Noach 9:27 · unit 1

TT #63 · Parashas Noach · Fifth Aliyah · Passuk 9:27

The Complete Passuk

יַ֤פְתְּ אֱלֹהִים֙ לְיֶ֔פֶת וְיִשְׁכֹּ֖ן בְּאׇהֳלֵי־שֵׁ֑ם וִיהִ֥י כְנַ֖עַן עֶ֥בֶד לָֽמוֹ׃

May God enlarge Yefet, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be a slave to them.

Chabad.org — 9:27

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to R’ Shimon ben Gamliel (Megillah 9b) — permission to write Scripture in Greek.

Sefaria — Megillah 9b

E-Daf image — Megillah 9b (size=3)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
יַפְתְּ אֱלֹהִים לְיֶפֶת — תָּנֵי, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: לֹא הִתִּירוּ לִכְתֹּב אֶת הַסְּפָרִים [חוּץ מִלְּשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ] אֶלָּא יְוָנִית, מַאי טַעְמָא? דַּאֲמַר קְרָא יַפְתְּ אֱלֹהִים לְיֶפֶת וְיִשְׁכֹּן בְּאָהֳלֵי שֵׁם — יָפְיוּתוֹ שֶׁל יֶפֶת יְהֵא בְּאָהֳלֵי שֵׁם.

English: “May God enlarge Yefet” — It was taught: R’ Shimon ben Gamliel says: They permitted the writing of the books [of Scripture] only in Greek [besides Hebrew]. Why? Because Scripture says “May God enlarge Yefet and let him dwell in the tents of Shem” — the beauty of Yefet shall be in the tents of Shem.

Type of Learning

Custom (permission for Greek translation of Scripture derived from the verse).

What Is Learned

The aesthetic beauty associated with Yefet (Greek) may enter the tents of Shem — hence the unique permission to write sacred books in Greek.