“It was at the end of forty days, and Noah opened the window of the ark that he made” (Genesis 8:6). “It was at the end of forty days, and Noah opened [the window of the ark]” – this supports what Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said [earlier], that [the ark’s tzohar] was a window.32This is his interpretation of tzohar (Genesis 6:15) in Bereshit Rabba 31:11. “He sent the raven, and it went back and forth, until the drying of the water from upon the earth” (Genesis 8:7).
“He sent the raven” – that is what is written: “He sent darkness and made it dark” (Psalms 105:28).33This is a poetic reference to the raven that Noah sent off. It is dark in color, and brought darkness as its reply, in that it did not perform its task but returned immediately to the ark. “And it went back and forth [vashov]” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: It began presenting arguments [meshivo] to him [Noah].
He said to him, [as it were]:34By returning immediately and thereby refusing to carry out its task, it was as if it was protesting Noah’s choice of messenger. Of all the animals, beasts, and birds that are here, you are sending only me?35Why not send one of the species of which there are seven individuals? There are only two ravens, and by sending me off, you will effectively eradicate my species.
He said to him: What need does the world have for you – [you are fit] neither for food nor for an offering.36Unlike the other animals, which are useful in some way. Noah did not want to allow the raven back into the ark. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: The Holy One blessed be He said to him [Noah]: Accept it [back into the ark], as the world will have a need for it in the future.
He said to Him: When? He said to him: “Until the drying of the water from upon the earth” – a certain righteous man37Elijah the prophet (see I Kings 17:1). is destined to arise and dry out the world, and I will bring it about that he will have a need for it [the raven]. That is what is written: “The ravens [orevim] would bring him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening” (I Kings 17:6).
Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda says: There is a city in the environs of Beit She’an whose name is Aravi.38People from there were called Orevim, and it was they who brought food to Elijah. Rabbi Neḥemya said: They were actual ravens. From where did they bring it [the food]? From the table of Yehoshafat.
Rabbi Akiva delivered a homily in Ginzak regarding the generation of the Flood, and they did not weep,39Although an entire generation was annihilated. but when he mentioned to them the story of Job, they immediately wept. He applied this verse to them [to the generation of the Flood]: “The womb will forget him; he will be sweet for the maggots; he will no longer be remembered, and injustice will be broken like a tree” (Job 24:20).40This passage in Job is often interpreted as a reference to the generation of the Flood.
“The womb [reḥem] will forget him” – they caused mercy [raḥamim] to be forgotten among mankind;41By acting with cruel injustice towards one another. the Holy One blessed be He, too, caused His mercy to be forgotten from them. “He will be sweet for the maggots” – their flesh will be sweet for the maggots. “He will no longer be remembered, and injustice will be broken like a tree” – Rabbi Abbahu said: It is not written, “will be uprooted,” but rather, “will be broken” – like something that is broken and does not produce a replacement.42When a tree is uprooted it can be replanted elsewhere, but if it is broken it cannot regenerate.
What is it?43Which group of people is the verse referring to here? It is the generation of the Dispersion.44After the Dispersion, mankind never returned to being united with “one language and one speech” (Genesis 11:1).