"Don't you need something to eat?" Noach asked.
"I saw that you were busy, so I didn't want to bother you," answered the bird.
"May Hashem bless you that you should never die!" exclaimed Noach.
(Sanhedrin, 108b)
Understandably, caring for and feeding the creatures in the Teiva was an enormous and time-consuming task. Certainly, Noach could have used some time to rest. But, of what value was the little bird's gesture? Skipping this bird's feeding would give Noach a break of, perhaps, thirty seconds at the most. What was the purpose of it? This gift was going to accomplish nothing.
