The Mitzvah of taking care of animals is Tza’ar Baalei Chayim: Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim: The prohibition to cause unnecessary pain or suffering any creature.
Text One:

)ד( לֹא־תִ רְ אֶ ה֩ אֶ ת־חֲ מ֨ ֹור אָ חִִ֜ יָך א֤ ֹו ׁשֹורֹוֹ֙ נֹפְ לִ ִ֣ ים בַּ דֶֶּ֔ רֶ ְך וְהִ תְ עַּ לַּמְ תָ ָּ֖ מֵ הֶ ֶ֑ ם הָ קֵ ֵ֥ ם תָ קִ ָּ֖ ים עִ מּֽ ֹו׃
Deuteronomy 22:4

(4) Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fallen down by the way and hide thyself from
them; thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.

• Do what you can to help animals

Text Two:

כִּֽ י־תִ רְ אֶֶ֞ ה חֲ מִ֣ ֹור שֹנַּאֲָךָ֗ רֹבֵ ץֹ֙ תַּ ִ֣ חַּ ת מַּ שָ אֶּ֔ ֹו וְחָ דַּ לְ תָ ָּ֖ מֵ עֲזִֹ֣ ב לֶ֑ ֹו עָ זֵֹ֥ ב תַּ עֲזָֹּ֖ ב עִ מּֽ ֹו׃
Exodus 23:5

When you see the ass of your enemy lying under its burden and would refrain from raising it,
you must nevertheless help raise it.

• If it’s incumbent upon you to help the animal of your [even your] enemy if you see it in
  distress, what does this say about how Judaism regards the treatment of Animals?

Text Three:

גְ מָ ׳ אָ מַּ ר רַּ ב יְהּודָ ה אָ מַּ ר רַּ ב: בְ הֵ מָ ה ׁשֶ נָפְ לָה לְ אַּ מַּ ת הַּ מַּ יִם — מֵ בִ יא כָרִ ים ּוכְ סָ תֹות ּומַּ נִיחַּ תַּ חְ תֶ יהָ , וְאִ ם עָ לְ תָ ה —
עָ לְ תָ ה. מֵ יתִ יבִ י: בְ הֵ מָ ה ׁשֶ נָפְ לָה לְ אַּ מַּ ת הַּ מַּ יִם — עֹושֶ ה לָּה פַּ רְ נָסָ ה בִ מְ קֹומָ ּה בִ ׁשְ בִ יל ׁשֶ לֹא תָ מּות. פַּ רְ נָסָ ה — אִ ין,
כָרִ ים ּוכְ סָ תֹות — לָא! לָא קַּ ׁשְ יָא, הָ א — דְ אֶ פְ ׁשָ ר בְ פַּ רְ נָסָ ה, הָ א — דְ אִ י אֶ פְ ׁשָ ר בְ פַּ רְ נָסָ ה. אֶ פְ ׁשָ ר בְ פַּ רְ נָסָ ה — אִ ין,
…וְאִ י לָא — מֵ בִ יא כָרִ ים ּוכְ סָ תֹות ּומַּ נִיחַּ תַּ חְ תֶ יהָ

Shabbat 128b:4-7

GEMARA: Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: With regard to an animal that fell into an aqueduct,
one brings cushions and blankets, and throws them into the water ditch, and places them
beneath the animal in the aqueduct. And if the animal thereby emerges, it emerges. The
Gemara raises an objection from a Tosefta: With regard to an animal that fell into an aqueduct
on Shabbat, one provides it with sustenance in its place so that it will not die…

• This teaches that even if it fell on Shabbat, you still provide it with food so that it should
  live. If it’s another day, bring cushions and blankets so it does not suffer

Text Four:

יֹודֵ ִ֣עַּ צַַּ֭ דִ יק נֶ ִ֣פֶ ׁש בְ הֶ מְ תֶ֑ ֹו וְּֽ רַּ חֲ מֵ ֵ֥ י רְְ֝ ׁשָ עִָ֗ ים אַּ כְ זָרִּֽ י׃

Proverbs 12:10

A righteous man knows the needs of his beast,
But the compassion of the wicked is cruelty.

• A good person takes care of his animal and knows what it needs.

Text Five:
Going Beyond Simply Stopping Animal Cruelty
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Ki Tetse (5768) – Animal Welfare, Blog; www.rabbisacks.org
Judaism regards animals as sentient beings. They may not think or speak, but they do feel. They are capable of distress. There is such a thing as cruelty to animals, and as far as possible it should be avoided.

• Rabbi Sacks explains that the treatment of animals parallels the treatment of humans.

Additional resources:

• Mitzvah Profile: Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim- Avoiding Cruelty to Animals
• Ethical Treatment of Animals in Judaism

Animals in relation to Noah’s ark:
How big was the ark?

This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits (300×18=5400 inches/12=450 ft long) , its width fifty cubits (50×18=900/12=75 ft wide), and its height thirty cubits (30×18=540/12=45 feet high). (Genesis 6:15)

For comparison: Independence of the Seas (last year’s Nai cruise ship) is 1112 ft long and 185 ft wide (beam).

Below Deck Med’s Mustique (from season 8,9) which btw has been sold and is now called Purpose, is 180 ft long. (55 meters) The Titanic was about 883ft long x 92.5ft wide x 60ft high

*a cubit according to Encyclopedia Britannica is generally taken as equal to 18 inches (457 mm),
and was based on the length of the arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger and was
considered the equivalent of 6 palms or 2 spans. https://www.britannica.com/science/cubit

Noah is told to bring the Animals on the Ark:

וַּהֲקִ מֹתִ ֵ֥ י אֶ ת־בְ רִ יתִ ָּ֖ י אִ תָ ֶ֑ ְך ּובָ אתָֹ֙ אֶ ל־הַּ תֵ בֶָּ֔ ה אַּ תָָּ֕ ה ּובָ נֶ ֶ֛יָך וְאִ ׁשְ תְ ָךֵ֥ ּונְׁשֵּֽ י־בָ נֶ ָּ֖יָך אִ תָּֽ ְך׃
ּומִ כׇּל־הָָ֠ חַָּ֠ י מִּֽ כׇּל־בָ שֶָ֞ ר ׁשְ נַּ ַ֧יִם מִ כֶֹ֛ ל תָ בִ ֵ֥ יא אֶ ל־הַּ תֵ בָ ָּ֖ ה לְ הַּ חֲ יִֹ֣ ת אִ תָ ֶ֑ ְך זָכָ ֵ֥ר ּונְקֵ בָ ָּ֖ ה יִּֽ הְ יּּֽו׃
מֵ הָ עִ֣ ֹוף לְ מִ ינֵָ֗ הּו ּומִ ן־הַּ בְ הֵ מָ הֹ֙ לְ מִ ינֶָּ֔ ּה מִ כֶֹ֛ ל רֶ ֵ֥מֶ ש הָּֽ אֲדָ מָ ָּ֖ ה לְ מִ ינֵ ֶ֑הּו ׁשְ נַּ ַ֧יִם מִ כֶֹ֛ ל יָבֵֹ֥ אּו אֵ לֶ ָּ֖יָך לְ הַּּֽ חֲ יֹּֽות׃

But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark, with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives.
And of all that lives, of all flesh, you shall take two of each into the ark to keep alive with you; they shall be male and female.
From birds of every kind, cattle of every kind, every kind of creeping thing on earth, two of each shall come to you to stay alive. (Genesis 6:18,19,20)

• So, Noah is looking for birds, cattle, creeping things; male and female, two of each

More specific information about the pairs:

וַּיֹ֤ אמֶ ר יְהֹוָהֹ֙ לְ נֶֹּ֔ חַּ בֹּֽ א־אַּ תָ ֵ֥ ה וְכׇּל־בֵ יתְ ָךָּ֖ אֶ ל־הַּ תֵ בָ ֶ֑ ה כִּֽ י־אֹתְ ָךֵ֥ רָ אִ ֶ֛ יתִ י צַּ דִ ֵ֥ יק לְ פָ נַּ ָּ֖י בַּ דֵ֥ ֹור הַּ זֶּֽ ה׃
מִ כִֹ֣ ל ׀ הַּ בְ הֵ מָ ִ֣ ה הַּ טְ הֹורָָ֗ ה תִּֽ קַּ ח־לְ ָךֶ֛ ׁשִ בְ עָ ֵ֥ה ׁשִ בְ עָ ָּ֖ה אִ ִ֣ יׁש וְאִ ׁשְ תֶ֑ ֹו ּומִ ן־הַּ בְ הֵ מָָ֡ ה אֲָ֠ ׁשֶָ֠ ר לִֹ֣ א טְ הֹרָ ֵ֥ה הִ ֶ֛ וא ׁשְ נַּ ַָּ֧֖יִם אִ ֵ֥ יׁש וְאִ ׁשְ תּֽ ֹו׃
גַּ ִ֣ם מֵ ע ֹוף הַּ שָ מַּ ֶ֛ יִם ׁשִ בְ עָ ֵ֥ה ׁשִ בְ עָ ָּ֖ה זָכָ ִ֣ר ּונְקֵ בָ ֶ֑ ה לְ חַּ יֵ֥ ֹות זֶ ַָּ֧֖רַּ ע עַּ ל־פְ נֵ ֵ֥י כׇּל־הָ אָּֽ רֶ ץ׃

Then יהוה said to Noah, “Go into the ark, with all your household, for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation.
Of every pure animal you shall take seven pairs, males and their mates, and of every animal that is not pure, two, a male and its mate; of the birds of the sky also, seven pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive upon all the earth. (Genesis 7:1,2,3)

• These verses teach that for all of the clean animals you needed seven pairs. For every unclean animal you needed two pairs. Clean animals (fit for eating) are warm-blooded beasts that have split hooves and chew their cud. (Such as cattle, deer, goats…) Unclean animals don’t have a split hoof and don’t chew cud (ie, pigs).
• So, in practical terms this would mean that while seven sheep might have entered the Ark, only two pigs were included.

Birds and creatures that creep on the earth are clearly specified more than once:

That same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, went into the ark, with Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons—

הִֵ֜ מָ ה וְכׇּל־הַּּֽ חַּ יָ ִ֣ה לְ מִ ינָָ֗ ּה וְכׇּל־הַּ בְ הֵ מָ הֹ֙ לְ מִ ינֶָּ֔ ּה וְכׇּל־הָ רֶ ֶ֛מֶ ש הָ רֹמֵ ֵ֥ ש עַּ ל־הָ אָ ָּ֖ רֶ ץ לְ מִ ינֵ ֶ֑הּו וְכׇּל־הָ עִ֣ ֹוף לְ מִ ינֵֶּ֔ הּו כָֹּ֖ ל צִ פֵ֥ ֹור כׇּל־
כָנַָּֽ֧ף׃
וַּיָבֵֹ֥ אּו אֶ ל־נָֹּ֖ חַּ אֶ ל־הַּ תֵ בָ ֶ֑ ה ׁשְ נַַּ֧֤יִם ׁשְ נַֹּ֙ יִםֹ֙ מִ כׇּל־הַּ בָ שֶָּ֔ ר אֲׁשֶ ר־בָּ֖ ֹו רֵ֥ ּוחַּ חַּ יִּֽ ים׃

They and all beasts of every kind, all cattle of every kind, all creatures of every kind that creep on the earth, and all birds of every kind, every bird, every winged thing. They came to Noah into the ark, two each of all flesh in which there was breath of life.
(Genesis 7:13,14,15)

Steinsaltz on Genesis 7:14
They, and every beast according to its kind, and every animal according to its kind, and every crawling creature that crawls upon the earth according to its kind, and every flying thing according to its kind, every bird, every winged creature, even winged insects OF CLEAN BEASTS, AND OF BEASTS THAT ARE NOT CLEAN. 9. TWO AND TWO THERE CAME IN UNTO NOAH. Rashi explained: “They were all equal with respect to this number or the last number of any species was two.” Others said that the meaning of “two” is pairs, meaning that they came couplewise, male and female together. In my opinion, the matter was thus: two — a male and a female — came of their own accord from each species, and Noah added by bringing six additional pairs from the clean ones since those that came to be saved arrived of their own accord while he busied himself for the sake of the commandment with those that were destined for sacrifice, for so it was told to him. And the meaning of the verse, And Noah did according unto all that the Eternal commanded him, is, as the Rabbis have said in Bereshith Rabbah, that he was to prepare to bring in the cattle, beast, and fowl, meaning the clean ones, those which he himself went after and brought to his house. The verse which states a third time, as G-d hath commanded Noah, means that he did as He had commanded him concerning entering the ark, for this verse is connected with the above verse: And Noah came in. The verse thus states that Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives came into the ark along with two and two of the cattle and fowl and creeping things that came to him in order to enter into the ark.
(Ramban on Genesis 7:8)

The only two specific mentions of certain animals in the text are: The Raven and Dove:

וַּיְׁשַּ לַּ ָּ֖ח אֶ ת־הָּֽ עֹרֵ ֶ֑ב וַּיֵצֵ֤ א יָצֹואֹ֙ וָׁשֶּ֔ ֹוב עַּ ד־יְבֵֹ֥ ׁשֶ ת הַּ מַּ ָּ֖ יִם מֵ עַּ ֵ֥ל הָ אָּֽ רֶ ץ׃ וַּיְׁשַּ לַּ ֵ֥ח אֶ ת־הַּ יֹונָ ָּ֖ה מֵ אִ תֶ֑ ֹו לִ רְ אֹותֹ֙ הֲקַּ ִ֣ לּו הַּ מֶַּּ֔ יִם מֵ עַּ ָּ֖ל
פְ נֵ ֵ֥י הָּֽ אֲדָ מָּֽ ה׃

And Noah sent out the raven; it went to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth Then he sent out the dove to see whether the waters had decreased from the surface of the ground. (Genesis 8: 7,8)

So, What animals were on the Ark?

• First – it’s important to note that animals that live in water probably weren’t included on the Ark, they could swim in the water alongside.
• Second – some insects that can fly in the air and survive the storm would most likely not have been included.
• Third – there is a difference in word usage among the above texts. The word הִ֣ ָי ַּח is included in some of the verses but not all. JPS translates this word as beasts, while in modern day Hebrew it’s used as animal. The verses all include cattle, creeping things, and birds.
• So, what’s the difference? Perhaps the word for ‘beasts’ includes animals such as elephants, kangaroos, zebras, etc. that we might put in the category of “zoo animals”.
  Cattle could specifically refer to animals that can be used for sustenance on the Ark (i.e. for milk), or after the flood, such as cows, sheep, goats, etc.

How many animals went on the Ark?
“There are several different estimates for the number kept from the floodwaters. The book “The Genesis Flood” estimated that approximately 35,000 creatures were on board the ship. In another book, “Noah’s Ark – A Feasibility Study” by John Woodmorappe, it states that only about 2,000 animals would need saving.” https://www.biblestudy.org/biblepic/animals-onnoah-ark.html

Question to Ponder:

• What animals do you think went on the Ark?
• Why do you think only two animals were mentioned by name, the Dove and the
  Raven?
• Would you rather have ridden out the flood for 40 days on the Titanic, the
  Independence of the Seas, Mustique, or the Ark?
• How does the text of Noah and the Animals relate to Judaism’s treatment of animals?
• How many animals do you think were included on the Ark?
• Did any of this information change your understanding of the Ark and the animals?
• How have we changed perceptions of the animals on the Ark with various children’s
  books, songs, paintings, etc.?
• What specific animals do you think were on the Ark?

For more reading:
https://answersingenesis.org/noahs-ark/did-noah-bring-fourteen-or-seven-animals