Genesis Rabbah 36

¹“The sons of Noah, who emerged from the ark, were Shem, Ham, and Yefet, and Ham was the father of Canaan” (Genesis 9:18). “The sons of Noah, who emerged from the ark” – “He is silent [ yashkit ], and who can condemn? He conceals His face; who can see Him [ yeshurenu ]? To a nation and to a person alike” (Job 34:29). Rabbi Meir expounded: [The generation of the Flood said:] “He is silent” concerning His world; “He conceals His face” from His world, like a judge before whom a curtain is spread before his face and he does not know what is transpiring outside. So said the generation of the Flood: “Clouds obscure for Him and He does not see” (Job 22:14). They [the other Sages] said to him: ‘That is enough for you, Meir.’ He said to them: ‘What, then, is the meaning of what is written: “He is silent [ yashkit ], and who can condemn…”?’ They said: ‘He granted tranquility . They were granted an exceedingly convenient way of life. to the generation of the Flood, and who came to condemn them? What tranquility did He afford them? “Their offspring are well placed [ nakhon ] before them, with them, and their descendants are before their eyes” (Job 21:8); “They send out their youngsters like a flock....” (Job 21:11). Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis, Rabbi Levi said: One’s wife would be pregnant for [just] three days [before giving birth], as nakhon is stated here, and elsewhere, it is stated: “Be prepared [ nekhonim ] [for three days]” (Exodus 19:15) – just as nakhon stated there refers to three days, so, too, nakhon that is stated here refers to three days. The Rabbis say: One’s wife would be pregnant for [just] one day and give birth, as nakhon is stated here, and nakhon is stated elsewhere: “Be prepared [ nakhon ] for the morrow” (Exodus 34:2) – just as nakhon there refers to one day, so, too, here it refers to one day. “And their descendants are before their eyes” – as they would [live to] see their children and their children’s children. “They send out their youngsters [ avileihem ] like a flock” – Rabbi Levi said: In Arabia they call a baby avila . means “youngsters.” “And their children dance” (Job 21:11) – in the manner of demons, as it says: “And demons will dance there” (Isaiah 13:21). When one of them would give birth during the day, she would say to her [newborn] son: ;Go out and get me a flint rock to sever your umbilical cord.’ [If she gave birth] at night, she would say to her son: ‘Go out and kindle a lamp for me with which to sever your umbilical cord.’ There was an incident involving a certain woman who gave birth at night. She said to her son: ‘Go and kindle me a lamp so I can sever your umbilical cord.’ He went out and encountered the demon Shemadon. He [the demon] said to him: ‘Go announce to your mother that the rooster has crowed. Had it not been that the rooster crowed, I would have smitten you and killed you.’ He [the baby] said to him: ‘You go announce to your mother that my mother has not yet severed my umbilical cord, as had she severed it, I would have smitten you and killed you.’ That is what is written: “Their houses are peaceful without fear” (Job 21:9) – [without fear] of demons; “and the rod of God is not upon them” (Job 21:9) – [they were spared] from suffering. When He concealed his face from them [and finally punished them], who could say to Him: ‘Your conduct is not appropriate [ kashura ]?’ ]?” In what way did He conceal his face from them? In that He brought the Flood upon them. That is what is written: “He obliterated all existence…” (Genesis 7:23). “To a nation and to a person alike” – “to a nation” – this refers to the generation of the Flood; and to a person” – this refers to Noah. “Alike” – as the world was founded from him. He was [equally] able to establish His world from a whole nation or from a single person, as it is stated: “The sons of Noah, who emerged from the ark.” ²“He shatters [ yaroa ] the powerful without number…” (Job 34:24) – the [powerful] men of the generation of the Flood performed evil [ here’u ] with their evil deeds. “Without number” – their evil deeds were innumerable. “And sets others in their place” (Job 34:24) – these are the descendants of Noah: “The sons of Noah…were Shem, Ham, and Yefet.” “Indeed, from when there was day, I am He, and there is no savior from My hand” (Isaiah 43:13) – from among the nations of the world. “I will act, and who can reverse it?” (Isaiah 43:13) – all the actions and thoughts that I implemented with the generation of the Flood, who could say to Me: ‘You did not act appropriately?’ But Noah entered in peace and emerged in peace – “The sons of Noah, who emerged…were…” “And Ham was the father of Canaan” – the father of the debased one. “These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was dispersed” (Genesis 9:19). “These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was dispersed” – to what is the matter comparable? It is comparable to a great fish that disperses its eggs and fills the world. ³“Noah, man of the soil, began, and he planted a vineyard” (Genesis 9:20). “Noah, man of the soil, began [ vayaḥel ]” – he became profaned and unholy [ ḥulin ]. Why? “And he planted a vineyard.” Should he not have planted something else, that was constructive, a fig tree branch or an olive tree branch? Instead, “he planted a vineyard.” From where did he have it [the grapevine shoot]? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: He brought in [to the ark] vine branches and saplings, fig branches, and olive branches. That is what is written: “Gather it for you” (Genesis 6:21) – a person gathers an item only if he needs it. “Man of the soil” – there were three people who were enthusiastic about the soil, but ultimately nothing constructive came from them. They are: Cain, Noah, and Uziyahu. Cain – “Cain was a tiller of the soil” (Genesis 4:2); Noah – “a man of the soil”; Uziyahu – “he had farmers and vine growers in the mountains and on the fertile lands, as he was a lover of the soil” (II Chronicles 26:10). “Man of the soil” – he remade the surface of the soil; because of him the soil was watered; 33:7). he filled the entire surface of the soil. “Man of the soil” – he was a farmer, [called “man of the soil”] after his farming activities. Rabbi Berekhya said: Moses was more beloved that Noah. Noah, after he was called “a righteous man” (Genesis 6:9), was called “a man of the soil.” But Moses, after he was called “an Egyptian man” (Exodus 2:19) was called “the man of God” (Deuteronomy 33:1). “He planted a vineyard” – when he was about to plant a vineyard, the demon Shemadon encountered him. He said to him: ‘I have a partnership with you. However, be careful that you do not enter into my domain, and if you enter my domain, I will harm you.’ ⁴“He drank of the wine and became drunk, and he was exposed inside his tent” (Genesis 9:21). “He drank of the wine.” “He drank” – he drank immoderately and became disgraced. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: On that same day he planted [the vineyard], on that same day he drank, on that same day he was disgraced. “He was exposed [ vayitgal ] inside his tent” – vayigal is not written, but rather, vayitgal – he brought about exile [ galut ] for himself and for subsequent generations. The ten tribes were exiled only due to wine. That is what is written [regarding them]: “Those who drink wine from bowls” (Amos 6:6), “Woe to those who rise early in the morning and pursue intoxicating drink; [who stay up late at night, wine will inflame]” (Isaiah 5:11). The [other two] tribes, of Judah and Benjamin, were also exiled only due to wine, as it is stated: “These too erred with wine and strayed with intoxicating drink” (Isaiah 28:7). “Inside his tent [ oholo ]” – oholah is written , which is a feminine suffix, rather than vav, which is the usual masculine suffix. – it was inside his wife’s tent. Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: When Noah emerged from the ark, a lion struck him and mutilated him. When he came to engage in relations his seed scattered and he was humiliated. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Never be eager for wine, as in this entire passage about wine, the word vay , spelling vay . appears fourteen times: “Noah began [ vayaḥel ],” “he planted [ vayita ] a vineyard,” “he drank [ vayesht ] of the wine,” [“and became drunk [ vayishkar ]”] . “he was exposed [ vayitgal ],” Ḥam saw [ vayar ]” (Genesis 9:22), “he told [ vayaged ] his two brothers” (Genesis 9:22), “Shem and Yefet took [ vayikaḥ ]” (Genesis 9:23), “they placed it [ vayasimu ] on the shoulders of both of them” (Genesis 9:23), “they walked [ vayelekhu ] backward” (Genesis 9:23), “they covered [ vaykhasu ] the nakedness of their father. They faced backward, and they did not see the nakedness of their father” (Genesis 9:23), “Noah awakened [ vayikatz ]” (Genesis 9:24), “He knew [ vayeda ] what…had done to him” (Genesis 9:24), “he said [ vayomer ]: Cursed is Canaan, as slave of slaves…” (Genesis 9:25). ⁵“Ḥam, father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside” (Genesis 9:22). “Ḥam, father of Canaan, saw [and told [ vayaged ]]” – he said it to them and spoke persuasively to them; is interpreted in its Aramaic sense, of causing something to move forward, in this case, Ham’s brothers’ opinions. he said to them: Adam the first man had [only] two sons and one of them arose and killed the other. This one [Noah] has three sons and he seeks to make them four? He said it to them and spoke persuasively to them. Rabbi Yaakov bar Zavdi said: What is the reason that a slave is liberated by [losing] a tooth or an eye? It is from here: “He saw” and “he told.” ⁶“Shem and Yefet took the garment, they placed it upon the shoulders of both of them, they walked backward, and they covered the nakedness of their father and they faced backward, and they did not see the nakedness of their father” (Genesis 9:23). “Shem and Yefet took the garment” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Shem began with the mitzva first, and Yefet came and heeded him. That is why he [Shem] merited the prayer shawl and Yefet, the regal cloak. “They placed it upon the shoulders of both of them, they walked backward, and they covered the nakedness of their father.” From the fact that it is stated: “They walked backward,” do I not know that “they did not see the nakedness of their father”? Rather, it teaches that they placed their hands over their faces as they were walking backward, conducting themselves with respect, in keeping with the [appropriate] reverence for a father upon his son. The Holy One blessed be He said to Shem: ‘You covered your father’s nakedness, by your life, I will repay you, [as it is written]: “Then these men were bound in their sarbaleihon […and were thrown into the fiery furnace]”’ (Daniel 3:21). [What is sarbaleihon ?] Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Yudan said: Their cloaks. Rabbi Huna said: Their robes. The Holy One blessed be He said to Yefet: ‘You covered your father’s nakedness, by your life, I will repay you [as it is written]: “It will be on that day, I will give Gog a place of burial there, in Israel, the valley of the passersby east of the sea, and it will block the passersby, and they will bury Gog and all his multitude there, and they will call it the valley of the Multitude of Gog”’ (Ezekiel 39:11). The Holy One blessed be He said to Ḥam: ‘You brought shame to your father’s nakedness, by your life, I will exact retribution against you: “So the king of Assyria will lead the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Kush, youths and elders, naked and barefoot and bared of buttocks, the nakedness of Egypt”’ (Isaiah 20:4). ) and Kush were descendants of Ḥam (Genesis 10:6). ⁷“Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him” (Genesis 9:24). “Noah awoke from his wine” – the effect of his wine ceased from him. “And knew what his youngest [ hakatan ] son had done to him” – his disqualified son. That is what is written: For the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small [ katan ] to contain...” (I Kings 8:64). “He said: Cursed be Canaan; a slave of slaves he shall be to his brothers” (Genesis 9:25). “He said: Cursed be Canaan; a slave of slaves he shall be to his brothers” – Ḥam committed the sin and Canaan was cursed? This is astonishing. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda said: Because it is written: “God blessed Noah and his sons” (Genesis 9:1), and a curse cannot be in a place where there is blessing. That is why he said: “Cursed is Canaan.” Rabbi Neḥemya says: Canaan saw and told Ḥam; therefore, one ascribes the curse to the corrupt one. Rabbi Berekhya said: Noah endured much suffering in the ark due to the fact that he did not have a young son to attend to him. He said: ‘When I emerge, I will produce a young son for myself to attend to me.’ After Ḥam performed that act [to Noah], he said: ‘You prevented me from producing a young son to attend to me; therefore, that man [your son Canaan] will be a slave to his brothers, who are servants to me.’ Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Yosef: [Noah said:] ‘You prevented me from performing an act that is done in darkness; therefore, that man [Canaan] will be ugly and darkened.’ Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yosef: He said to him: ‘You prevented me from producing a fourth son; therefore, I am cursing your fourth son.’ Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Both Ḥam and the dog engaged in sexual relations in the ark. That is why Ḥam emerged darkened, and the dog is exposed when mating. Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to one who imprinted his own coinage [with his image] inside the king’s tent. The king said: ‘I decree that his face should be blackened and his image defaced.’ So, Ḥam and the dog engaged in sexual relations in the ark, and that is why Ḥam emerged darkened, and the dog is exposed when mating. ⁸“He said: Blessed be the Lord, God of Shem, and Canaan shall be their servant” (Genesis 9:26). “May God expand Yefet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be their servant” (Genesis 9:27). “He said: Blessed be the Lord, God of Shem […May God expand Yefet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem]” – Reish Lakish said: From Yefet, as well, there were those [descendants] who stood in the tents of Shem. “He said: Blessed be the Lord, God of Shem, and Canaan shall be…may God expand Yefet” – this refers to Cyrus [the king of Persia and Madai] who decreed that the [second] Temple should be built. Nevertheless, “He shall dwell in the tents of Shem” – the Divine Presence rested only in the tents of Shem. Bar Kappara said: The words of the Torah will be said in the Greek language ) being a descendant of Yefet (Genesis 10:2). in the tents of Shem. 1:8). Rabbi Yudan said: From here there is a source from the Torah for translations [of the Torah]. That is what is written: “They read in the scroll of the Torah of God, [explicated, providing insight, and they elucidated the reading]” (Nehemiah 8:8). “They read in the scroll of the Torah of God” – this is the biblical text itself; “explicated” – this refers to translation; “providing insight” – this refers to the cantillation notes; “and they elucidated the reading” – this refers to [the demarcation of the] beginnings of the verses. Rabbi Huna ben Luleyani says: This refers to the delineation [of verses] and proofs. The Rabbis of Caesarea said: From here, the [concept of the] Masoret is derived. Rabbi Ze’ira and Rabbi Ḥananel in the name of Rabbi: Even if one is as familiar with the Torah as Ezra, he should not recite it orally while writing [a Torah scroll]. But is it not taught that there was once an incident involving Rabbi Meir in Asia Minor; there was no Scroll of Esther there, and he recited it orally and wrote it down [for use on Purim]? Over there they say: He wrote two scrolls; he put the first one aside and certified the second [for use].