Why Noah Sent the Raven and the Dove After the Flood

"And it came to pass at the end of forty days" — for the seeing of the tops of the mountains. "And he sent forth the raven, and it went to and fro" — that it did not wish to go, because it was one of the three that cohabited in the ark: Ham, the dog, and the raven. The raven said to Noah: "You have set your eye upon my mate." Noah said to it: "In that which is permitted to me I am forbidden to cohabit; in that which is forbidden to me, how much more so!" Now Noah had sought not to bring it into the ark, because it was wicked; but the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him that he should accept it, because it was destined to perform a mission for Elijah, as it is said, "And the ravens brought him bread and meat" (1 Kings 17:6). Therefore it says "until the waters were dried up" — this refers to that which was in the days of Elijah, as it is said, "As the Lord lives, if there shall be these years dew or rain, except according to my word" (1 Kings 17:1). And when Noah saw that the raven did not wish to go, he immediately returned it to the ark, "and he sent forth the dove" — to which Israel are likened, who received the Torah, as it is said, "the wings of a dove covered with silver" (Psalms 68:14). Noah said: "Since Israel are likened to a dove, it is fitting that it go to see whether the waters have abated."