Parsha:

Acharei Mot,  Noach 

Description

The immediate postdiluvian scene (Beresheet 9:18-29) is troubling on several accounts. Why is Ham introduced (twice!) as "father of Canaan"? What did he do that was so egregious that he earned his father's eternal curse? Why was that curse placed on Canaan, Ham's youngest son? How did Noah even know what happened, if he was asleep? Who are Canaan's brothers, to whom he is to be enslaved? Building off of Midrash Haza"l and several contemporary observations, we propose a more text-friendly way of reading Ham's sin and Canaan's curse.