Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
Though Shem and Japheth both showed themselves to be dutiful and
deferential, yet it was Shem who deserved the larger meed of praise. He
was the first to set about covering his father. Japheth joined him
after the good deed had been begun. Therefore the descendants of Shem
received as their special reward the tallit, the garment worn by them,
while the Japhethites have only the toga.[63] A further distinction
accorded to Shem was the mention of his name in connection with God's
in the blessing of Noah. "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem," he
said, though as a rule the name of God is not joined to the name of a
living person, only to the name of one who has departed this life.[64]
The relation of Shem to Japheth was expressed in the blessing their
father pronounced upon them: God will grant a land of beauty to
Japheth, and his sons will be proselytes dwelling in the academies of
Shem.[65] At the same time Noah conveyed by his words that the Shekinah
would dwell only in the first Temple, erected by Solomon, a son of
Shem, and not in the second Temple, the builder of which would be
Cyrus, a descendant of Japheth.[66]
NOAH'S DESCENDANTS SPREAD ABROAD
When it became known to Ham that his father had cursed him, he fled
ashamed, and with his family he settled in the city built by him, and
named Neelatamauk for his wife. Jealous of his brother, Japheth
followed his example. He likewise built a city which he named for his
wife, Adataneses. Shem was the only one of the sons of Noah who did not
abandon him. In the vicinity of his father's home, by the mountain, he
built his city, to which he also gave his wife's name, Zedeketelbab.
The three cities are all near Mount Lubar, the eminence upon which the
ark rested. The first lies to the south of it, the second to the west,
and the third to the east.
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