EXTRA on Lech Lecha 15:10

Complete Passuk

וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ל֣וֹ אֶת־כׇּל־אֵ֗לֶּה וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר אֹתָם֙ בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אִישׁ־בִּתְר֖וֹ לִקְרַ֣את רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְאֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֖ר לֹ֥א בָתָֽר׃

He brought all these and cut them in two, placing each half opposite the other; but he did not cut up the bird.

Core Text

וְאֶת הַצִּפּוֹר לֹא בָתָר — לְפִי שֶׁהָאֻמּוֹת נִמְשְׁלוּ לְפָרִים וְאֵילִים וּשְׂעִירִים… וְיִשְׂרָאֵל נִמְשְׁלוּ לִבְנֵי יוֹנָה… לְפִיכָךְ בִּתֵּר הַבְּהֵמוֹת, רֶמֶז שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הָאֻמּוֹת כָּלִים וְהוֹלְכִים, וְאֶת הַצִּפּוֹר לֹא בָתָר — רֶמֶז שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל קַיָּמִין לְעוֹלָם.

English: But the birds he did not divide — because the nations are compared to bulls, rams, and goats… and Israel is compared to young doves… therefore he divided the animals, a hint that the nations will gradually perish; but the birds he did not divide — a hint that Israel will endure forever.

On the daf / in context: Rashi cites the classic midrashic reading of the undivided birds as a symbol of Israel’s permanence, while the divided large animals represent the empires that rise and fall. The covenant ritual itself encodes the destiny of the nations versus Israel.

Supplementary classical material not listed by Torah Temimah under this exact passuk.