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The Chosen Birds for Offerings
TANAKH
The Torah specifies that only turtledoves or pigeons are acceptable for bird offerings. Leviticus, the third book of the Torah, details the requirements for sacrificial worship, including the specific types of birds that can be offered.
The Dove's Olive Leaf
COMMENTARY
The olive leaf that the dove brought to Noah has been interpreted as coming from the garden of Eden, raising questions about the flood's impact. Rabbeinu Bahya, a medieval Jewish commentator, quotes a discussion puzzling over the narrative from Ramban.
The Dove in Peril
TARGUM
The Assembly of Israel is likened to a dove trapped in a perilous situation, emphasizing their vulnerability and the power of prayer and good deeds to invoke divine assistance. The Aramaic Targum to Song of Songs offers an allegorical interpretation of the biblical text, reflecting the relationship between God and the people of Israel.
The Foolishness of Ephraim
TANAKH
Ephraim's misguided political alliances highlight their lack of discernment. The prophet Hosea uses vivid imagery to rebuke Israel for seeking help from Egypt and Assyria instead of relying on God.
Fetching Doves on Yom Tov
COMMENTARY
The debates between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel on the permissibility of fetching pigeon-doves on a holiday highlight the complexities of the concept of muktzeh in Jewish law. Dr. Joshua Kulp introduces a section of the Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law from the early third-century land of Israel, which discusses the differing opinions of two major rabbinic schools on what is permissible during Jewish festivals.
Trapping Birds on Shabbat
TALMUD
The behavior of birds like doves, geese, and chickens on Shabbat has implications for Jewish law regarding trapping. In the Babylonian Talmud in tractate Moed Katan, Rabba bar Rav Huna proposes that the status of these birds as already trapped depends on whether they return to a fixed dwelling place in the evening.
The Meticulous Standards for Sacrificial Birds
MIDRASH
The specific conditions under which turtle-doves and young pigeons are considered kasher (fit) or unfit for offerings reveal the meticulous nature of Jewish law. The Sifra, an ancient midrash on the book of Leviticus from the land of Israel, details the physical characteristics and stages of development required for sacrificial birds in the Temple.
The Dove's Message of Hope
SECOND TEMPLE
The dove returning with an olive leaf to Noah symbolizes the end of the flood and the restoration of peace and hope. Philo of Alexandria, an early Jewish philosopher, offers an allegorical interpretation of this biblical event, emphasizing its deeper symbolic meaning.
The Ritual of Bird Sacrifices
GUIDES
Sacrifices of doves followed precise ritual protocols. This passage from Leviticus, quoted in a contemporary introduction to tractate Zevachim, outlines the specific steps a priest must follow when offering turtledoves or young pigeons as a burnt sacrifice.
The Tranquil Beauty of Doves
LITURGY
The beauty and tranquility of doves evoke a sense of purity and serenity, symbolizing the love between God and Israel. In the biblical book of Song of Songs, traditionally attributed to King Solomon, doves are compared to eyes bathed in milk and set in their fullness.
Stamp of Israel - Joyous Festivals 5713. Inscription: “O my dove, in the cranny of the rocks." Song of Songs 2:14.  Issued: September 3, 1952, Israeli postage stamp catalog, Catalog Number: 90.  Designer: Otte Wallish.
Stamp of Israel - Joyous Festivals 5713. Inscription: “O my dove, in the cranny of the rocks." Song of Songs 2:14. Issued: September 3, 1952, Israeli postage stamp catalog, Catalog Number: 90. Designer: Otte Wallish.
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