Commentary for Genesis 7:3

‘גס מעוף השמים וגו OF FOWLS ALSO OF THE AIR — Scripture here means “clean” birds just as the animals in verse 2 are stated to be clean, for what is not explicitly stated may be learned by analogy from what is explicitly stated.

גם מעוף השמים, we have explained this already on the previous verse. The meaning of the words: על פני כל הארץ, is similar to what we explained in connection with this expression in Genesis 1,25, where it meant that the animals concerned were distributed across all different parts of the globe.

What is not explicit... from that which is explicit. We need not ask: Earlier, the birds were mentioned before the animals, as it says, “From the birds of their kind, from the animals of their kind” (6:20). If so, why does it not mention here [the birds first, and say] “clean” for the birds rather than for the animals, and then learn the animals from the birds? The answer is: Clean animals were mentioned first, to say about them שבעה שבעה — thus hinting to Noach that seven were needed to offer sacrifices, [which come only from clean species]. Had it mentioned birds first, Noach would not know that seven was because of offerings. He would think that the animals are like the birds, about which it says, “To keep seed alive upon the face of the earth,” and the seven animals were to keep seed alive. That is why it mentioned the animals first. However, Mahara’i answered differently; see there.