בראשית, פרק ח׳, פסוק ח׳

Seeking a reliable way to determine the condition of the earth outside the Ark, Noah turns his attention to the dove. The primary approach among commentators is that a full seven days passed between the dispatch of the raven and the release of the dove [רש״י, ביאור ישר, קאסוטו]. This waiting period was essential. Releasing the dove immediately would have endangered its life, risking the extinction of its species while the floodwaters were still dangerously high [שפתי חכמים]. Another perspective suggests the delay was rooted in Noah's interaction with the raven. After the raven refused to fly away, Noah scolded it, and a formal period of reprimand lasts seven days. Only after this time elapsed did he look to the dove [משכיל לדוד].

When Noah finally releases the dove, there is a distinct emphasis that he sent it out from his own personal presence. Some commentators understand this as a sign of special closeness. Because the dove is a pure, domesticated bird, it resided alongside Noah in the upper level of the Ark designated for humans, separated from the wild animals in the lower decks [תורה תמימה, קאסוטו]. Others suggest it was a domesticated bird chosen from Noah's personal property of seven pairs, acting much like a homing pigeon capable of swift, long-distance flight [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ, ספורנו]. Conversely, a different approach argues that sending the bird from his presence does not imply intimacy at all, but rather total separation. Noah released the dove so that it would no longer remain with him [שפתי חכמים, דברי דוד, לבוש האורה].

The exact nature of this release is a subject of careful consideration. The primary approach among commentators is that Noah was not sending the dove on a formal mission to gather information and report back, as animals lack the intellect to comprehend such a task. Instead, it was simply a release. The specific phrasing used for the dispatch implies an act of sending away or letting go [רש״י, מזרחי, גור אריה, חזקוני, לבוש האורה]. Commentators find it necessary to clarify this point specifically with the dove, rather than the raven, because the stated goal was to see if the waters had receded. This could mistakenly imply that the dove was sent with the cognitive purpose of looking around and reporting back [שד״ל, גור אריה]. However, a contrasting view maintains that due to the dove's unique intelligence and its special bond with Noah, this was indeed a true mission [קאסוטו].

Following the prevailing view that this was a simple release, the intention to see the state of the earth applies entirely to Noah, not the bird. Noah sent the dove out so that he could observe its behavior and deduce the state of the world. The test was straightforward: by nature, doves seek out resting places like mountains or tall structures. If the dove found dry land to rest upon, it would stay and not return. Through its absence, Noah would understand that the earth was finally exposed [רש״י, שד״ל, ברכת אשר, ספורנו, משכיל לדוד]. He would know that the waters had lessened, meaning the massive, heavy volume of the flood had decreased and become physically lighter [ביאור ישר, קאסוטו].