בראשית, פרק ח׳, פסוק י״ז

As the doors of the Ark finally open, the dawn of a renewed world emerges. God commands the release of every living creature from their protected enclosure out into the open nature, intending to breathe life back into the desolate earth. The directive encompasses all forms of life, moving from a general call to specific categories like birds, beasts, and creeping things [רד״ק, קאסוטו]. Their survival is directly attributed to Noah; his moral and spiritual perfection radiated outward, shielding the animals that had not corrupted their ways [מלבי״ם]. This prolonged proximity to Noah profoundly altered their natural instincts. Even the fiercest predators lost their wildness, behaving within the Ark like submissive, tame domestic animals [העמק דבר].

When it comes time to leave, the instruction presents a fascinating duality: Noah is told both to allow the animals to leave independently and to actively bring them out [רש״ר הירש, קאסוטו]. Commentators explain that Noah is required to first encourage them to exit of their own free will. However, if they refuse, he must forcefully remove them [רש״י, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה, דברי דוד]. This reluctance to leave stems from the fact that many creatures, particularly predators, had grown accustomed to the effortless comfort and steady food supply of the Ark, while others had fallen into a state of deep slumber [גור אריה, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, the requirement for Noah to actively bring them out ensures that he can closely supervise their departure, preventing them from harming one another the moment their dormant wild instincts reawaken [העמק דבר]. Additionally, a subtle detail in the command hints at the snake, which carries its ancient curse [פענח רזא].

Once outside, the animals receive a divine blessing and command to swarm, be fruitful, and multiply. This carries two primary meanings. First, it establishes a physical boundary: reproduction must take place on the earth, not within the Ark. Throughout the duration of the Flood, the animals were strictly forbidden from mating. Now, God officially lifts this ban, permitting them to resume their natural reproductive cycles [רש״י, גור אריה, לבוש האורה, ברכת אשר].

Second, the command defines the nature of their repopulation. The concept of swarming implies both a wide, active dispersion across the land [שד״ל, העמק דבר] and an exceptionally rapid rate of reproduction. While at the dawn of creation this specific blessing was reserved exclusively for aquatic life, it is now extended to land animals. Because only a tiny fraction of life survived the Flood, they require a special, accelerated blessing to rapidly repopulate and rebuild the world [רד״ק, קאסוטו, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מחוקקי יהודה]. Furthermore, the distinct terms of the blessing address different types of creatures: swarming applies to egg-laying animals, whereas being fruitful and multiplying applies to live-bearing mammals [מלבי״ם].