Aliya Summary: Of kosher animals and birds, Noach was commanded to take seven pairs of each species (as opposed to one pair of all other species). Noach, his family, and the required animals boarded the teivah and the mabul began: "The springs of the great depths burst forth and the windows of the heavens opened."
The Talmud (in Pesachim) points to G-d's instructions to take "Animals that are Tahor (i.e. Kosher) and those that are not Tahor", as a lesson in speaking with a "clean" language, i.e. not vulgar. The Torah could have used the word TAMEI (unclean) but chose a longer periphrasis to use more pleasant terms. Commentaries ask, if this is so, how come the Torah uses the word TAMEI in many other contexts. The answer is, that when the Torah is setting down Mitzva and Halacha, it must use straightforward terms to avoid any possible confusion. When recounting a story (and for us, whenever possible) it is preferable to use more polite language.
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