BS"D
This was a challenge to pull together. While Enoch and Terach each have their self-contained 'moments' within the Torah, Shem's story is less focused. Given this, plus the sheer weight of material from the Midrash, Gemara and commentaries, I've had to break things up into sections just to make sense of it all. Hopefully it's still readable. As ever, all translations courtesy of Sefaria unless otherwise specified.
Let's go!
Shem in the Torah
While Shem first appears as one of Noach's sons near the end of Parshat Bereishit, it is only after the Flood that we see him taking an active role. There are three focal points for Shem here - perhaps significantly, all as part of a 'stop-start' set of genealogies leading us onwards to Terach and Avraham.*
Bereishit 9:18-29
וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי־נֹחַ הַיֹּצְאִים מִן־הַתֵּבָה שֵׁם וְחָם וָיָפֶת וְחָם הוּא אֲבִי כְנָעַן׃
שְׁלֹשָׁה אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי־נֹחַ וּמֵאֵלֶּה נָפְצָה כׇל־הָאָרֶץ׃
וַיָּחֶל נֹחַ אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּטַּע כָּרֶם׃
וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן־הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וַיִּתְגַּל בְּתוֹךְ אׇהֳלֹה׃
וַיַּרְא חָם אֲבִי כְנַעַן אֵת עֶרְוַת אָבִיו וַיַּגֵּד לִשְׁנֵי־אֶחָיו בַּחוּץ׃
וַיִּקַּח שֵׁם וָיֶפֶת אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָה וַיָּשִׂימוּ עַל־שְׁכֶם שְׁנֵיהֶם וַיֵּלְכוּ אֲחֹרַנִּית וַיְכַסּוּ אֵת עֶרְוַת אֲבִיהֶם וּפְנֵיהֶם אֲחֹרַנִּית וְעֶרְוַת אֲבִיהֶם לֹא רָאוּ׃
וַיִּיקֶץ נֹחַ מִיֵּינוֹ וַיֵּדַע אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה־לוֹ בְּנוֹ הַקָּטָן׃
וַיֹּאמֶר אָרוּר כְּנָעַן עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו׃
וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי שֵׁם וִיהִי כְנַעַן עֶבֶד לָמוֹ׃
יַפְתְּ אֱלֹהִים לְיֶפֶת וְיִשְׁכֹּן בְּאׇהֳלֵי־שֵׁם וִיהִי כְנַעַן עֶבֶד לָמוֹ׃
וַיְחִי־נֹחַ אַחַר הַמַּבּוּל שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה׃
וַיִּהְיוּ כׇּל־יְמֵי־נֹחַ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה וַיָּמֹת׃ {פ}
"The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth—Ham being the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole world branched out.
Noah, the tiller of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and he uncovered himself within his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a cloth, placed it against both their backs and, walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness; their faces were turned the other way, so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.
When Noah woke up from his wine and learned what his youngest son had done to him, he said,
“Cursed be Canaan;
The lowest of slaves
Shall he be to his brothers.”
And he said,
“Blessed be the LORD,
The God of Shem;
Let Canaan be a slave to them.
May God enlarge Japheth,
And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;
And let Canaan be a slave to them.”
Noah lived after the Flood 350 years. And all the days of Noah came to 950 years; then he died."
As several commentaries note, at the key moment when Shem and Japheth cover their father with a blanket (see in bold), the Hebrew used for 'take' is 'vayikach', in the singular. From this they infer that Shem, as the first brother named, took the lead in covering Noach and rescuing him from shame.
While most commentary focuses on the fallout between Noach, Cham and the cursed Canaan, Shem emerges holding the moral high ground over his brothers. Noach doesn't directly bless Shem - instead, he blesses G-d through Shem, handing on the baton of divine connection before his death. Japheth's blessing, while more direct, is also coupled with Noach's famous wish that he 'dwell in the tents of Shem'. Just as Japheth followed Shem's lead in respecting his father, so too he should continue living under Shem's influence and guidance.
Bereishit 10 (abridged)
וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת בְּנֵי־נֹחַ שֵׁם חָם וָיָפֶת וַיִּוָּלְדוּ לָהֶם בָּנִים אַחַר הַמַּבּוּל׃
בְּנֵי יֶפֶת גֹּמֶר וּמָגוֹג וּמָדַי וְיָוָן וְתֻבָל וּמֶשֶׁךְ וְתִירָס׃
[..]
מֵאֵלֶּה נִפְרְדוּ אִיֵּי הַגּוֹיִם בְּאַרְצֹתָם אִישׁ לִלְשֹׁנוֹ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם בְּגוֹיֵהֶם׃
וּבְנֵי חָם כּוּשׁ וּמִצְרַיִם וּפוּט וּכְנָעַן׃
[..]
אֵלֶּה בְנֵי־חָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לִלְשֹׁנֹתָם בְּאַרְצֹתָם בְּגוֹיֵהֶם׃ {ס}
וּלְשֵׁם יֻלַּד גַּם־הוּא אֲבִי כׇּל־בְּנֵי־עֵבֶר אֲחִי יֶפֶת הַגָּדוֹל׃
בְּנֵי שֵׁם עֵילָם וְאַשּׁוּר וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁד וְלוּד וַאֲרָם׃
[..]
אֵלֶּה בְנֵי־שֵׁם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לִלְשֹׁנֹתָם בְּאַרְצֹתָם לְגוֹיֵהֶם׃
אֵלֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי־נֹחַ לְתוֹלְדֹתָם בְּגוֹיֵהֶם וּמֵאֵלֶּה נִפְרְדוּ הַגּוֹיִם בָּאָרֶץ אַחַר הַמַּבּוּל׃ {פ}
"These are the lines (toldot) of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah: sons were born to them after the Flood.
The descendants of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras [..] From these the maritime nations branched out by their lands—each with its language—their clans and their nations.
The descendants of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. [..] These are the descendants of Ham, according to their clans and languages, by their lands and nations.
Sons were also born to Shem, ancestor of all the descendants of Ever and elder brother of Japheth/brother of Japheth the elder** (Bereishit 10:21). The descendants of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. [..] These are the descendants of Shem according to their clans and languages, by their lands, according to their nations.
These are the groupings of Noah’s descendants, according to their origins, by their nations; and from these the nations branched out over the earth after the Flood."
After Noach's death, the Torah here resumes the genealogy of his three sons and details the nations which come from them. This is not the last time we will see the line 'eileh toldot' in relation to Shem - that comes after the Tower of Bavel, in a focused line of descent from Shem to Terach and his three sons (see my last post on Terach for more!). At this point, the Torah instead sets Shem alongside his brothers and describes their families' geographical spread across the land.
As should be expected by now, the Hebrew is formulaic - 'The sons of X: Y and Z... according to their clans and languages' etc. And, perhaps as expected, one line breaks the formula - 'Sons were also born to Shem' (see bold above) - before the formula resumes.
This line is just plain odd. The syntax is odd - translated literally, it reads 'to Shem were also born [sons], he is the father of all the children of Ever, brother of Japheth the elder/great'. Furthermore, why do we even need this? We'll already be told in a few verses time that Ever is one of Shem's descendants - what is so important about the relationship between them that it needs to be raised at this point?
In response, Sforno comments that a) Ever resembled Shem and b) both Shem and Ever taught and preached monotheism in their times. In his own words:
כי אמנם המלמד ומורה יקרא אב כמו אבי כל תופש כנור ועוגב ומי אביהם. והתלמידים נקראו בנים כאמרו בני הנביאים:
"Anyone teaching and instructing others, especially in a way of life and philosophy, is called אבי, “father of.” We have come across this term as possessing such meaning already [in Bereishit 4:21] when Yuval was introduced as the inventor and teacher of how to play musical instruments featuring strings. Just as the teachers, mentors are called “fathers,” so the disciples are called “sons,” בנים..."
Ramban (and others), meanwhile, interpret this verse's reference to Ever as meaning all those nations living 'on the other side' of the River Euphrates from Eretz Yisrael, rather than Ever the individual. Shem, then, is the founding father of all these nations - presumably including his descendant Avraham, the 'Ivri'.
Shem (and Ever) in Midrash
As we can see, Shem's appearances are scattered through several verses in Bereishit. However, this is nothing compared to how often he and Ever show up in Midrash and the commentaries.
While I haven't listed everything, a few themes emerge:
- The Beit Midrash of Shem and Ever
This apparently starts with Yitzhak - according to the Targum Jonathan, immediately after the Akeida Yitzhak is taken by angels to study at Shem's school for three years. The Kli Yakar has Rivka feeling Yaakov and Esav struggling in her womb while passing the Beit Midrash of Shem and Ever. A plethora of sources then place Yaakov as spending 14 years studying in Ever's school (or with Shem and Ever) as a 'stopover' on his way from Eretz Yisrael to Haran - see Megilla 16b/17a, Rashi here and here, and the Ramban (who has Yaakov teaching Yosef what he learnt).
- The Beit Din of Shem
In Makkot 23b, we read that the 'Beit Din of Shem', at the trial of Tamar for prostitution, merited the Divine Presence attending via a heavenly voice (Avodah Zarah 36b also refers to Tamar being tried by this Beit Din). Radak and Rabbeinu Bachya also pick up on this idea - Radak explains that this was a court to enforce the seven Noachide laws, founded by Shem but run at that time by his grandson Ever.
- Shem the priest
According to the Midrash Tanchuma, when Noach and his family left the Ark after the Flood it was Shem who actually offered the sacrifices attributed to Noach - the latter being disqualified after a lion bit him (!!). Another example of Shem 'saving the day' for his father.
- Shem was rewarded with the merit of tzitzit for covering Noach
Elsewhere, the Midrash Tanchuma also harks back to Shem's covering Noach with a blanket by explaining that he was rewarded with the mitzvah of wearing tzitzit on a tallit (the blanket in question being a tallit).
- Shem and Ever were generally involved in the lives of the Avot/Imahot
Some examples:
- The Sefer HaYashar has a whole 'alternative history' where the young Avraham, taken from Bavel by Terach for his own safety, was first raised in a cave, then from age 10 lived with Noach and Shem for 39 years.
- Ibn Ezra posits that Noach, Shem and Avraham all took part in building the Tower of Bavel (and that it wasn't necessarily a sin...).
- Shem was the mohel for Avraham and Ishmael - see Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer here.
- Shem and Ever were among the guests at Yitzhak's weaning feast - see Rashi here based on a midrash.
- Rivka sought out Shem, rather than her father-in-law Avraham, for advice on the twins struggling in her womb - see Radak here.
- Tamar was a descendant of Shem (as Malki-Tzedek - spoilers!) - see Rabbeinu Bachya here.
- Levi and Issachar married two great-granddaughters of Ever - see Sefer HaYashar again, which also names Levi's wife as Adina (in case you wondered).
The Shem that emerges above is in many ways a proto-Jew - more so even than his father Noach. He founds a court system and a study house, serves as priest, and even gets the distinctively 'Jewish' mitzvah of tzitzit. He and his grandson also play an active role in the lives of Avraham and his family, while their female descendants marry into the emerging tribe of Israel.
Shem as Malki-Tzedek
Malki-Tzedek makes a brief, mysterious appearance just after Avraham (or Avram, as he was then) wins the Battle of the Kings and rescues his nephew Lot. The King of Sdom, one of the kings helped by Avraham, comes out to meet him and discuss how to divide the spoils of war. Stuck right in the middle of this, we read:
Bereishit 14:18-20
As far as the actual meeting goes - Malki-Tzedek is the first figure in the Torah to be described as a kohen, a priest. From the commentaries, we learn that the site on which Malki-Tzedek met Avraham would later become the Beit HaMikdash. Rashi explains that Malki-Tzedek's gift of bread and wine was a forerunner of the meal-offerings and wine libations which would be offered there in future. Nedarim 32b also explains that, during this encounter, the right to the priesthood passed from Malki-Tzedek to Avraham and his descendants due to Malki-Tzedek blessing Avraham before G-d****.
But here's where it gets interesting. Several commentaries explain here that Malki-Tzedek was none other than Shem. Confused? Radak's opinion might help - namely, that 'Malki Tzedek' was a title given to kings of Jerusalem (Shalem) rather than a personal name, just as Pharoah was a title for kings of Egypt. Therefore, here Shem is being referred to by his title as Jerusalem's ruler, rather than by name.
Taking this view - that Shem and Malki-Tzedek are one and the same - we can see some common threads in this episode.
Firstly, this ties in neatly with Shem's image in Midrash as a 'proto-Jew', a forerunner of Avraham. We have already seen that Shem's priestly vocation apparently started on leaving the Ark, when he stood in for Noach to make his sacrifices. However, the Ramban and Radak each draw close parallels to Avraham's own path. The Ramban suggests that Shem left his own assigned land and came to Jerusalem on pilgrimage, where he was accepted by the locals as a priest*****. Radak points out that Malki-Tzedek, like Avraham and his followers, worshipped G-d directly against the trend of that time for star-worship.
Secondly, Shem's role as Malki-Tzedek in this encounter with Avraham is consistent with his earlier appearance in the Torah under his own name. One explanation for Shem's gift of bread and wine is that he was publicly forgiving Avraham for killing some of his (other) descendants during the Battle of the Kings (e.g. Kederlaomer, King of Eilam). Another is that the King of Sdom, aware that Avraham would not accept bread and wine from an idolator, arranged for Malki-Tzedek to present these to avoid an embarrassing situation. Either way Shem, as Malki-Tzedek, is once again the one who 'saves face', stepping in to rescue another from shame just as with his father Noach.
Chizkuni points out that the language of Malki-Tzedek's blessing - specifically, the bolded phrase 'Possessor of heaven and earth' about G-d - also harks back to Shem's experience of G-d destroying and rebuilding the world during the Flood.
As above, Shem's first significant appearance in the Torah is when Noach 'passes the baton' of G-d's blessing and special relationship to Shem. Perhaps Shem's final, hidden, appearance is his way of passing this on to Avraham?
Will the real Shem Avraham please stand up?
Not a typo.
Who, really, is Shem?
There's Shem the preacher of monotheism, the traveller who leaves his own land to settle in Eretz Yisrael and Jerusalem. There's Shem the first priest, the peacemaker and reconciler. There's Shem the founder of a justice system and a house of study based on G-d's laws. In one person, Shem foreshadows the defining traits of not just Avraham, but also future leaders Moshe and Aharon.
So again, we return to the question - what of Avraham?
The popular view of Avraham is that he became a monotheist in isolation, striking out on his own away from family and wider society to follow G-d. However, Shem's presence in the background complicates this. It seems that Avraham and his family were not just successors to Shem, but also travelled their path alongside Shem and his wider family for several generations until they were exiled to Egypt. Avraham - and perhaps all of us - have been dwelling in the tents of Shem.
RPT
*It's hard to spot. The genealogies keep getting interrupted by narrative sections - Noach's drunk turn, the Tower of Bavel, and tangents for figures like Nimrod. But once you zoom out a bit, the structure is definitely there.
** There's a real debate in the commentaries over how to translate the words 'achi Yefet HaGadol', as well as more generally about the birth order of Shem, Ham and Japheth. I've put two possibilities here to highlight the debate, but as it's not the main point of this post I won't dwell on it.
*** Again, there's a debate about who gave the tithe to whom - Avram to Malki-Tzedek or Malki-Tzedek to Avram. Again, not going there.
****It's worth noting that Ibn Ezra, and others, disagree that Malki-Tzedek did anything wrong here.
*****Ramban argues with Rashi over whether or not Eretz Yisrael was assigned to Shem from the outset, or whether it was part of Canaan's territory at this point.
