We often picture Noah releasing the dove, seeing the rainbow, and rebuilding the world. But the Torah tells us a less rosy story, a story of wine, exposure, and consequences. A story that begins with the verse, "He drank of the wine and became drunk, and he was exposed inside his tent" (Genesis 9:21).
What exactly happened there? The rabbis of the Midrash, specifically Bereshit Rabbah, delve into the implications of this seemingly simple verse.
First, they point out the repetition. "He drank," the verse says. But, Bereshit Rabbah emphasizes, "He drank – he drank immoderately!" It wasn't just a sip; it was a binge. The text implies he drank without measure, leading to his disgrace. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba drives this point home, noting that Noah planted the vineyard, drank the wine, and became disgraced all in the same day. A rapid descent, indeed, stemming from that immediate succession.
But the story doesn’t end with Noah’s personal embarrassment. Bereshit Rabbah sees a far broader implication in the phrase "He was exposed [vayitgal] inside his tent." Notice that the Torah doesn’t use the simpler word for "exposed" [vayigal]. Instead, the Rabbis suggest that vayitgal hints at galut, exile. Through his overindulgence, Noah brought about exile not only for himself, but for future generations.
Think about that for a moment. One man's drunken mistake leading to the exile of entire tribes. That's a heavy burden. The Midrash connects this to the exiles of the ten tribes, citing Amos 6:6: "Those who drink wine from bowls," and Isaiah 5:11: "Woe to those who rise early in the morning and pursue intoxicating drink." Even the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the Midrash continues, were exiled because of wine, as Isaiah 28:7 states: "These too erred with wine and strayed with intoxicating drink."
The Rabbis don't stop there. The text specifies "inside his tent [oholo]." But the word oholo is written with a heh, a feminine suffix, rather than the usual masculine vav. Rav Huna, quoting Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, suggests this means it happened in his wife's tent, implying he went there for intimacy. According to this tradition, when Noah emerged from the ark, a lion injured him, leading to humiliation when he tried to engage in relations.
Rabbi Yoḥanan adds a final, cautionary note: "Never be eager for wine." He observes that the Hebrew word vay, meaning "woe," seems to permeate the entire passage. He points out that fourteen verbs in the story begin with the letters vav and yod, spelling vay: "Noah began [vayaḥel]," "he planted [vayita] a vineyard," "he drank [vayesht] of the wine," "he was exposed [vayitgal]," and so on. It's as if the very language is warning us of the potential for disaster.
The Bereshit Rabbah doesn't just offer a simple interpretation of a biblical verse. It presents a powerful lesson about responsibility, consequences, and the dangers of excess. It's a reminder that even after the most cataclysmic events, human failings can still lead to exile, both literal and metaphorical. What does this ancient story tell us about the choices we make today, and the impact they might have on generations to come?