“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).39It was, therefore, disqualified for service.
“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.40So Noah was unable to curse Ḥam.
That is why he said: “Cursed is Canaan.” Rabbi Neḥemya says: Canaan saw and told Ḥam;41Canaan himself was instrumental in bringing about Noah’s disgrace. 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],42He castrated him, as he wished to prevent him from producing any more offspring (see section 5). 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.’43See Genesis 10:6. 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.44This was, of course, an affront to the king.
The king said: ‘I decree that his face should be blackened and his image defaced.’45The image on the coins should be defaced and blackened. So, Ḥam and the dog engaged in sexual relations in the ark,46They sought to reproduce their image, through the sexual act, inside the ark, which is analogous to the king’s palace. Therefore the king decreed that the image they produced, their descendants, should suffer humiliation. and that is why Ḥam emerged darkened, and the dog is exposed when mating.