Tanach · Acharonim on Tanach · Or HaChaim · Torah

Or HaChaim on Genesis 1:30/אור החיים על בראשית א׳:ל׳

אוּלְכָל חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳. סָמַךְ הַכָּתוּב חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ עִם הָאֲמוּרִים בְּסָמוּךְ ״לָכֶם יִהְיֶה לְאָכְלָה״ וְגוֹ׳, שֶׁנִּרְאֶה שֶׁנּוֹתֵן מַאֲכַל אָדָם לַבְּהֵמָה בְּהַשְׁוָאָה, וְגָמַר אֹמֶר לְאָכְלָה פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה סָמוּךְ לְיֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב, שֶׁנִּרְאֶה שֶׁאֲכִילַת בְּהֵמָה וְעוֹף אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מֵעֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה. הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא כִּי לֹא בָּרָא ה׳ לִבְהֵמָה חַיָּה וְעוֹף אֶלָּא דַּוְקָא יֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב, וְשֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר אִם אֵין יֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב נִמְצֵאת הַחַיָּה מֵתָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״לָכֶם לְאָכְלָה וּלְכָל חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ״ וְגוֹ׳. נִמְצֵינוּ אוֹמְרִים כִּי הָאָדָם יִחְיֶה מִפֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ וּמִפְּרִי הָעֵץ, וְהַחַיָּה וְהָעוֹף מֵהָעֲשָׂבִים וְהַיְּרָקוֹת, וְאִם אֵין מִחְיָה מֵאֵלּוּ הֲרֵי מִחְיָתָהּ מִמַּאֲכַל אָדָם. וְיֵשׁ לִרְמֹז זֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ (דברים יא:טו) ״וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ״ וּבָזֶה ״וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ״, אֲבָל זוּלַת זֶה תֶּחְסַר הַשְּׂבִיעָה כִּי תֹּאכְלֶנּוּ הַחַיָּה וְהָעוֹף כִּי מְזוֹנוֹתָם מְזוֹנוֹתֶיךָ.
1And to all of the animals of the land, etc.: The verse placed "the animals of the earth adjacent to that which was stated proximately, "it shall be for you to eat, etc.," as it appears that He gives the food of people to animals in equal measure. And it finishes by stating, "to eat" a second time next to "green herbs" because it appears that the eating of the animals is only from the herbs of the field. The intention is that the only [thing] that God created for the animals and birds to eat was the herbs of the field. And lest you say, if there are no green herbs [available], then the animals will die, the verse comes to teach, "for you and for all of the animals of the earth to eat, etc." It comes out that we are saying that man will live from the fruit of the earth and from the fruit of the tree, and the animals and the birds from the herbs and vegetables, and if there is no sustenance from those, behold, their sustenance will come from the food of people. And there is a hint to this in its stating (Deuteronomy 11:15), "and I will give herbs in your field for your animal," and through this, "and you will eat and be satiated;" but without this, you will lack satiation, since the animals and the birds will eat it, since their food will be your food.