We are in an in between stage. This year, in a congregation that reads the trienniel cycle, we are in year 2. We know the stories of this parsha, Parsha Noach, so well. G-d was not happy with the world G-d created. And once again thinks about destroying the whole world. G-d picks Noah, a righteous man in his generation, to build an ark, a tevah, to house Noah’s immediate family and a pair of every animal. The rains came and flooded the earth. That is the short version of what we read last year. Next year we read about the Tower Of Babel and how all the languages got confused. But right now, we are in the in between stage.  

Currently, it seems that the world is in an in between stage as well. We are waiting for the next big announcement. What will be the fate of the hostages? Will Egypt allow the Rafah border crossing to open allowing aid in and refugees out. Will Isrrael invade Gaza, destroying Hamas once and for all. Is that even possible, I feel like we are holding our collective breath, even as we celebrate the release of two hostages.  

I have always loved the symbolism of the rainbow. The sign of the covenant, G-d’s promise that G-d will never destroy the world again. You need the perfect balance between sun and rain to see a rainbow. They always make me smile. I learned this week that it resembles a hunter’s bow. But it is upside down. It is the opposite therefore of a symbol of war.  It rains down G-d’s mercy and love.  

But there are two other symbols. The dove and the olive leaf. I wondered why. Why choose those symbols. I discovered that there is less written about this topic than I might have guessed. This leaves it ripe for midrash. Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote a short story, “Why Noah Chose the Dove.” which became a children’s book illustrated by Eric Carle who also did the Very Hungry Caterpillar. We’ll look at that, but first we’ll explain some of what I gleaned.  

Some of it has to do with speech. Both trees and animals speak in the Torah. The trees asked the olive tree to be king of the trees. (Softim 9:8) The Talmud tells us that the raven spoke (Sanhedrin 108b) and today’s parsha tells us that the dove told Noah a message.  

“The dove came to him at evening time, and in her mouth was an olive leaf torn off, so Noah knew that the waters had abated from off the earth.” (Genesis 8:11) 

Rashi explains that in her mouth means that a word was in her mouth, ie, she was speaking. And it was a torn olive leaf because she preferred the bitter to the sweet. It reminds me of Naomi Shemer’s song “Al Kol Eleh” https://israelforever.org/interact/multimedia/Music/the_bitter_and_sweet_song_of_prayer_and_promise_naomi_shemer/ which seems even more poignant in this moment. Over the bitter and the sweet. I cry yet again as I watch and listen to this version.  

Where did the olive leaf come from? Some say from the Garden of Eden and not just floating on the water. (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 33:6) From the same midrash, some say from the Mount of Olives. Perhaps it didn’t rain in the land of Israel itself and so the trees endured. (Ramban on Genesis 8:11). This offers us a sense of protection for the land of Israel itself.  

And as I learned one year in Israel long ago, the Shechinah rests on the Western Wall, symbolized by the dove. The congregation of Israel is compared to both the dove and the olive. The Rabbi often compared the Jewish people to the dove, “Just as the dove is only saved by its wings, so too Israel is onlu preserved by the mitzvot, (Berachot 53b) 

But this is modern too. Joshua Heller wrote a beautiful commentary published by JTS in October, 2000. It is as apt today as it was then. He compares the terms Doves, Hawks and Ravens. We know that hawks are men of war and doves, people of peace. “A hawk is warlike, relying on its talons to attack its prey. Powerful, world-dominating nations from ancient Rome to our own country have included eagles or hawks as symbols of their military might.” But what about the raven? We know the Poe poem, “Quote the raven never more.” and Heller points out that Reish Lakish teaches in Sanhedrin 108b that the raven’s coming and returning was not an exhaustive search but a series of verbal repartees.  

“Recent events have prompted a shift in our political aviary. Doves have become hawks, and there is a strong temptation to portray the other side as the rabbis did the raven. The raven tried to evade responsibility making false accusations and claims of discrimination. Similarly, Palestinian spokespeople and sympathizers in the media present wildly exaggerated or falsified claims of injustice….in the beginning days of the conflict, the Palestinian authority offered rewards to the families of each child that might be martyred in the conflict. This type of demonization is tempting but profoundly dangerous. If indeed the other side is so completely evil, how can there ever be peace? Why should the Israeli government have trusted them in the first place.”  

These words written in 2000 are haunting today.  

However, Heller ends his d’var torah with these words: Let us hope that it is not too long before the deep wellsprings of hatred dru up and Jews and Palestinians can share not only the olive branch of peace, but the bread and meat of Elijah.” 

And Isaac Bashevis Singer? How does he picture the dove? As the one who is modest. Who doesn’t boast or brag and who kept silent. That is why Noah chose the dove.  

I’d like to think that the dove is still perched there on top of the Wall, still crying and still offering us hope. May there be peace one day. And may the shechinah and the dove lead the way.