בראשית, פרק ט׳, פסוק י׳

The divine covenant established after the great flood is not limited to humanity alone. Because the animal kingdom shared the harrowing journey of rescue within the ark, God extends His promise of existence and protection from future destruction to them as well [קאסוטו, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The repeated emphasis on the animals being alongside humanity highlights their shared destiny. Some explain that this recognizes the unique merit of these specific animals, who were miraculously saved and maintained their species' purity by not mating with others, ensuring they would continue to share the human journey [מלבי״ם, קאסוטו]. Alternatively, their physical presence beside Noah allows the covenant to take hold more powerfully, as blessings and agreements are strongest when made face-to-face. This proximity also signals their future role to serve humanity and live under human direction [העמק דבר].

The covenant explicitly encompasses a wide variety of species, ranging from birds to livestock and wild creatures [ביאור יש״ר]. The specific mention of the beasts living alongside humanity refers to domesticated animals or those that naturally live in close proximity to human settlements, such as dogs and cats [רש״י, ברכת אשר על התורה]. Interestingly, as these different groups of animals are mentioned throughout the flood narrative, the order in which they appear constantly changes without any fixed pattern [ברכת אשר על התורה]. The promise also reaches beyond the most visible creatures to include less prominent life forms that emerged from the ark, such as unclean birds and creeping insects [רש״י, שפתי חכמים].

While the covenant initially addresses the animals emerging from the ark, its scope ultimately expands to encompass all earthly wildlife. Commentators offer several perspectives on how this broader inclusion works. One approach is that the covenant guarantees the survival of all future generations, ensuring that the offspring of the ark's survivors will endure [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Another perspective suggests that the promise extends globally to the entire animal kingdom needed for the world to function, rather than being limited only to the specific animals that stayed with Noah [העמק דבר, קאסוטו]. Finally, the covenant deliberately includes harmful creatures that avoid human contact. A fascinating debate exists regarding the identity of these dangerous beings. Some identify them as deadly predators like lions, bears, and leopards [גור אריה, יריעות שלמה]. However, others argue that since such predators can sometimes be tamed or only attack out of hunger, the creatures requiring special inclusion in the covenant are actually demons. According to this view, demons were also sheltered in the ark as part of all living things, and they too require God's promise for their continued existence [מזרחי, לבוש האורה].