“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 immoderately19“He drank of the wine” implies that he drank without measure. 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.20This is derived from the immediate succession of terms “Noah planted…and he drank and he was exposed.”
“He was exposed [vayitgal] inside his tent” – vayigal21That would be a simpler way to say: He was exposed. is not written, but rather, vayitgal – he brought about exile [galut] for himself22Through his overindulgence in wine. 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 written23With a heh, which is a feminine suffix, rather than vav, which is the usual masculine suffix. – it was inside his wife’s tent.24He had gone there to engage in marital relations.
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 scattered25Due to his injury. and he was humiliated. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Never be eager for wine, as in this entire passage about wine, the word vay26Meaning woe. All the verbs that follow begin with the letters vav yod, spelling vay. appears fourteen times: “Noah began [vayaḥel],” “he planted [vayita] a vineyard,” “he drank [vayesht] of the wine,” [“and became drunk [vayishkar]”]27This does not appear in the text of the midrash but is one of the fourteen instances of vav. “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).