The opening pasuk of our parsha describes Noach, while the second pasuk informs us that he had three sons: Shem, Cham and Yefes.[1] It is typically the case that a son takes after his father. In our case, as the parsha will relate, the three sons were very different from each other. As such, we are moved to ask: Which of them took after Noach?

The answer, says Rav Mintzberg, is that they all did.

Three Characteristics

Noach is given three titles in our parsha:

1. The opening pasuk calls him a "complete tzaddik"
2. It also states that he "went together with Hashem"
3. Later on, he is referred to as "A man of the earth."[2]

These titles each describe a different characteristic:

1. "Tzaddik" refers to him pursuing correct behavior based on human reasoning.
2. "Going together with Hashem" refers to him connecting with Hashem and following His will in attaining an elevated mode of living.
3. "A man of the earth" refers to him following more earthy and base mode of living.

Each of these was picked up by one of his sons:

1. Cham was a man of the earth, following his base desires.
2. Yefes subscribed to a correct mode of living from a human aesthetic standpoint.
3. Shem pursued a life lived based on a connection with Hashem.

Actions

These three characteristics all found expression in the fateful episode with the vineyard, a time when Noach himself was guided by a baser part of his makeup, partaking of the wine and lying unclothed in his tent:[3]

1. Cham's response, as described by the pasuk, is that he simply saw his father's disgrace and related this to his brothers. He apparently did not see any reason to take action to remedy the situation.[4]

His two brothers both took action to cover Noach up.[5] However, the pasuk that describes this uses the singular form, "and he took the sheet," indicating that their motivation in this was not the same:[6]

2. Yefes acted out of a sense of human aesthetic, whereby his father's disgraced state was an affront to human dignity.

3. Shem acted in response to Hashem's will to respect his father and preserve his dignity.

Consequences

This disparity is reflected in Noach's responses to each of his sons after that episode:

1. Cham was cursed with slavery, the appropriate state for someone who is unable to rise above his base mode of living.[7]
2. Yefes was blessed with beauty.[8]
3. Shem was blessed that the Divine presence would reside with him.[9]

It thus emerges that the word "toldos" on the beginning of our parsha, which can be understood as referring either to Noach's sons or to his own personal characteristics, actually refers to both – as the one led to and found expression in the other.

Final Separation

Of the three sons, Shem was chosen as the progenitor of Bnei Yisrael, with our forefather Avraham as his descendent. However, Rav Mintzberg points out that the matter did not end there; for even though Shem was predominantly guided by his connection with Hashem, with his two brothers serving as the embodiments of the two other characteristics, nevertheless, there was an admixture of those characteristics that needed to be drawn off.[10] This took place in the first two generations of the Avos:

1. Avraham: In addition to having Yitzchak, Avraham also bore Yishmael, who is described as a "pere-adam" – a wild being. This reflected the removing of the "Cham" element from the Jewish people. Indeed, Yishmael is closely associated with the nations of Canaan, Cham's son.
2. Yitzchak: Likewise, in addition to having Yaakov, Yitzchak also bore Esav. This reflected the removal of the "Yefes" aspect of his make-up, whose aesthetic element can be corrupted to result in cruelty to those who do not seem to contain it. Here, too, we find that Esav became intimately connected with Yefes, as Rome, the spiritual heirs of Esav, embraced and promoted Greek philosophy and outlook.

These two generations of refinement allowed for Yaakov to emerge as the finished product, and hence, the third and final Av, whose twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel.

[1]Bereishis 6:9-10.

[2]Ibid. 9:20.

[3]Ibid. v 21.

[4]V. 22. According to the Midrash, Cham actually abused his father while he lay in that exposed state. This, too, is an expression of his way of living.

[5]V. 23.

[6]See Rashi ibid.

[7]V 25.

[8]V. 27.

[9]Ibid.

[10]See Shabbos 146a.