בראשית, פרק י׳, פסוק כ״א

As the human lineage branches out following the Flood, the focus ultimately shifts to Noah's sons. Although Shem is consistently mentioned first among his brothers, the detailed list of his descendants is intentionally placed at the very end of the genealogical record. This literary arrangement serves to push the other emerging nations into the background, creating a direct and uninterrupted transition into the historical narrative of the chosen lineage, leading to Abraham and the people of Israel [רד״ק, קאסוטו, שטיינזלץ].

Because the account delays the lineage of Shem and details the families of his brothers first, an impression might arise that Shem had no children. The narrative explicitly clarifies that children were born to him as well, correcting this potential misconception [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך]. Furthermore, this clarification highlights Shem's unique spiritual standing. Given his deep immersion in spiritual pursuits and the service of God, one might mistakenly assume he lived an ascetic life and never married. Therefore, it is emphasized that he too established a family [הכתב והקבלה]. This ensures the continuity of humanity's spiritual legacy, a unique virtue passed down through select individuals in earlier generations and now safeguarded within Shem's descendants [מלבי״ם, רש ר הירש].

Shem is uniquely identified as the patriarch of the children of Eber, a title that commentators approach in two distinct ways. The first perspective understands this geographically, referring to the region across the river, specifically east of the Euphrates. In this view, Shem is the ancestor of the inhabitants of Assyria, Babylon, and Aram Naharayim, the very region from which Abraham would later emerge. It is considered unlikely that Shem would be exclusively associated with just one specific grandson out of all his progeny [רש״י, רמב״ן, שד״ל]. Conversely, the primary approach among commentators identifies Eber as a specific individual, Shem's great-grandson. According to this view, these descendants are the Hebrews, the chosen nation of Israel. Here, the concept of ancestry extends beyond biology into the spiritual realm. Shem and Eber are understood to have led an academy dedicated to teaching the knowledge of God, with Shem serving as the spiritual father and guide to students who were regarded as his children [ספורנו, הכתב והקבלה, ביאור יש״ר].

In tracing this lineage, Shem is specifically linked as the brother of Japheth. Commentators agree that this deliberate association serves to exclude their third brother, Ham. Shem and Japheth previously partnered in a noble act of honoring their father by covering him, whereas Ham acted disgracefully. Consequently, the narrative permanently binds Shem to his righteous and honorable brother while entirely ignoring Ham [רש״י, אבן עזרא, חזקוני].

The description of greatness or seniority among the brothers sparks a significant discussion regarding who was actually the firstborn. The primary approach among commentators is that Japheth was the oldest [רש״י, אבן עזרא, רלב״ג]. This is supported by a chronological calculation: Noah began having children at five hundred, and the Flood occurred when he was six hundred. Since Shem reached the age of one hundred exactly two years after the Flood, he must have been born when Noah was five hundred and two, making Japheth the elder. Identifying a person by their older brother was a recognized custom in the ancient world [קאסוטו]. However, other scholars maintain that the title of seniority belongs directly to Shem, identifying him as the older brother [רמב״ן, רד״ק]. A third, harmonizing perspective suggests that this description does not refer to physical age at all. Instead, it denotes a profound spiritual greatness and moral perfection that elevated these brothers above the rest of humanity [העמק דבר, שד״ל, הכתב והקבלה].