A person's title can rise or fall based on their deeds
Noah, entering the vineyard rather than planting something constructive, descended from the dignity of being called a "righteous man" to the lesser status of "man of the soil" — a decline shared by Cain and Uziyahu, each enthusiastic about the soil yet ultimately unproductive. By contrast, Moshe (Moses) rose in stature, moving from "an Egyptian man" to "the man of God," showing that one's ultimate designation reflects one's deeds. The planting of the vineyard itself was fraught with spiritual danger, as the demon Shemadon warned Noah against trespassing into his domain, foreshadowing the peril of wine that follows.AI summary · anthropic/claude-sonnet-5
“Noah, man of the soil, began, and he planted a vineyard” (Genesis 9:20). “Noah, man of the soil, began [vayaḥel]” – he became profaned and unholy [ḥulin]. Why? “And he planted a vineyard.” Should he not have planted something else, that was constructive, a fig tree branch or an olive tree branch? Instead, “he planted a vineyard.” From where did he have it [the grapevine shoot]? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: He brought in [to the ark] vine branches and saplings, fig branches, and olive branches. That is what is written: “Gather it for you” (Genesis 6:21) – a person gathers an item only if he needs it.
“Man of the soil” – there were three people who were enthusiastic about the soil, but ultimately nothing constructive came from them. They are: Cain, Noah, and Uziyahu. Cain – “Cain was a tiller of the soil” (Genesis 4:2); Noah – “a man of the soil”; Uziyahu – “he had farmers and vine growers in the mountains and on the fertile lands, as he was a lover of the soil” (II Chronicles 26:10). “Man of the soil” – he remade the surface of the soil; because of him the soil was watered; he filled the entire surface of the soil. “Man of the soil” – he was a farmer, [called “man of the soil”] after his farming activities.
Rabbi Berekhya said: Moses was more beloved that Noah. Noah, after he was called “a righteous man” (Genesis 6:9), was called “a man of the soil.” But Moses, after he was called “an Egyptian man” (Exodus 2:19) was called “the man of God” (Deuteronomy 33:1).
“He planted a vineyard” – when he was about to plant a vineyard, the demon Shemadon encountered him. He said to him: ‘I have a partnership with you. However, be careful that you do not enter into my domain, and if you enter my domain, I will harm you.’
וַיָּחֶל נֹחַ אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה (בראשית ט, כ), נִתְחַלֵּל וְנַעֲשָׂה חֻלִּין, לָמָּה, וַיִּטַּע כָּרֶם, לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לִטַּע דָּבָר אַחֵר שֶׁל תַּקָּנָה, לֹא יִחוּר אֶחָד וְלֹא גְּרוֹפִית אַחַת, אֶלָּא וַיִּטַּע כָּרֶם, וּמֵהֵיכָן הָיָה לוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא הִכְנִיס עִמּוֹ זְמוֹרוֹת וּנְטִיעוֹת וְיִחוּרִים שֶׁל תְּאֵנָה, וּגְרוֹפִיּוֹת לְזֵיתִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ו, כא): וְאָסַפְתָּ אֵלֶיךָ, אֵין אָדָם כּוֹנֵס דָּבָר אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹ. אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה, שְׁלשָׁה הֵם. שֶׁהָיוּ לְהוּטִים אַחַר הָאֲדָמָה וְלֹא נִמְצָא בָהֶם תּוֹעֶלֶת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: קַיִן, נֹחַ וְעֻזִיָּהוּ. קַיִן (בראשית ד, ב): הָיָה עוֹבֵד אֲדָמָה, נֹחַ אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה, עֻזִיָּהוּ (דברי הימים ב כו, י): אִכָּרִים וְכֹרְמִים בֶּהָרִים וּבַכַּרְמֶל כִּי אֹהֵב אֲדָמָה הָיָה. אִישׁ אֲדָמָה, שֶׁעָשָׂה פָּנִים לָאֲדָמָה, וְשֶׁבִּשְׁבִילוֹ נִתְלַחְלְחָה הָאֲדָמָה, וְשֶׁמִּלֵּא כָּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה. אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה בּוֹרְגָּר לְשֵׁם בּוֹרְגָּרוּת. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, חָבִיב משֶׁה מִנֹּחַ, נֹחַ מִשֶּׁנִּקְרָא (בראשית ו, ט): אִישׁ צַדִּיק, נִקְרָא אִישׁ אֲדָמָה, אֲבָל משֶׁה מִשֶּׁנִּקְרָא (שמות ב, יט): אִישׁ מִצְרִי, נִקְרָא (דברים לג, א): אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים. וַיִּטַּע כָּרֶם, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ לִטַּע כֶּרֶם אַפְגַע בּוֹ שִׁדָּא שִׁמְדוֹן, אֲמַר לֵיהּ שֻׁתָּפִי עִמָּךְ, אֶלָּא אִזְדְּהַר בָּךְ דְּלָא תֵעוֹל לְחֶלְקִי, וְאִם עָלַת בְּחֶלְקִי אֲנָא חָבֵל בָּךְ.