyance of circumcision in cutting off the superfluities of their life rather than to seem shameless and to be without shamefacedness. But who is Sichem, and who is his father? Why do they want such names for themselves:
Sichem, which is interpreted "shoulder" or "labor," and
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Emor, which means "ass"? But if we reflect on their deeds we will quickly find out who they are. For they are those who are accustomed to circumcise their private parts not so much for God as for Dina, not so much on account of conscience as on account of shamefacedness.
I say, who are they other than love of one's own excellence and love of vainglory? Such a son from such a father; love of vainglory from love of one's own excellence. Now notice how foolish this Emor is, and you will see how rightly he is called an ass. Let us see for what reason he is exalted, for what reason he boasts.
If it is because of that which he does not have but believes himself to have, I ask what will he be able to think up that is more foolish than this foolishness?
If, however, he does have it, let him hear what the Apostle says to him: "What do you have that you have not received?
If however you have received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?" (1 Cor. 4:7). And certainly, to be receiving is actually an honor to the giver, not to the receiver. For what does a man have that is his own, except sin? And of what sort will it be to boast about one's own evil, or about the good of another? And so, the more truly such a braggart is foolish, the more rightly he is called an ass. But in that Sichem is called "shoulder" and "labor," it seems to pertain to the same thing. For we carry burdens with the shoulder, and when we do this certainly we labor.
And so Sichem puts his shoulder under for carrying and sweats freely but only to make a name for himself. Let us merely recall what we read concerning Issachar: "Issachar," it says, "a strong ass, saw rest, that it was good, and the land, that it was best, and he set his shoulder to bearing" (Gen.
49:15). There Issachar considers himself an ass and sets his shoulder to bearing. Here Emor is called an ass, and Sichem is shown to have a laborious shoulder. Because, you see, whatever is done for the sake of true delight, all of it can be carried out for the sake of vain delight. Issachar labors for the rest that he sees. Sichem labors for the emptiness of the praise that he craves.
Nevertheless, he is rightly called not laborious but labor because by his labor he is not brought to true rest. In what manner he is rightly called labor is proved by the labor of hypocrites, who labor so much for the sake of acquiring the vain favor of men.
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Chapter LI How the mind thatfeels shamefacedness is divertedfrom the uprightness of its intention This is that Sichem who runs to meet Dina when she goes out, and after overwhelming her, ruins her. Therefore after going out she loses the integrity that she could possibly have conserved by staying within.
For since the beauty of shamefacedness is commended, praised and loved by nearly everyone, when Dina goes out, deserts her innermost dwelling, and quickly forgets the memory of her infirmities which was accustomed to make her humble, suddenly the praises of men embrace her and ruin her while they charm her with favors. For when she is delighted by the praise that is offered, what is it other than that she is ruined by Sichem (viz., love of vainglory)? Nevertheless, at that time Dina suffers the damage of her ruin more by violence than by a willful act, since she struggles as much as she can against the perverse delight that flatters her. As often as Sichem overwhelms one who is, as it were, unwilling, then so often the mind feels shame for the disorder of its ruin, and for that reason struggles more strongly, even as he draws her unwilling to the scandalous delight. But what do you think is the reason that compels her to forsake her innermost dwelling and to wander about on the outside, except that often when we feel much shame because of our infirmities we begin to wonder if others feel these infirmities in themselves, and it seems that a certain kind of consolation comes to us if we discover in our degradation at least that we have companions? Thus it happens that we begin to search out the pursuits of others more inquisitively, frequently surveying now a face, now a gesture and the deportment of the whole body, and we begin gladly to learn more about their secrets from the reports of others.
Therefore when Dina labors to discover from exterior signs the state of souls in others, what is it other than that after having abandoned herself she goes out to see the women and wanders about outside? Thus when Dina looks around inquisitively at the forms of the women, she doubtless finds some more beautiful, others less. And when by herself she often silently considers how she far surpasses many other women in the greatness of her
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beauty, why wonder if the appetite of vainglory disturbs her more vehemently? When resistance is not adequate to repel its attack, what is this other than that she surrenders after being conquered by Sichem's strength?
Chapter LII How at one and the same time, while one virtue is being ruined, other virtues are nourishedfrom the same source
It ought to be noted clearly that at one and the same time Dina is ruined, and her brothers are occupied in feeding their cattle. In fact, just as the mind that flourishes with charity and the other virtues is accustomed to grieve over its own evils, so also it is accustomed to rejoice over the goods of neighbors. Therefore while it examines the life of neighbors when surveying their goods and compares its goods with theirs, just as it is often unable to avoid applauding its own favorable things, so it will be necessary that it give thanks for the goods of other people. Certainly, while it considers more diligently the successes of some and the failures of others, the infirmity of the latter and the perfection of the former, the pious mind is surely touched by various affections in turn now this one, now that. Thus it begins to fear for some, to grieve for others, and to hope for good things for the one and better things for the other.
It sees in others those things it ought to love and for which it should rejoice.
It sees in certain persons those things it ought justly to abhor, and for which it ought justly to grieve. And so in this way when good affections sport with simple thoughts that run forth here and there out of the examined and self-pleased discipline of neighbors—what is this, other than that the brothers of Dina, the sons of Leah, feed their cattle? Do you see how at one and the same time true love of neighbor produces one thing and vain love of self produces the other? True love of neighbor is responsible for the pastures of the brothers for feeding their cattle. Vain love of self serves as the occasion for the ruin of Dina. Because the deed is not unknown to the father, even before a report of it comes to the brothers, what else does it teach to us except that the idea of corrup-
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tion disturbs the soul first by means of thought, then by means of affection? But when a thing is pondered for a longer time in the heart, it is turned over and over often by thinking, and sometimes it penetrates to the innermost part of the heart and wounds the affection of the heart. Therefore when the soul is affected by anxiety for things and is touched in turn by various affections, it is not to be doubted that a report has already come to the sons of Leah, the brothers of Dina.
Chapter LIII With how much insistence and caution a perverted intention ought to be corrected But how do you think they rage when they are no longer able to ignore the ruin of their sister, or at least are not able to dissimulate any more? What does Scripture say concerning them, except that they are angry; and again, that they are furious because of the defilement of their sister?
(Cf. Gen:
34).
Certainly, this anger or rather rage of the brothers teaches us how much each person ought to be angry with himself, in what way to be indignant with himself, how to accuse himself, how harshly to rebuke, when he recognizes that he has defiled his conscience with empty boasting. Therefore, with a view toward healing swelling of the mind he ought, whoever he is, to place his infirmities before his eyes and to recall to memory his faults, without which no one passes through this life. He ought also to consider carefully how often he remains dishonest in work, unworthy in speech and impure in thinking so that he may clearly gather how many things in his conduct he should find that rightly ought to be cut off if he wishes to boast truly and not shamelessly.
Therefore when such reconsideration of a work is turned over and over in the mind, what is it other than when the pact of circumcision is established with the son of Emor? For what is it to say: "Cut off the shameful parts of your customs," other than "Circumcise the foreskins of your masculine parts"? And what is it to say, "Otherwise you will not be able to boast without shamelessness," other than "Otherwise you will not be able to unite with Dina"? For if
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Sichem is boasting, if Dina is shamefacedness, what will shameless boasting, boasting without shamefacedness, be other than Sichem without Dina? Deep-rooted customs that are overcome with difficulty are rightly designated by the masculine sex. These are the men whom the brothers of Dina wished to be circumcised.
Nevertheless, Scripture says that they proposed this condition of circumcision to Sichem in deceit. Behold, as we can easily perceive, in no way did they arrange to give their sister to such a husband, and however much he might have been able to fulfill the arrangement of the proposed condition, nevertheless they in no way judged him worthy of such a marriage. And certainly even if we were able to cut off thoroughly all our dishonest deeds from our lives and to be utterly cleansed of all of them, yet nonetheless we ought to boast not about our own merits, but in only the Lord. And perhaps for that reason the brothers of Dina proposed hard things to him, in order that they might make him despair completely of a union with their sister. But Sichem is more ready to bear any things or any cruelties whatever rather than to endure a divorce from eagerlyloved Dina. Certainly it is often as we said above: that those things which we were not able to wrest out of our soul when we arranged to do them for God, the same things are easily accomplished when we fear to incur the disgrace of shamefacedness.
Chapter LIV In what manner and how cautiously one ought to change an intention and ought not to abandon integrity of conduct
What are we to say to this? Perhaps it will be better to sigh silently rather than to respond at all, since we cannot deny this.
I shall certainly say this, that deservedly he was displeasing to the brothers of Dina. Circumcision, which was done not so much for God as for Dina and not so much for divine custom as for human shame, deservedly was not able to placate them. Nevertheless it was evil in them to exceed the measure of severe justice and not even to observe a measure of equity in avenging the injury. Therefore Jacob deservedly refutes their indiscreet presumption and
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justly blames them for so much indiscriminate severity. O how much better it would have been to lead the men who had been circumcised—although not so much for God as for Dina— little by little to the true worship of God rather than to strike them with unexpected and sudden death! And so from this let him gather, let him carefully note how each one ought to spare those who have circumcised themselves, notwithstanding that he remembers that they were not circumcised because of God. Who are those circumcised in this way except conduct not corrected by good intention?
Nevertheless in such matters we ought never to destroy integrity of conduct but to change intention. Therefore they err, they err especially who condemn good works although perhaps they were undertaken with an evil intention.
Such avengers of their own errors—what else do they do, other than after rushing in with Simeon and Levi upon the circumcised, violently kill them?
Chapter LV With what consideration we especially ought to correct perversion of intention It is worthwhile to note carefully in what way so few were able to accomplish so great a massacre. But doubtless an opportune time helped them, when the severity of pain had overwhelmed the very ones who had been circumcised and were to be killed by them. The third day of circumcision, on which Scripture says the pain is accustomed to be the most severe, was chosen for this. But what are these days and why are they said to be only three?
If by night ignorance is understood, by day knowledge is rightly understood.
And so the first day is knowledge of those things that are outside of us; the second day, knowledge of those things that are within us; the third day, knowledge of those things that are above us. Outside of us, corporeal things; within us, spiritual things; above us, divine things. And so, the first consideration of those who circumcise themselves—but yet they do not do this because of God—ought to be, or rather is accustomed to be, that they consider diligently what harshness they have borne from external sources. The second consideration ought to be what they have acquired within by so much
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punishment of the body, or rather how much they truly have destroyed within by means of the fault of perverse intention. The third consideration will be what retribution they ought to expect from the God whom they do not doubt that they have not so much placated as exasperated by the observance of simulated servitude.
And so on the first day of the first consideration the amputated freedom of beloved custom returns to memory and without doubt pain is caused, certainly grave pain because what was possessed with love is not relinquished without pain. On the second day of the second consideration the soul finds itself to have arrived at injury of the mind by means of damages to the body, and the more just the pain is perhaps the more severe it is. On the third day of the third consideration he perceives that he has endured severe things from his own judgment but he ought to expect more severe things from divine judgment.
It is the third day on which, Scripture says, the pain is accustomed to be the most severe. For how much pain do you think pierces through the mind when it carefully considers the evil that it endured, the evil in which it engaged, the evil that it deserved, the evil that it endured externally in punishment of the body, the evil that it incurred interiorly in the guilt of crime, the evil that it deserved from heaven in the presence of the Creator?
Certainly, whoever of those uselessly circumcised was able to come to this day suffered not only severely but even most severely.
Chapter LVI That the mind in all its corruption ought to grieve patiently and ought not to give up hope for its improvement Nevertheless the mind, aware of its crimes and brought into disorder by its weakness, ought to grieve patiently and not to give up hope for its improvement.
It is clearly necessary that it should grieve concerning corruption and that nonetheless it should hope concerning improvement, so that when afflicted by moderate grief and encouraged by the assurance of hope, it may give satisfaction for the past and make provision for the future. We have already said above how we ought to understand grief and hope by Simeon and
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Levi. They are those two brothers of Dina, Simeon and Levi, fierce avengers of their injuries. If only they had been as discreet as they were strong! To Simeon it pertains to give satisfaction for that which is wrong; to Levi it pertains to encourage the soul to that which it must provide for the future.
Therefore, if you grieve concerning corruption and give up hope concerning improvement,
Simeon is there, but alone.
If you neglect concerning satisfaction for the past and yet hope concerning security in the future, Levi is there, but alone. For such a task it is necessary that both come together, and each bring aid to the other.
Chapter LVII In what manner and how cautiously a corrupted mind ought to be punished by means of reproach for sin and exaction of debt
But it ought to be considered again that often in that which they do bravely, they go beyond the bounds of proper balance.
This we can easily prove from this deed of theirs that we have in our hands. For when they had drawn their swords they violently killed persons joined to them in a pact of alliance, and on account of the violated chastity of one they brought about the sudden massacre of so many men. The sword of Simeon is reproach. The sword of Levi is exaction. For Simeon is accustomed to reproach vehemently in a corrupted mind the evil that it has done, while Levi is accustomed to demand vehemently the good that should be done. Therefore, what does it mean that they fight with these swords, other than that they punish the mind with the goads of reproach and exaction? The mind of certain persons when vehemently inflamed by these goads often laments inconsolably even over the things that it cannot avoid in any way. When disturbed by these goads, often it even ventures to begin those things which it in no way has the strength to complete. From this comes that immoderate sadness of certain persons and also that indiscriminate abstinence which in truth destroys not only the powers of the body but even the strength of the mind. In fact, when Simeon rages, we see that some people are so swallowed up by irrational sadness that they cannot
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be relieved even a little by any consolations. We have known others who have collapsed so completely by means of immoderate abstinence that afterward no abundance of delicacies, no diligence of cooks, was able to bring them satisfaction. Behold these warriors (I speak of Simeon and Levi), how they fight, in what manner they avenge themselves. What does it mean that they, drawing swords, kill the lovers of Dina other than to weaken by reproach for inevitable things and exaction of impossible things not only the powers of the body but also the strength of the mind to such a degree that in any event the mind cannot restrain itself from its own excesses even for the sake of human shamefacedness? For this reason it is said rightly to them by Jacob: "Simeon and Levi, brothers, are instruments of iniquity, waging war; my soul, come not into their council; my glory be not in their assembly" (Gen. 49:5, 6). O what kind of warriors are these who, when they want to seem to act bravely, kill cruelly and violently their allies in peace? Instruments of iniquity, waging war; my soul come not into their council. O ill-advised men, who, when they venture what they are not able to accomplish, also lose what they had been able to accomplish! Thus, my soul, come not into their council; my glory, be not in their assembly.
It is not good boasting to walk about among important things and among marvels above yourself where it might be possible as it were to boast concerning your own virtue.
I say, this sort of boasting is not good. Therefore, my glory be not in their assembly:
"Because in their fury they killed a man, and in their willfulness they undermined a wall"
(ibid.).
Chapter LVIII How by excessive affliction the mind sometimes becomes ungoverned up to the point of shamelessness What is meant by "man" except vigor of mind? What is meant by "wall," except discipHne of body? And so then, that man, the lover of Dina, truly is killed when after vigor of mind has been exhausted by excessive affliction, the soul becomes ungoverned up to the point of open shamelessness. The lover of Dina doubtless
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perishes by the sword at the time when, by the excessiveness of affliction, vigor of mind fails to such an extent that, as has been said, the mind cannot govern its own excesses, even at the least for the sake of human shamefacedness. The wall is destroyed when by immoderate abstinence the rigor of earlier discipline is thoroughly dissipated. But in such warriors this is admirable above all, nay rather detestable above all that at no time whatever are they satisfied with the counsel of a prudent man. Nor do they at the very least yield to their own experience, certainly not at the time when they begin to fail in body or waste away in heart. The stubbornness of these is pierced through by an arrow of condemnation when it is said to them by Jacob: "Cursed be their fury, because stubborn, and their indignation, because hard" (Gen. 49:7).
It is a marvelous stubbornness, but no less mad that a person can be restrained only by the bridle of impossibility from the ardor of his course, from his foolish waywardness.
See how these warring instruments of iniquity know how to fight. See how much they do; see how much they do for the sake of Dina. For the sake of Dina, masculine parts are circumcised. For the sake of Dina those circumcised are killed.
All this is for the sake of Dina, all for the sake of human shamefacedness.
Chapter LIX That ordered shamefacedness is not good unless it is also moderate But since we have just reproved human shamefacedness, perhaps you wonder why we teach that it pertains to Dina in any way, since by Dina we ought to understand only ordered shamefacedness. It is one thing that people feel shame on account of God, and another that they feel shame on account of themselves:
"Let your light so shine," says Scripture, "that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).
Thus it is good to feel shame because of disgrace, not so much for our boasting as for divine glory. This perhaps is the meaning of Dina's going out: to feel shame for disgrace before people on ac-
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count of God. No doubt Dina is found within when our conscience is ashamed before God even on account of its hidden things. That people feel shame on account of God is to have good shamefacedness that is such that undoubtedly pertains to Dina. And so, such shamefacedness is ordered and can in some sense rightly be called human. Nevertheless this kind of shamefacedness is good, if it is not excessive. Certainly if Dina were yet a small girl or had kept herself within the privacy of her bedroom she would not have incurred the stain of corruption and would not have become the cause of so great evils.
Chapter LX A brief recapitulation concerning the number ofprincipal affections and the way of ordering them This is Dina who is born after Issachar and Zabulon because after a taste of the joy of internal sweetness and after true hatred of the vices, each person is more truly and also more vehemently ashamed of his weakness. Truly, by Issachar we understand joy of a good conscience; by Zabulon, hatred of sinfulness; by Dina, charm of shamefacedness. And indeed, these are the youngest three of the children of Leah. If we count them with the four mentioned above, we find without doubt that there are seven. For we have already said above that the principal affections are seven: When we set them in order within ourselves we place them in the numerical sequence of the virtues. And so fear is set in order first; next, grief; after these, hope and love. After these four, joy and anger are set in order; and last of all, shamefacedness. Such children born to Jacob from Leah are nothing other than the soul's having begotten from itself worthy children of the virtues by setting in order the impulse of its affections. Therefore by Ruben, the firstborn of Jacob, we understand ordered fear; by Simeon, ordered grief; by Levi and Judah, ordered hope and ordered love. By Issachar, however, ordered joy is understood; by Zabulon, ordered anger; by Dina, ordered shamefacedness.
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Chapter LXI That ordered ajfections are truly good, if they are also moderated It ought to be known, however, that these affections are believed to be truly good when they are not only ordered but are also moderated. For indeed, often when they exceed the control of discretion they lose the name of virtue. But perhaps we can show this better by an example if we take examples concerning the firstborn son himself. Certainly if immoderate fear were not perilous, Jacob would never have said to Ruben: "You are poured out like water; you shall not increase because you went up to the couch of your father, and you defiled its covering" (Gen. 49:4).
If by Ruben we ought to understand ordered fear, why, I ask, does Jacob command him not to increase except that it is evil to exceed the measure of equity in any ordered fear whatsoever?
Chapter LXH In what way fear goes beyond the limit of equity However, this son often exceeds the limit of equity in two ways: either because he is increased excessively concerning some one thing or because he is enlarged without order to innumerable or even useless things. Who would deny that Ruben ought justly to fear after the crime of betraying? But who does not see that that which was detestable above all else in him was that while he neither wished nor knew how to keep a proper measure in his fear, by giving up hope that he himself might be able to correct the evil he finished with an end more detestable than the beginning? But that excess of fear which spreads itself without order to various things easily deceives. As a matter of fact it sometimes steals into perfect men. For indeed, who of the prelates, however perfect, while he provides the necessary things of life for his subjects, governs the care of his anxiety so that he never again dreads more than is right on account of the adverse misfortunes of things? However, such a fear then pertains only to Ruben, when it arises not from love of the
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world but on account of love of neighbor. But who suffices to enumerate all the dangerous misfortunes of troublesome things that rise up here and there, on account of which the infirmity of his subjects— if not his own infirmity—causes him to be alarmed?
And who does not see how difficult, or rather how thoroughly impossible, it is never to exceed the limit of proper dread? For this reason it often happens that the more prudent a person is the more anxious he is found to be. And the more each sharper-sighted person knows how to foresee the dangerous misfortunes of surrounding perils, the more he is forced many times to relax the control of his timid anxiety. From one thing and the other we can fitly understand that it is said to Ruben by Jacob: "You are poured out like water; you shall not increase" (Gen.
49:4). For inasmuch as prudence of the flesh is accustomed to be understood by water, so spiritual understanding is often understood by wine. This water is turned into wine by each person when, after being inspired by God, he is raised up by means of the ladder of exterior knowledge to the understanding of invisible things, when "the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are seen, being understood by means of those things which have been made" (Rom.
1:20). Such water abounds all the more for each person, the more copiously his soul enlarges itself in the knowledge of exterior things. Certainly, the more abundant this water grows when the soul surveys all things cautiously, without doubt the more dense is the forest of dreadful anxiety that it produces and the more widely it expands.
For such reason, this is rightly said: "You are poured out like water; you shall not increase." And so it is necessary to be on guard with extreme diligence when the water of earthly knowledge abounds so that the fear of many-sided anxiety does not grow beyond measure.
Chapter LXIII To what shameless wandering an excess offear prostitutes the mind Certainly when Ruben was still a small child and was in the years of boyhood, he did not venture to defile the couch of his father, either because he was not able or because he lacked the
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boldness. Nevertheless, when he became an adult, he rushed forth, as it is read of him, with so much audacity that he ruined his father's concubine Bala, the handmaid of Rachel. But if by Bala is understood imagination, how do we reckon that such a handmaid is ruined? But what is the corruption of Bala except the unordered and shameless wandering of thought and imagination? For sometimes an overabundance of fear so greatly prostitutes
(I do not say ruins) the imagination that in fact in a time of prayer it is scarcely or not at all able to restrain itself from its fornications. For when even in the midst of praying the mind often receives through the imagination phantasies of worldly cares because of excessive anxiety, what is this except that Bala opens her bosom for fornication with Ruben? Now think how improper it is that at the very time when you ought to pray humbly to the Lord for the removal of eternal evils you begin to have so many temporal perils before the eyes and to turn over in the heart only those things, forgetting the things on account of which you had come and remembering only the things that you ought to have forgotten. This is the reason that often the mind that first was accustomed at all times to place before itself through imagination only goods and evils of the future, later, after being overcome by overabundant fear, is not able to exclude from the secret place of the heart even a slight incursion of the cares of the world.
Therefore because imagination often is led by overabundant fear to such shameless wandering of thoughts, Ruben's father rightly says to him, reproaching him for the ruin of Bala:
*'You are poured out like water; you shall not increase, because you went up to the couch of your father, and you defiled its covering."
Chapter LXIV Concerning theforce and ejftcacy offear, without which we neither abandon evil nor begin good In order that we may say something more openly concerning this affection, it seems to have a greater efficacy than the others for either good or evil. Indeed the mind frequently is thrown down from its state of uprightness by that affection, yet having been cast