From every pure animal, take for yourself seven and seven, a male and its mate.
The Ohr Hachaim explains the term לך – for yourself. How was Noach’s taking ‘for yourself’? What was he to gain from it?
The first explanation he gives is that it was Noach’s Mitzvah and his job to go out and retrieve the other couples. The first couple would come on their own, but the extra ones were part of a Mitzvah, and Hashem does not do people’s Mitzvos for them. Noach’s job was to retrieve these animals himself, and not to rely on anyone else.
However, the Ohr Hachaim gives another explanation. He writes that Hashem was telling Noach that he was to take those animals for himself, and they would belong to him. He could derive benefit from them and they were in his possession. The purpose of this command was that they should belong to Noach. Unlike the other animals, who were brought to the Teivah to be saved, not for anyone’s use.
With this, the Ohr Hachaim answers another question. The Torah says that Noach brought the extra animals as Korbanos to Hashem. How was he permitted to do so? If Hashem commanded him to save those animals, was he not to be concerned that Hashem’s purpose was to ensure the long-term survival of the species? How could he risk its survival by slaughtering all but one couple? Perhaps Hashem was more concerned about the survival of the Kosher species than the others, which was why He commanded that seven couples be saved, not just one.
When the Torah allowed Noach to do what he wanted with these animals, he was also allowed to eat and destroy them. In this case, he was also permitted to bring them as a Korban to Hashem.
Noach indeed took something that was completely his, something that was given to him as a gift and he used that for his Korban. He did not give something that wasn’t his. This is why Hashem accepted his Korban with such grace.
Indeed, the Ohr Hachaim writes on the possuk וַיָּרַח ה' אֶת רֵיחַ הַנִּיחֹחַ - Hashem smelled the soothing fragrance, that although the Korbanos were Hashem’s, Noach’s offering was still accepted on High as a soothing fragrance. Hashem had created the animals, and He saved them from the flood, yet he still considered the animals to be Noach’s. Hashem had given the animals to Noach to be able to used as a Korban, because otherwise it would just be Hashem returning the animals to Himself. Now that He had given them to Noach, they were the perfect candidates to be used as Korbanos.
The Gemara writes: Rabbi Chanina said: Whoever is appeased by his wine, has in him an element of the mind-set of his Creator, who acted in a similar fashion, as it is stated: “And Hashem smelled the sweet savor, and Hashem said in His heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake. Rashi explains this Gemara that a person who becomes appeased through wine is a G-dly man.
However, the Ohr Hachaim explains the Gemara differently. He writes that the emphasis should be on the word ‘his’. Whoever is appeased by his wine, is a G-dly man. A person who is handed a glass of his own wine, and is still appeased and pleased, is similar to Hashem. Hashem saved the animals, He could take them for Himself. Yet he allows Noach to bring it as a Korban, and this appeases Him.
