Family Parshah
Noach Q & A

“And you, take for yourself of all food that will be eaten… it shall be for you and for them for food.” (6:21)

Question: Noah, together with his family and thousands of creatures, would be in the ark for a long period of time, and would need a tremendous amount of food. How was it possible to store all of the food necessary for their survival?

Answer: On a similar phrase, “of all food that will be eaten” (Leviticus 11:34), the Talmud (Yoma 80a) explains that the largest piece of food capable of being swallowed by the human throat is no larger then a hen’s egg.

Therefore, we can say here, too, that when G-d told Noah to prepare “all food that will be eaten,” He meant the following: Noah should prepare "bite size" portions, no larger than an egg, of each type of food that will be eaten. Miraculously, through this food, “you and also they” — your family and the thousands of animals in the ark — will be sustained during the duration of the flood.

“And behold, there was a plucked olive leaf in her mouth.” (8:11)

Question: Why did the dove bring a leaf from an olive tree specifically?

Answer: Prior to the flood the inhabitants of the world were very corrupt. Immorality was rampant among humans, and even cattle and fowl consorted with other species. This caused all to lose their unique identities.

An olive produces oil; it cannot mix with any other liquids and floats to the top. The message to Noah was that after the flood, the human race was required to improve its ways. It was forbidden to ever again mix and mingle as it had done previously.

“One who sheds the blood of man in the man, his blood shall be shed.” (9:6)

Question: The words “in the man” seems repetitious and unnecessary?

Answer: The Talmud (Bava Metzia 58b) states that if a person publicly embarrasses another, it is as if he spills his blood, because the one who is embarrassed blushes, and blood rushes to his face (as if trying to leave his body). Then his face pales as the blood drains to other parts of the body, and it takes on the ashen, pallid appearance of a corpse. The difference between actual murder and embarrassment is that in murder, blood actually leaves the body, whereas in embarrassment, the blood changes location within the body.

In this verse, the Torah teaches us two things:

1) If one “sheds the blood of man,” by actually killing him, “his blood shall be shed.”

2) Even if one sheds the blood “in the man,” by embarrassing him and causing him to blush and become pallid, “his blood shall be shed,” for he has committed a mortal sin.