of drinking much wine his children, the Ten Tribes, were
exiled from the Land of Israel, because they drank much
wine, and consequently have done much evil, as it is stated in
the Scriptures : " That drink wine in bowls," etc.^ And the
tribes of Judah and Benjamin were also exiled on account of
wine, as it is recorded in Scripture: "They also have erred
through wine, and through strong drink are put out of the
way." 3

2 2 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of
his father. Canaan, the son of Ham, seeing Noah lying un-
covered, went to his father Ham, and told him of it. Ham
went and saw the nakedness of his father, and he told it to
his brothers Shem and Japheth. But Shem immediately took
a garment and covered the shame of his father, and Japheth
helped him to do so. Therefore was Shem counted worthy
that his children should receive the commandment respecting
Fringes to their garments.^ And because Japheth also helped
to cover his father, therefore will his children be covered in
burial in the days of Gog and Magog. For Gog and Magog
will descend from Japheth, and will war against Israel in the
days of the Messiah, and as they will be killed by the Messiah,
God will then pay the reward (for Japheth's conduct) that they
shall be buried (and thus covered). From this we learn that
when two together do a good work, and one of them is more
prompt in the performance of the meritorious act than the
other, he receives a better reward than the other; as we find
it in the case of Shem, because he was prompt to cover his
father's shame, and Japheth came afterwards to do the same,
therefore has Shem received a better reward than Japheth.
