Philo, that brilliant Jewish philosopher from Alexandria, had thoughts on this. He saw the story of the "younger" son not just as a matter of birth order, but as a reflection of the mind itself. In his Midrash, Philo argues that the "younger" one isn’t necessarily the one born later. Instead, it's the one who's "younger in mind." According to Philo, wickedness—that inner stubbornness—blocks us from truly understanding the learning that should come with age. It's a fascinating idea, isn't it? That our capacity for wisdom isn't just about the years we accumulate, but about our willingness to grow and learn. Elder thoughts, Philo suggests, belong to a will that's truly growing old – not in body, but in mind.
And then there's that intriguing verse from Genesis (9:26). After the flood, Noah, in a moment of prophecy, says, "Blessed is the Lord God, the God of Shem: and Canaan shall be his servant."
Why Shem? Why that specific blessing? And why is Canaan destined to servitude? What's going on here?