Noach's Kosher Animals
Chapter 7
This Rashi brings from Zevachim 116a / Bereshis Rabbah 32
the main answer that extra kosher animals are needed to bring korbanos after the Mabul. This would then be sheep, goats, bulls, turtle doves,i.e., the animals used for sacrifices after Matan Torah by Jews. The only reason then for bringing seven rather than two, the minimal number required to repopulate the world, is to bring the remaining six for a thanksgiving sacrifice.
Assuming Rahi's answer, the questiosn arises: Why six pairs for sacrifices?There are complex discussions of this question in various mefarshim (Shach al HaTorah, Panim Yafos, Chasam Sofer and Moshe Wolfson in Emunas Itecha p.12 etc). This depends on just who brought what type of korban and how many. Chasam Sofer, for example, stated that all six extra pairs were sacrificed for all three couples (not Cham and his wife as they sinned). There is also the question of whether an olah or/and a shlamim was brought and this is also complicated by certain offerings having to be only from male animals as opposed to others where females are required.
In contrast, for example, the Klin Yakar as amplified by CHIDA in Pnai David and Radak (seen in Artscroll) state that seven pairs of kosher animals were not just used for sacrifices but extras were also needed for eating kosher meat which would occur post-Mabul. The difference between the two answers would be that not only the animals that can be sacrificed were taken iino the Ark in sevens; so also would be animals that are kosher to eat but not to sacrifice, such as deer, giraffes, chickens and also kosher locusts!
[See http://www.israelvisit.co.il/top/noach.shtml].
The fine points are not always appreciated by
illustrators. Here there only two giraffes.
The second view is illustrated in another children's book: The Torah for Children
Compare the number of giraffes in each picture.
The Maor VShemesh explains that the number of pure/kosher animals was greater due to their higher spiritual source/shoresh (as in Maaseh Merkava). Rabbi Wolfson also elaborates on this particularly concerning the lion (which we will address at a later time).
These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. However, of those that chew the cud or that have a split hoof completely divided you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the coney. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a split hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. The pig is also unclean; although it has a split hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses. Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales. But anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; for you it is unclean. You may eat any clean bird. But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat. All flying insects that swarm are unclean to you; do not eat them. But any winged creature that is clean you may eat." - Deuteronomy 14:3-20
Posted by: MICHAEL MALIK | November 02, 2010 at 12:19 PM