Noach 6:19 · unit 1

TT #15 · Parashas Noach · First Aliyah · Passuk 6:19

The Complete Passuk

וּמִכׇּל־הָ֠חַי מִֽכׇּל־בָּשָׂ֞ר שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל תָּבִ֥יא אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֖ה לְהַחֲיֹ֣ת אִתָּ֑ךְ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה יִֽהְיֽוּ׃

And of every living thing, of all flesh, two of each you shall bring into the ark to keep alive with you; they shall be male and female.

Chabad.org — 6:19

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin / Avodah Zarah (R’ Elazar on a missing limb).

Sefaria — related discussion

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 56b (Bnei Noach laws context)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וּמִכָּל הַחַי מִכָּל בָּשָׂר — אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִנַּיִן לְמְחֻסַּר אֵבֶר שֶׁאָסוּר לִבְנֵי נֹחַ? דִּכְתִיב ״וּמִכָּל הַחַי מִכָּל בָּשָׂר שְׁנַיִם מִכֹּל תָּבִיא אֶל הַתֵּבָה״ — אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה: הָבֵא בְּהֵמָה שֶׁחַיִּין רָאשֵׁי אֵבָרִין שֶׁלָּהּ.

English: “And of every living thing, of all flesh” — R’ Elazar said: From where do we know that an animal missing a limb is forbidden to the descendants of Noach (for their offerings)? Because it is written “of every living thing, of all flesh, two of each you shall bring into the ark” — the Torah said: bring an animal whose limbs are intact and alive.

On the daf / in context: The requirement that the animals taken into the ark be whole is read as a source that a missing limb disqualifies an animal even for the sacrificial needs of Bnei Noach.

Type of Learning

Custom (derivation of a Noachide restriction from the integrity required of the ark animals).

What Is Learned

An animal missing a limb is unfit for the offerings of the descendants of Noach; the animals of the ark had to be whole.