“He sent the dove from him, to see if the water abated from upon the surface of the ground” (Genesis 8:8). “But the dove did not find rest for its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, as water was upon the surface of the entire earth; and he extended his hand and took it, and brought it to him to the ark” (Genesis 8:9). “He sent the dove…but the dove did not find rest…” – Yehuda bar Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Shimon: Had it found rest, it would not have returned.
Similarly, “it45The people of Israel. dwells among the nations, finding no rest” (Lamentations 1:3) – had it found rest, it would never have returned [from exile]. Similarly, “and among these nations you will not be calm, and there will be no rest…” (Deuteronomy 28:65) – but had it46The people of Israel. found rest they would never have returned. “He waited yet another seven days and again sent the dove from the ark.
The dove came to him at evening time, and behold, it had a plucked olive leaf in its mouth; and Noah knew that the water had abated from upon the earth” (Genesis 8:10–11). “He waited yet another seven days” – Rabbi Yosei said: There were three sets of seven days.47There was a seven-day period between the sending of the raven and the first sending of the dove, though that is not mentioned in the verses, in addition to the two seven-day periods between the three times the dove was sent.
And again sent the dove from the ark…the dove came to him…plucked [taraf]…in its mouth” – what is taraf? “Killed,”48The plucking of the leaf led to the tree’s death. just as you say: “Joseph had been mauled [tarof toraf]” (Genesis 37:33). He said to it: Had you left it, it would have become a great tree. From where did it [the dove] bring it [the leaf]?49Given that the entire surface of the earth had been destroyed.
It was from the branches in the Land of Israel that it brought it. Rabbi Levi said: It brought it from the Mount of Olives, as the Land of Israel was not inundated in the Flood. That is what the Holy One blessed be He said to Ezekiel: “It is a land that has not been purified, that was not rained upon on the day of fury” (Ezekiel 22:24). Rav Beivai said: The gates of the Garden of Eden opened up before it, and it brought it [from there].
Rabbi Abbahu said: Had it brought it from the Garden of Eden, would it not have brought an item of greater excellence, either cinnamon or balsam? It is, rather, that it was alluding to a lesson for him. It was saying to Noah: Better this bitter item, and not something sweet dependent upon your hand.50Through the allusion of the dove with the olive leaf, God implied that it is better for a person to work for his own sustenance, even if he can afford only bitter food, than to receive sweet food as a handout.
“He waited yet another seven days and sent the dove, and it did not return again to him anymore” (Genesis 8:12). “He waited yet another seven days” – this supports what Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: There were three sets of seven days; “He…sent the dove, and it did not return again to him anymore.”