Беседа XXIX

“And Noah the man began to be a laborer of the earth, and planted grapes, and drank of the wine, and the grapes” (Gen. 9:20-21). 1. We have now reached the end of the story of the righteous man (Noah): therefore, I ask you to strain your mind and carefully listen to what is said. And from reading today you can get considerable and not insignificant benefit, because everything that happened to the ancients (men), if only we want to be attentive, can give us the greatest edification. This is why not only the virtues of the saints are described, but also their sins, so that we avoid the latter and imitate the former. Not only this: Divine Scripture shows you that both the righteous often fell, and sinners showed great correction, so that from both we receive sufficient admonition, so that he who stands (in goodness) does not indulge in carelessness, seeing that the righteous have fallen, and he who remains in sins does not despair, knows how many (sinners) repented and managed to achieve the highest degree (of virtue). So, I ask, no one should be proud, even if you are aware of many good deeds, but be careful and heed the admonition of blessed Paul, who says: “Be careful to stand, lest you fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). And having descended to the very depths of evil, do not despair of your salvation, but, thinking about the ineffable love of God, also listen to God, who speaks through the prophet: “When food falls, it does not rise, or if you turn away, you will not return” (Jer. 8:4), and in another place: I do not want “the death of the sinner,” but that “he may turn, and live by him” ( Ezek.18:23). Do you see, beloved, that every circumstance described in Divine Scripture is committed to memory for no other reason than for our benefit and for the salvation of the human race? Thinking about this, let each of us extract from it a suitable medicine for ourselves. That is why it is offered to everyone without hindrance, and anyone who wishes can extract from it the medicine characteristic of his depressing passion and receive quick healing, as long as he does not reject the healing medicine, but accepts it with gratitude. Indeed, of all the ailments that burden human nature, there is not a single one - neither mental nor physical - that could not receive healing from Scripture. So, for example, does anyone come here depressed by the sad circumstances of life, from which he gives in to despondency? Arriving and immediately hearing the words of the prophet: “How sorrowful are you to my soul and how are you troubling me? Trust in God, for we will confess to Him, the salvation of my face, and my God” (Ps. 41:6) - he receives sufficient consolation and leaves here, completely free from despondency. Another grieves and grieves, being burdened with extreme poverty and seeing others surrounded by wealth, pomp and splendor; but he also hears again the words of the same prophet: “Cast your sorrow upon the Lord, and He will nourish you” (Ps. 54:23), and again: “Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, or when the glory of his house increases: for if he dies, he will not take it all” (Ps. 48:17-18). Others become despondent, suffering insults and slander from others, and consider their life unbearable, because they cannot receive human help from anywhere; but this one is also taught by the same blessed prophet not to resort to human help in such circumstances, hearing his words: “They slandered me, but I prayed” (Ps. 109:4). Do you see where he is looking for help? Others, he says, plot intrigues, slander and slander; and I resort to an indestructible wall, to a reliable anchor, to a serene pier - to prayer, through which everything difficult for me becomes easy and comfortable. Another again suffers neglect and contempt from those who previously pleased him, is abandoned by friends, and this extremely upsets and outrages his soul; but even he, if he wants to come here, will hear the words of the same blessed one (David): “My friends and my sinceres have come close to me and stasha, and my neighbors are far away stasha, and those in need who seek my soul; and those who seek evil to me, I have vain words and flatterers all day long” (Ps. 37:12-13). You see, David’s enemies extended their intrigues until his death and declared continuous war on him - the words: “all day” mean the same thing as all his life. What did David do when they plotted such intrigues against him? “But I am,” he says, “as if I were deaf and did not open my mouth, and as if I were deaf and did not open my mouth; Do you see the great power of wisdom, how he defeated (enemies) by nasty means? The enemies were plotting, but he blocked his ears so as not to hear at all; They did not stop for a minute and refine their language, and talk in vain and flattery, and he tamed their fury with silence. Why did he behave this way? Why, at a time when his enemies were contriving so much against him, did he act as if he were deaf and voiceless, had neither hearing nor language? Listen to what he himself presents as the reason for such wisdom of his: “For in You, O Lord, I have trusted” (Ps. 37:16). Since I, he says, have placed all my hope in You, I am not at all concerned about what these (enemies) are doing. Your power can dispel everything, destroy all their intrigues and cunning and prevent their plans from coming to fruition. 2. Do you see how here (in Scripture) you can receive a cure corresponding to every misfortune that befalls human nature, reject all everyday sorrow and not be distressed by any circumstances? Therefore, I ask you, come here more often, listen carefully to the reading of the Divine Scripture, and not only when you are here, but also at home, pick up the sacred books and diligently benefit from them for yourself. The benefits that come from them are truly great: firstly, from reading them a language is formed; then the soul takes wings and becomes sublime, being illuminated by the light of the Sun of truth, freeing itself at this very time (of reading) from the impurity of vicious thoughts and enjoying great peace and tranquility. As bodily food is for maintaining our strength, so is reading (the Scriptures) for the soul. It is spiritual food that strengthens the mind and makes the soul strong, firm and wise, not allowing it to be carried away by unreasonable passions, on the contrary, further facilitating its flight and lifting it, so to speak, to heaven itself. Let us not, please, neglect such benefits, but let us begin at home to carefully read the Divine Scripture and, having come here (to church), not waste time on empty and useless conversations, but for what we came, pay all our attention and listen to what we read, in order to leave here with some gain. If, having come here, you spend your time in inappropriate and empty conversations and return home without any gain, then what is the use of it? Wouldn’t it be strange that while those who come to the market of everyday life try to bring home from there everything that they can get in this market, albeit by spending money; Those who come here, to this spiritual market, will not use all their efforts to return from here, having received something useful and put it into their souls, especially when for this they do not need to spend money, but only need to show zeal and spiritual readiness? So, so that we do not be worse than those who visit the marketplaces of life, let us try to show great care and vigilant attentiveness, so that we can leave here with a reserve that would be sufficient not only for ourselves, but also to supply others - so that we can correct our wife, and slaves, and neighbors, and a friend, and even an enemy. And such is the spiritual teaching that it is offered to everyone in general and without any distinction, unless someone surpasses his neighbor with intense attentiveness and ardent zeal. So, if this is the benefit of the teaching proposed here, then let us explain today’s reading and, having benefited from it, we will thus return home. “And man began,” says the Scripture, “the laborer of the earth, and planted grapes, and drank of the wine, and the grapes” (Gen. 9:20-21). See what benefits the very beginning of this reading can bring to us. In fact, when we hear that a righteous, perfect man, who received a heavenly testimony about himself, drank wine and got drunk, then how can we, who are mired in so many and varied sins, not try with all our might to avoid disastrous drunkenness? After all, the guilt is not the same in the fact that this righteous man was subjected to this vice, and that we fall into it. There are many circumstances that make him (the righteous) worthy of apology. I say this, however, not in defense of drunkenness, but to explain that the righteous sinned not through intemperance, but through ignorance. And that he did not suddenly come to the point of drinking wine, listen to how Scripture itself speaks about this and defends it with the following words: “And Noah began the man, the laborer of the earth, and planted grapes: and drank of the wine, and took a drink.” This very expression, “started,” already shows that he initiated the use of wine and became intoxicated out of complete ignorance and ignorance of the extent of drinking wine. In addition, (one can say) that he, feeling great sorrow, wanted to receive consolation from him, as the wise one says: “Give strong drink to those who are sad, and wine... to those who are sick” (Proverbs 31:6), showing by this that nothing can be such a useful medicine against sadness as drinking wine, as long as immoderation does not destroy the benefit that comes from it. And that this righteous man was in sadness and despondency, seeing himself in such a desert and having before his eyes the defeated corpses of people, livestock, and animals, and the earth, which had become a common tomb for all - who would argue against this? Prophets and all righteous people tend to grieve not only for those close to them, but also for other people. Anyone who wants to remember will find that they all showed such compassion. So he will hear that Isaiah says: “Do not comfort me about the contrition of the daughter of my family” (Is. 22:4); Jeremiah: “who will give my head water, and let us comb out the fountain of tears” (Jer.9:1); Ezekiel: “It is cruel to me, O Lord, that you consume the remains of Israel” (Ezek.9:8); that Daniel weeps and says: He has made us worthless among all nations 232; Amos: “Repent of this, O Lord” (Amos 7:3); Habakkuk: “Thou hast shown me all the labors and illnesses,” and in another place: “And thou hast made men like the fish of the sea” (Hab. 1:3,14); he will also hear that the most blessed Moses says: “If you forgive them sin 233, forgive them, and if not, blot out me too” (Ex. 32:32); he, when God promised to make him the ruler of a very large people and said: “Leave Me... and I will consume these people and make you into a great language” (Ex. 32:10), did not agree to this either, but wanted to remain the leader of the Jews. And the teacher of the universe, blessed Paul, says: “I myself was excommunicated from Christ according to my brethren, my relatives in the flesh” (Rom. 9:3). 3. Do you see how each of the righteous showed great compassion for others? Imagine the position of this righteous man (Noah) and judge how much he must have suffered and been dejected by grief, looking at such an immense desert, seeing how that very earth, which was previously covered with so many plants and adorned with flowers, was suddenly, as it were, shaved off and became naked and deserted. So, when he was burdened with great sorrow; he, wanting to give himself at least a little consolation, turns to agriculture, as the Scripture says: “And Noah began the work of the earth, and planted grapes.” But here it is appropriate to ask: was it only he who invented this plant (grapes), or was it produced at the very beginning? One must think that it was created at the very beginning, on the sixth day, when “God saw all the trees that He created, and its goodness was abundant” (Gen. 1:31), since God, it is said, “rested on the seventh day from all His works that He had made” (Gen. 2:2), but the use of this plant was not known. If this plant and its fruit had been known to people at the very beginning, then of course Abel, making sacrifices, would have poured wine. But since they did not yet know the use of this fruit, they did not use this plant. And (Noah), having devoted himself to the art of agriculture and practicing it with great zeal, perhaps ate the fruit of the grape, squeezed the grapes and, having made wine, consumed it. But since he himself had not tasted it before and had not seen anyone else taste it, not knowing to what extent he should use it and how to take it, out of ignorance he fell into intoxication. On the other hand, since the consumption of meat had already been introduced among people, the consumption of wine should also have been introduced. Look, beloved, how the world is little by little being arranged, and everyone, according to the wisdom God has implanted in his nature, becomes at the beginning an inventor of some art; and thus artificial inventions are introduced into life. So, one invented agriculture, another after him shepherding, another - cattle breeding, another - music, another - the art of forging copper, and this righteous man invented the art of cultivating grapes, according to the inspiration of his innate wisdom. “And Noah began,” says the Scripture, “the laborer of the earth, and planted grapes, and drank of the wine, and took notes.” Look how this medicine against sorrow, an aid to maintaining health, when it transgressed the limits of moderation out of ignorance, not only did not bring any benefit to Noah, but also harmed his condition. But perhaps someone will say: why was this plant, which produces so much evil, introduced into use among people? Don’t speak so thoughtlessly, beloved. It is not the plant that is evil, nor the wine that is bad, but its abuse. And that disastrous vices do not come from wine, but from a corrupted will, and that the benefit that comes from wine is destroyed by immoderation, this (Scripture) shows you when it speaks of the beginning of the use of wine after the flood, so that you know that human nature, even before the use of wine, reached extreme corruption and committed a great many sins, when wine was not yet known. So, seeing the use of wine, do not attribute all evil to wine, but to a will that has been corrupted and deviated towards wickedness. On the other hand, think, man, about the useful use of wine, and tremble. With his help, the grace-filled mystery of our salvation is accomplished. The initiates know what I'm talking about. “And man began,” it is said, “the laborer of the earth, and planted grapes, and drank of the wine, and of the wine, and was naked in his house” (Gen. 9:20-21). A bad thing, beloved, a bad thing is drunkenness; it can dull the senses and cloud the mind. It makes a rational man and has received dominion over everything seem to be dead and inactive and forces him to lie down, as if bound by some insoluble bonds; or better said, makes him worse and dead. In fact, the latter is equally inactive in relation to both good and evil; and the first is inactive in relation to good, but more active in relation to evil than before and becomes an object of ridicule for everyone - for the wife, for the children and for the slaves themselves. Friends, seeing his humiliation, close up and are ashamed, and his enemies rejoice, laugh and curse at him, as if saying: is he really worthy of breathing air? They call him a beast, an unclean animal, and other even more despicable names. And for sure, drunk people are worse than people returning from war, whose hands are stained with blood and who are drawn out in a disorderly crowd. These, perhaps, are still glorified by others for trophies, for victories, for wounds and defeats (of enemies); but everyone despises them, calls them unfortunate and wishes them countless evils. In fact, could there be anything more unhappy than a person devoted to drunkenness, filling himself with wine every day and losing his mind? That is why the wise one gives this instruction: “The beginning of a person’s life is water and bread, and a robe, and a house; cover the cold” (Sir. 29:24), so that if someone happens to fall into intoxication, he does not leave the house and does not show himself to anyone, but is sheltered by his family and does not become an object of ridicule and contempt for everyone. “And Noah began,” it is said, “the laborer of the earth, and planted grapes, and drank of the wine and wine.” 4. The name intoxication, beloved, in Holy Scripture does not always mean intoxication, but also satiation. Therefore, it can be said about this righteous man that it was not due to intemperance that he fell into intoxication, but this happened to him from satiety. So David says: “They will be drunk with the fatness of Your house” (Ps. 35:9), i.e. will be satisfied. Meanwhile, those who indulge in drunkenness never feel full, but the more wine they pour into themselves, the more they are inflamed by thirst, so that drinking (wine) serves to increase their thirst, and although the feeling of pleasure in them already disappears, the thirst for (wine), having become insatiable, plunges these captives of drunkenness into the very abyss of intoxication. “And plant,” says the Scripture, “grapes, and drink of the wine, and drink, and be naked in your house.” Note that this did not happen to him somewhere outside, but in his own home. The Holy Scriptures meant that (this happened) “in his own house,” so that from what follows you would see the extreme wickedness of the one who revealed (Noah’s) nakedness. “And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and he went out and told both his brothers” (Gen. 9:22). If there had been other people, perhaps he would have revealed his father’s shame to them too: such was the evil nature of this son. Therefore, so that you know that he was already corrupted in soul from a very early time, Scripture did not simply say that “Ham saw the nakedness of his father,” but how? "And the sight of Ham, the father of Canaan". Why, tell me, does it mention the name of his son here too? So that you know that he was a lustful and intemperate man, and by the same (depraved) will by which he did not abstain from procreation under such circumstances, 235 and now he has insulted his parent. “And he went out,” it is said, “and led both his brothers.” Notice here, beloved, that the beginning of sin lies not in nature, but in the disposition of the soul and in free will. Now, after all, all the sons of Noah are of the same nature and brothers among themselves, had the same father, were born from the same mother, were raised with the same care, and despite this they showed unequal dispositions - one turned away to evil, and the others showed due respect to their father. He, perhaps, while talking about what happened, still mocked and mocked his father’s shame, not heeding the wise one, who says: “Do not glory in the dishonor of your father” (Sir. 3:10). But his brothers did not do that, but how? Hearing about this, it is said, “Shem and Japheth took up the robe, laid it on both their frames, and walked back with sight, and covered the nakedness of their father: and they turned back their face in vain, and did not see their father’s nakedness” (Gen. 9:23). Do you see the modesty of these sons? He divulged it, but they don’t even want to see it, but they walk with their faces turned back so that, coming closer, they can cover their father’s nakedness. Look also how, despite their great modesty, they were still meek. They do not reproach or strike their brother, but having heard (his story), they only care about one thing, how to quickly correct what happened and do what was required for the honor of the parent. “And their face,” it is said, “was turned back in vain, and you did not see your father’s nakedness.” Great is the reverence of these sons for their father: they, as Scripture shows, not only covered (the nakedness of their father), but did not even want to see it. Let us understand these (two) examples, and we will benefit from both: we will imitate the latter (Shem and Japheth), and refrain from imitating the first (Ham). If, in fact, the one who discovered sensual nakedness subjected himself to a curse and, having lost the same part as his brothers, is condemned to serve them, although not he himself, but all his descendants, then what will those who discover the sins of their brothers be subjected to and not only do not cover them up, but try to make them even more known and through this multiply their sins? After all, when you discover your brother’s sin, you will not only make him, perhaps, more shameless and unwilling to return to the path of virtue, but you will also root those who listen to you in carelessness and dispose them to persist in evil; It’s not enough, you will also give rise to blasphemy against God. And everyone knows what punishment awaits those who give rise (to this sin). Let us, please, avoid the shamelessness of Ham, and let us imitate the chastity of these modest sons, which they discovered in relation to the nakedness of their father, and thus we will cover up the sins of our brothers, not in order to dispose them to negligence, but, on the contrary, in order to more strongly induce them to speedily liberate themselves from the infection of sin and return to the path of virtue. Indeed, for an attentive person, the absence of witnesses to his sins makes correction easier; on the contrary, when the soul loses shame and sees that its crimes are known to everyone, it will not soon decide to correct itself, but, as if falling into a deep swamp and being carried away by many waves lower and lower, it will no longer be able to float to the top, it will finally fall into despair and lose hope of correction. 5. Therefore, I ask, we will not ourselves reveal the sins of our neighbors, nor, when we learn about them from others, strive to see their nakedness, but, like the good sons mentioned, we will cover it and try to correct the fallen soul with admonitions and advice, reminding it of the greatness of God’s love for mankind, of His boundless goodness and immeasurable mercy, so that we may be worthy of more than those (sons Noah), blessings from God of all kinds, “who wants all men to be saved and to come into the understanding of truth” (1 Tim. 2:4), and does not want “the death of the sinner... but to be converted... and he will live” (Ezek. 18:23). “And you did not see your father’s nakedness,” it is said. Look how in such an ancient time, guided only by the natural law, they fulfilled what was later established in the law written for the teaching of the human race. The law said: “Honor your father and your mother, that it may go well with you” (Exodus 20:12), and also: “whoever curses his father or his mother, let him die” (Exodus 21:16); and they have already accomplished this in practice. Do you see how nature, even before (the law), has a sufficient teacher (virtue)? “But Noah became sober,” says the Scripture, “from wine and wisdom, and his youngest son did for him” (Gen. 9:24). “Get sober,” it says. Let those who spend all their time in feasts hear how great the harm is from intoxication, and let them flee from this infection. “Get sober,” it says. What does it mean: “sobered up” 236? What we usually say about those who are demonized when they come to their senses, namely, that such and such came to his senses 237 and was freed from the power of the demon, the Scripture said the same here. Indeed, drunkenness is a willful demon, which, worse than a real demon, darkens the mind and robs the one possessed by it of all modesty. Seeing a demoniac, we often feel sorry for him, sympathize with him and show deep compassion for him; but when we see a drunk, we do the opposite: we become indignant, angry, and utter a thousand reproaches. Why and for what? Because someone possessed by an evil demon, whatever he does, does it involuntarily: whether he beats himself, tears his clothes, or utters any shameful words, all this is forgiven him; but a drunk, no matter what he does, does not deserve an apology for anything; on the contrary, his family, friends, and neighbors, and everyone strictly condemns him, because he himself, of his own free will, reached this unfortunate situation, he himself gave himself up to the power of drunkenness. And I don’t say this in order to condemn the righteous. There were many circumstances that justified him, and by the way, the fact that after that he no longer fell into a similar state, and this serves as undoubted proof that he committed the previous sin not out of carelessness, but out of ignorance. In fact, if he had allowed this to happen carelessly, then, of course, he would have been carried away by the same passion another time; but this no longer happened to him. If he had once again fallen into the same state, Scripture would not have been silent about it, but would have told us, because the only subject and only purpose of Divine Scripture is not to omit a single event (from the life of the righteous), but to tell us the true concept of everything. It does not keep silent about the virtues of the righteous out of envy, and does not cover up their sins out of passion, but it presents everything to us so that we have before us an example and a lesson, and if, through carelessness, we fall into any sin, then we should be careful lest we commit the same sin again. It’s not so much criminal to sin as to become stubborn in sin. So, look not at the fact that the righteous man (Noah) got drunk, but at the fact that he was no longer exposed to it. But think about how others exhaust themselves every day and almost, one might say, die from drunkenness; and if when they come to their senses, then even then they do not run away from this infection, but again take up the same thing, as if for some important matter. Think also about the fact that this righteous man, if, out of inexperience and ignorance of the dose, drank wine and got drunk, then, as a righteous man who had many virtues, he could cover up (with his virtues) an accidental sin; and if we, with the multitude of other passions that possess us, still indulge in drunkenness, how, tell me, will we find an excuse for ourselves? Who will show us leniency when we are not taught by experience itself? “But Noah became sober,” it is said, “from wine and wit, and his youngest son did for him.” How did he know this? Perhaps the brothers told it not in order to accuse their brother, but to explain the matter, how it happened, so that Ham could receive the medicine appropriate to his illness. “And in the understanding,” it is said, “Noah, create for him a tree, his youngest son.” What does it mean: “create a Christmas tree”? That is, how great and unforgivable a sin (Ham did). In fact, think that when he saw (his father’s) shame inside the house, instead of covering it up, leaving the house, he divulged about it, subjected his father to ridicule and reproach as much as he could, and wanted to make his brothers accomplices of his vile act; and then, as he should have, if he had already decided to announce to his brothers, to call them into the house and there to tell them about his father’s nakedness, he went out and announced his nakedness in such a way that if many other people had happened here, he would have made them witnesses of his father’s shame. That is why it is said: “Create a tree,” i.e. insulted his father, forgot about the respect that children are obliged to pay to their parents, discovered the sin (of the father), wanted to captivate the brothers and make them accomplices in his insolence. “Make him a tree,” it is said, “a son, his youngest.” Ham, of course, was not the youngest; he was second and older than Japheth. But, although he was older than him in age, he turned out to be younger in soul, and his insolence placed him lower than his younger brother. Since he did not want to remain within his borders, he lost the honor given to him by nature, and just as he lost by his evil will what he had by nature, so Japheth, what he did not have by nature, he acquired by his good will. 6. Do you see how in Divine Scripture there is nothing that is said without purpose or by chance? “Make him a tree,” it is said, “a son, his youngest. And he said: Cursed 239 is the lad Canaan: he will be a servant to his brethren” (Gen. 9:24–25). Now we come to a question that is repeated everywhere. From many you can hear the following words: why is it that when the father sinned and revealed his nakedness, the son is cursed? So, please listen carefully and accept my resolution to this (issue). I will say what the grace of God inspires in me for your benefit. “And he said: Cursed is the lad Canaan: he will be a servant to his brethren.” Scripture did not mention the son (Hama) without purpose or in vain, but for some hidden reason. Noah wanted to punish Ham for his crime and the insult inflicted on him, and at the same time not to violate the blessing given by God: “God bless,” it is said, “Noah and his sons,” when they left the ark (Gen. 9:1). So, so that it does not seem that he is cursing someone who has already received a blessing from God, Noah leaves the offender himself for now, and imposes a curse on his son. True, another will say, from this it is clear that Noah did not curse Ham because he received a blessing from God: but why is the son punished for the sin of the father? And this is not without reason. In fact, Ham suffered punishment and felt torment no less than his son. You, of course, know how often fathers are ready to endure punishment for their children, and how it is much more painful for them to see their children suffering than to suffer themselves. So, this was done (i.e., instead of Ham, his son was punished) so that the father, out of natural love for his son, would suffer the most severe sorrow, and God’s blessing would remain unbroken; and the son who was cursed was punished for his own sins, because, although he was now cursed for the sin of his father, he was probably punished for his own sins. He was cursed not only for the sin of his father, but, without a doubt, so that in him (the son) the father would suffer even greater punishment. That neither fathers for their children, nor children for their fathers are punished, but each is punished for his own sins, the prophets speak about this in many places. So, for example, they say: “Whoever eats sour... his teeth will become set on edge” (Jer. 31:29); also: “The soul that sins shall die” (Ezek. 18:20), and again: “Let not the fathers die for the sons, and let not the sons die for the fathers” (Deut. 24:16). So, I ask, none of you, not knowing the purpose of the Divine Scripture, do not dare to condemn what is written in it, but accept its words with gratitude, marvel at the accuracy of the Divine Scripture and reflect on what a great evil sin is. Here, in fact, a brother, born of the same mother, coming from the same womb, was made a slave by sin and, deprived of freedom, brought into submission. This is where slavery began. Until that time, there was no such effeminacy and such luxury among people that one needed the service of others, but each served himself, everyone was in equal honor and there was no inequality. And when sin appeared, it violated freedom and degraded the dignity given to people by nature, and introduced slavery, so that this would be a constant lesson and inspiration to the human race - to escape the slavery of sin and strive for the freedom of virtue. Therefore, if the slave and the master want to constantly benefit from this, then let the slave think that he became a slave because Ham showed such insolence; and the master, for his part, let him imagine that submission and slavery arose from nothing other than the fact that he (Ham) revealed an evil will and was deprived of honor equal to his brothers. 7. However, if we are careful, then all this, which appeared in life for the sins of our ancestors, will not harm us in the least, but will remain just a name. Thus, the first person was condemned to death for a crime and began a life of sorrows and labors, and Ham introduced slavery. But the Lord Christ who came (to earth) made it all just one name, if we want it. In fact, even now death is no longer death, but only bears the name of death, or better yet, its very name has been destroyed: we no longer call it death, but tranquility and sleep. So Christ himself said: “Lazarus is our friend in success” (John 11:11); and Paul in his Epistle to the Thessalonians says: “I do not want you, brethren, to know about the dead” 240 (1 Thess. 4:13). In the same way, slavery is now one name: a slave is one who commits sin. And that Christ, having come to earth, destroyed this (slavery) and left only its name, or better to say, destroyed the name itself, about this listen to Paul, who says: “Let them not be careless about them, for they are brethren” (1 Tim. 6:2). You see how virtue, as soon as it appeared, brought into fraternal kinship those who had hitherto been bound by the name of slavery. “And it will be,” it is said, “Canaan will be a servant to his brothers.” You did not take advantage, he says, of proper honor, you did not endure the happiness of being equal in dignity (with your brothers), so I want you to come to your senses by submission. The same thing happened at the beginning with my wife. And she had equal honor with her husband, but since she did not make good use of the honor bestowed on her, she lost her power and heard: “Your appeal is to your husband, and he will rule over you” (Gen. 3:16). You didn’t know how to use power well, he says, so learn to obey well rather than govern badly. In the same way, Ham is now being condemned for his own admonition and is suffering punishment in his son, so that you know that even if he himself was already old, the punishment will pass on to his son; and this made his life sorrowful and painful, from the thought that, even after his death, his son must bear punishment for his offense. However, his son himself was wicked, and all his descendants were corrupt and turned towards wickedness; about this, listen to what the Scripture says with a curse 241: “your father is an Amorite and your mother is a Hittite” (Ezek. 16:3); and in another place with reproach: “the tribe of Canaan, and not of Judah” (Dan. 13:56). But having learned what kind of punishment the one who revealed his father’s nakedness was subjected to, one must also listen to what rewards are awarded to those who showed such respect and reverence for the father. “And he said,” it is said, “(Noah): Blessed is the Lord God of Shem: and Canaan will be his servant” 242 (Gen. 9:26). This, perhaps, someone will say, does not mean blessing Sim. On the contrary, here Noah gave him the highest blessing. In fact, when God is glorified and blessed by people, then He usually bestows His richest blessing on those for whose sake He is blessed. Therefore, Noah, having blessed God, seemed to oblige Him to a greater blessing and acquired a greater reward for Sim than if he had blessed him on his own. Just as in the case when God is blessed for us, He honors us with His great blessing, so, on the contrary, when others blaspheme Him because of us, then we are subjected to even greater condemnation for having given rise to this. Let us try, I ask, to live in such a way and demonstrate such progress in virtue that those who look at us will lift up songs of blessing to the Lord God. He, good and philanthropic, desires to be glorified through us, not because He Himself receives from him any increase in His own glory - He lacks nothing - but so that we give Him the opportunity to honor us with great mercies. “Blessed is the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan will be a child... to him.” Do you see how he (Noah) imposes (on Ham) a fatherly punishment, which is more of an admonition than a punishment? He was a father, and a loving father; and wanted not so much to impose a worthy punishment as to stop the further spread of evil. For this reason, he says, I condemn you to slavery, so that you have a constant and indelible reminder (of your sin). Then he says: “May God spread Japheth, and let him dwell in the villages of Shem, and let Canaan be his child” (Gen. 9:27). And this again is the greatest blessing, in which, perhaps, lies some hidden treasure. “Let it spread,” says the God of Japheth.” Whoever says that the blessings of this righteous man are a prophecy will not be mistaken. In fact, if his father gave him such a name (Noah), not without a purpose and not in vain, but in order to foretell the future flood by this name, then even more so this righteous man himself did not pronounce his blessings without a purpose and not in vain. Through these blessings spoken to Shem and Japheth, it seems to me that he foreshadowed the calling of two nations, namely: through Shem - the Jews, since from him came the patriarch Abraham and the people of Judah, and through Japheth - the calling of the pagans. So, this is the prediction contained in this blessing: “May God spread Japheth, and may he dwell in the villages of 243 Shem.” This indeed, as we see, was fulfilled over the pagans. With the word: “let him spread” he pointed to all the pagans, and with the words: “let him dwell in the villages of Shem” (he made it clear) that the pagans took advantage of everything that was intended and prepared for the Jews. “And let there be a child of Canaan” him. 8. You see what rewards Shem and Japheth received for their modesty, and what dishonor Ham brought upon himself with his insolence. Let us constantly keep this in our minds, so that we can be imitators and zealots of the former and avoid the evil will and extreme insolence of the latter. “And Noah lived,” it is said, “after the flood three hundred and fifty years: and all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died” (Gen. 9:28–29). Do not think that the Divine Scripture noticed this without a purpose, but from here also see the abstinence of the righteous, as he, although he enjoyed peace and abundance, and lived for so many more years after leaving the ark, nevertheless during all this time he abstained from childbearing. Scripture does not mention that he had any other children besides these three. From this again conclude about the great intemperance of Ham, who was not admonished by the example of his father, who showed such abstinence, but acted in everything contrary to his father. Therefore, it was right that all his descendants were condemned to slavery, so that his evil inclinations would be curbed. Then the Divine Scripture tells about the children of the sons (Noah), and says: Ham begat Hus; further: “And Hus begat Nevrod: this one began to be a giant on the earth: this was a giant fisher before the Lord” (Gen. 10:8–9). Some say that the words: “before the Lord” mean “against the Lord,” but I do not think that the Divine Scripture wanted to express this, but that Nevrod was a strong and courageous man. The expression “before the Lord God” can also mean either that this person was raised up by God, received a blessing from Him, or that through him God, who produced and revealed such a man on earth, was to be glorified. But this man, imitating his ancestor and improperly taking advantage of natural advantages, invented another kind of slavery and himself planned to become a boss and ruler; and he would not be like that if there were no subordinates. However, this state of being subordinate seems to me more like freedom. But the heaviest slavery is when those who boast of freedom are servile! Look again what covetousness does; see how bodily strength does not remain within its own limits, but always pursues more and seeks glory. (Nevrod) did not subjugate people in order to take care of their safety; no, he also built cities in order to dominate his enemies. “From there, from that land,” it is said, “Assur came out and created Nineveh” (Gen. 10:11). Note here, by the way, that the wickedness of our ancestors does not upset our nature at all. These Ninevites, who by their repentance earned the mercy of God and rejected the Lord's sentence (pronounced on them), had for their ancestor first Ham, this insulter of their father, and then Nevrod, a cruel and proud man, from whom Assur descended. Perhaps among them there were other, pampered and voluptuous people, who led a vicious and intemperate life, and were devoted to drunkenness, laughter, jokes and ridicule. But since the Ninevites wanted to show sincere repentance, the wickedness of their ancestors did not harm them; on the contrary, they acquired such favor from above that even to this day they are glorified for their feat of repentance. So, we will also imitate them, and knowing that neither the vices of our ancestors will harm us, if we ourselves want to be careful, nor the virtues of our ancestors will bring us any benefit if we ourselves are careless, let us use all our efforts for virtue and show our good will in everything, so that we may receive the same blessing that Shem and Japheth (received), and get rid of the curse and slavery to which Canaan was subjected, so as not to to be slaves of sin, but to acquire true freedom and achieve indescribable blessings, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Zlat. ; literally these words in the hitherto known lists of the book. Government. Daniel is not found; the idea they express about the humiliation of the Jews. expressed by the people and the government. Daniel, for example. in IX, 16: “And your people were a reproach to all those around us.” Wed. (Hab.1:2; Ps.104:12). Zlat. τὴν ἁμαρτίαν without αὐτῶν, according to Lucian. sp. Here is the text from Zlat. quite consistent with the usual reading of the 70: ἔξω, which can be literally translated: “and he went abroad to tell both his brothers.” ᾿Επικατάρατος according to the usual reading in the lists of 70. (about the deceased – κεκοιμημένων) Zlat.: καὶ ἔσται Χαναὰν παῖς αὐτοῦ according to Alex. sp. and contrary to Lukiansk. sp., where after παῖς (youth) is read οἰκέτης - “slave”, as in the Slavs. B. Zlat.: ἐν σκηνώμασιν according to sp. Dorofey and other minuscule sp., as well as Heb. text, and contrary to Lucian. and other sp., where instead: ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις - “in houses.” You might be interested in: