Noah's Dove and the Deep Connection to King Mashiach According to the Zohar – The Daily Chizuk from the Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a
The dove that Noah sends from the Ark is not just a symbol of hope and peace, but a mysterious figure with deep significance. The Holy Zohar reveals that this dove is nothing less than a sacred entity connected to Mashiach (the Messiah), and that she is the one who will place the crown upon his head. In this chizuk (spiritual strengthening) from our teacher, the Rebbe, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days), we will delve into the Zohar's interpretation of the dove and discover the wondrous connection between the story of Noah, Mashiach ben David (Messiah son of David), and the complete Geulah (Redemption).
Monday, 19th of Shevat 5785 – These are his holy words, shlit"a:
Let us read the Zohar regarding Noah’s dove, which explains who this dove actually is.
The Well-Known Dove – Who Is She Really?
"And the dove returned" (Genesis 8:9) – the Zohar asks, who is this dove?
The Zohar says: I will reveal it to you—this is the dove that resides in the chamber of Mashiach (the Messiah); she will come with Mashiach. When the Mashiach comes during the Hakhel (gathering) ceremony, she will place the crown upon him. This is the dove that will place the crown on King Mashiach by the commandment of Hakhel; all of this is written in the Zohar (page 164).
The Connection Between the Dove and the Chamber of Kan Tzippor
"And the dove returned"—it is written with the definite article "the" (Ha-Yonah), the well-known dove, yet no one knows who this dove is or where she went. "And he sent forth the dove" (Genesis 8:8)—who is this dove? Rather, this dove is the one found in the chamber of Mashiach, which is the chamber of Kan Tzippor (the Bird's Nest), and she will place the crown upon King Mashiach. "You set a crown of fine gold upon his head" (Psalms 21:4), "Honor and majesty You lay upon him" (ibid. 21:6).
The Coronation of Mashiach at the Hakhel Gathering
And when King Mashiach comes to read from the Torah scroll during the mitzvah (commandment) of Hakhel, on the night following the first festival day of Sukkot, two eagles will come and bring a crown and hand it to the dove. Then the dove will descend to the head of King Mashiach and place the crown upon his head.
Noah, the Lion, and the Spiritual Significance of His Injury
And after he finishes reading the Torah, the dove will take it and hand it back to the two eagles, with the crown in her mouth. What is the meaning of "an olive leaf plucked in her mouth" (Genesis 8:11)?
"An olive leaf plucked in her mouth"—this refers to the soul of Mashiach. Noah was in the Ark and suffered bitterness there; he fed the animals and was struck by the lion. It is written in "Zer Zahav" by the student of the Baal Shem Tov that this was the Supernal Lion, the Lion of the Merkavah (Divine Chariot).
He caused a blemish in the Lion of the Merkavah, and therefore the lion struck him. We say that Noah was two minutes late in feeding the lion, and because of this, he became physically blemished and was disqualified from offering sacrifices. It is written that he was "tamim" (perfect/unblemished), so how did he offer sacrifices? Rather, Hashem offered them and not him; he only arranged it.
Who Truly Caused the Blemish?
It is written in Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer that Canaan committed that disgraceful act, the castration—therefore Canaan was cursed! Now we read in Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer that Canaan was afraid that Noah would now bring King Mashiach and it would be the end of the world. That’s it—King Mashiach means the end of the [current] world; no one will commit sins anymore, it will be impossible.
Ham's Fear and the Connection to the Soul of Mashiach
Ham feared that there would now be a new world without ta'avos (lusts/desires). The one who performed the castration was Canaan, because Ham feared that Noah would bring a fourth child. Why should you care if there is a fourth child? Is it impossible to divide the world among four people?
Rather, according to the Zohar, it can be understood, because the Zohar says that this [potential child] was actually the soul of Mashiach: "But I am like a fresh olive tree in the house of God" (Psalms 52:10). "Olive" (Zayit) refers to the soul of King David. Hashem wanted to merit Noah with the soul of Mashiach, and then the Third Temple would have been built, the People of Israel would have been revealed, and they would have received the Ten Commandments.
Hashem wanted to give the Ten Commandments even in the generation of Adam HaRishon (the first man), and also to the first ten generations. Also in the generation of Noah, Hashem wanted to give the Ten Commandments, but they did not want them: "They said to God, 'Depart from us; we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways'" (Job 21:14). Hashem wanted to give the Ten Commandments, but Canaan feared that Mashiach would come and that would be the end—there would be no more ta'avos (lusts).
"An Olive Leaf Plucked in Her Mouth" – The Soul That Was Missed
The Zohar says that this is "an olive leaf plucked in her mouth"—that Hashem wanted to merit Noah's dove to bring him the soul of Mashiach ben David. This is King Mashiach, the son of David, and it is hinted at in *"an olive leaf plucked in her mouth,"* meaning she wanted to bring the soul of Mashiach ben David, but Canaan ruined it.
Therefore, Canaan became cursed for all of life.