English: “And he began (vayachel)” — he made himself profane (chullin); he should have occupied himself first with planting something else.
Note: The main ring already carries the Sanhedrin 70a units on the thirteen vavs and the comparison to Adam. This EXTRA adds Rashi’s distinct reading of “vayachel” as self-desecration by choosing the vine first.
Type of Learning
Custom (lexical derasha of vayachel / priority of plantings).
What Is Learned
Noach’s first post-Flood agricultural act should not have been the vineyard; by beginning with wine he degraded himself.