Parshat Noach - Only From G-d, Please
by Rabbi Lobel

(Genesis; Chapter 8, Verse 11) "The dove came back to him (Noach) in the evening, and behold! an olive leaf was 'trapped' in its mouth. And Noach knew that the waters had subsided from upon the earth."

Noach had sent the dove a total of three times in search of information after the flood destroyed the world. During the dove's second trip it returned with an olive leaf, evidence that the waters were subsiding.

Rashi, based on Medrashic sources, comments that the wording of the Torah, "toeraf" (trapped), can also be pronounced "teref" (food) . The Dove was sending Noach a hidden message: "Let my food be bitter as an olive and provided by the hand of G-d, Blessed is He, rather than sweet as honey, but provided by the hand of flesh and blood."

On the ark, Noach provided for the entire creation of animals and living species, each according to its needs. The Medrash Tanchuma (Noach 2) explains that all animals received their habitual foods during their proper feeding times, even if this needed to be done repeatedly throughout the day. Noach did not sleep for twelve months.

Despite Noach's selfless devotion, the dove was telling him that receiving directly from G-d is better than receiving sustenance from man. It was Noach's duty to sustain creation but it was second rate.

Sometimes we must take from our fellow man and our fellow man must give. But the ideal, what we desire most, is to receive directly from G-d.