Midrasch zu Könige I 8:64

(Ibid. 21) "An altar of earth shall you make for Me": specifically for Me, and not for another (i.e., not for any other purpose). R. Yishmael says: "an altar of earth": fixed upon the earth, and not upon domes or pillars. R. Nathan says: It was hollow (and filled) with earth, viz. (Exodus 23:8) "a hollow, or boards shall you make it. Issi b. Akiva says: an altar of copper filled with earth. As it is written (I Kings 8:64) "For the copper altar before the L rd was too small to contain the burnt-offerings, etc." Now was it too small? Is it not written (Ibid. 3:4) "A thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon sacrifice on that altar"? What is the intent of "small"? As people speak, "He is a dwarf" — i.e., he is unfit for the service. On the day that the new altar was built, the other was secreted.

"And Noah awoke from his wine (Gen 9:24)": he was sobered from his wine. 'And knew what his youngest [qatan] son had done to him.' Here [youngest] means, his worthless son, as you read, 'Because the brazen altar that was before Ad-nai was too small [qatan] to receive the bunt-offering, etc.' (I Kings 8:64). And He said: Cursed be Canaan (Genesis 9:25): Ham disagreed. Rabbi Yehudah said: Since it is written, 'And God blessed Noah and his sons' (Gen. 9:1), while there cannot be a curse where a blessing has been given, consequently. He said: Cursed be Canaan. Rabbi Nehemiah explained: It was Canaan who saw it [in the first place] and informed them, therefore the curse is attached to him who did wrong. Rabbi Berekiah said: Noah grieved very much in the Ark that he had no young son to wait on him, and declared, ‘When I go out I will beget a young son to do this for me.’ But when Ham acted thus to him, he exclaimed, ‘You have prevented me from begetting a young son to serve me, therefore that man [your son] will be a servant to his brethren!’ Rabbi Huna said in Rabbi Yosef’s name: [Noah declared], ‘You have prevented me from begetting a fourth son, therefore I curse your fourth son,’ Rabbi Huna also said in Rabbi Yosef’s name: You have prevented me from doing something that is done in the dark, therefore your seed will be ugly and dark-skinned. Rabbi Hiya said: Ham and the dog copulated in the ark, therefore Ham came forth black-skinned while the dog publicly exposes its copulation. Rabbi Levi said: This may be compared to one who minted his own coinage in the very palace of the king, whereupon the king ordered: I decree that his effigy be defaced and his coinage cancelled. Similarly, Ham and the dog copulated in the Ark and were punished.