Parashat Noah: What's Going On Here?
User Profile Picture
ByHadar Institute

What's going on here? מַה זֶה?

The flood was famously caused by 40 days and 40 nights of rain, but Noah and his family were on the teivah for much longer than that!

  • For 40 days and 40 nights, it rained heavily (Bereishit 7:12).
  • 110 days later, the water began to recede and the teivah came to a rest (Bereishit 8:3).
  • 40 days later, Noah opened the window and sent out a raven and then a dove (Bereishit 8:6).
  • 7 days later, Noah sent out the dove again and it returned with an olive branch in its mouth (Bereishit 8:10).
  • 7 days later, Noah sent out the dove and it did not return (Bereishit 8:12).
  • Finally, on the 27th day of the 2nd month (Bereishit 8:14), Noah and his family left the teivah—one year and ten days after the flood began!