Word Prompt – CROWS – Yitzchak Sprung

[Just reflecting: Why is it "crows?” As in the bird (and not the verb)? As opposed to raven? Is there a context for this? I'm going to assume that the word here is orev as in raven and not "crow," which is an American bird.]

“The raven did not do his agency well on behalf of Noah, and Noah did not wish to tolerate it but to destroy it in the waters of the flood since it is fit neither for food nor for an offering… G-d said to Noah, let him be, since Elijah will need him.”

So says Rabbi Yosef Kara, regarding the orev, which is sometimes translated as “crow.”

Noah’s logic is solid. If something is good for neither material nor for spiritual reasons, does it have a purpose?

Yes, the raven will one day serve Elijah (food), so that it has both a material and spiritual purpose; but if it didn’t, it appears G-d would have conceded the argument to him. Everything needs a purpose to justify itself.

On the one hand, the story has a lovely message: if someone or something is brought into the world, we ought to trust that Hashem has imbued them with purpose. On the other hand, there is a very sobering lesson: we are here to serve a purpose. If we are not fulfilling it, should G-d tolerate us? Should other people?

We must be patient with others, and trust in their good even when it is not obvious. And we must demand of ourselves, before someone tries to treat us like Noah wanted to treat the raven.