The Midrash Tanchuma says that the lion in Noach’s ark injured Noach. Why would the lion be so brazen and impetuous? Didn’t the lion appreciate Noach’s efforts? Couldn’t the lion wait patiently for his food? Let me share with you a powerful message that I heard from Rav Yitzchok Fingerer shlita: Rav Avrohom Kalmanowitz zt”l explained that the lion thought, ‘I am the last lion. If I don’t survive, there will never be another lion again! I am responsible for all future lions! All the lions, other than me, are extinct. I must be fed! I am the last lion!’
At the time of World War Two Rav Kalmanowitz, who was a huge activist for the Jews in Europe would say, “The Yeshiva students who escaped the Nazis are the last lions. They must be saved. They must be cared for and protected. They are the last of their kind! They will be responsible for all future generations of Torah. We must do everything in our power to take care of them!” Now, Today, tragically so many Jews are assimilating. How could this not affect us? How can we go on living our lives as our brothers and sisters are literally disappearing? We are self-destructing!
Too many unaffiliated Jews are assimilating and disappearing, never to be seen or heard from again. How could this not affect us? How could we go on living our lives as our brothers and sisters are literally imploding? How dare we think that this isn’t our concern or responsibility? It is dependent on us to realize that all these Jews are last lions, never to be replaced! Every Jew you encounter is a last lion. Respect your fellow Jew, no matter their background. Reach out to them with dignity and love! Your actions can affect eternity as well as future generations!
A young, poor Torah scholar once approached the great Imrie Moshe, and the young scholar expressed his deep desire to have a copy of the Imrie Moshe’s sefer (book). The problem was that he wasn’t able to afford it. The Torah scholar asked the Imrie Moshe if perhaps he could have a copy of the sefer.
The Imrie Moshe, known for his immense compassion felt a deep sense of sympathy for the Torah scholar. Despite the fact that selling his books was his sole source of income, the Imrie Moshe decided to give the scholar the book for free. Little did the Imrie Moshe know that this encounter and the act of kindness he had done would profoundly impact future generations.
In the midst of the war, most Jewish books and manuscripts were tragically destroyed. After the war, people wanted a copy of the Imrie Moshe’s sefer but not one copy was able to be found! After the war, people assumed that the entire legacy of the Imrie Moshe was sadly lost. One day, a family member of the Imrie Emes met someone who had a copy of the sefer. Miraculously, the one surviving sefer that remained unscathed was the sefer that the Imrie Moshe had given to the young Torah scholar!
That young Torah scholar was the great Steiper Goan, Rav Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky zt”l! That book that had been given away in an act of compassion was reprinted and continued the legacy of the Imrei Moshe! Imagine if the Imrei Moshe didn’t give the Stiepler the sefer!
By doing this act of kindness little did the Imrie Moshe know that he was in reality saving his legacy for future generations! This story serves as a timeless reminder of the profound and far-reaching effects that acts of reaching out and kindness can have in the world. After all, this sefer was the ‘Last Lion!’
Parsha Knowledge is a weekly publication by Aryeh Fingerer with Torah thoughts, stories, and inspiration on the weekly Parsha. Aside from the newsletter Parsha Knowledge has a podcast called Jewish n’ Joyful which is available on all major podcast platforms. If you would like to subscribe, sponsor a week of Parsha Knowledge, or send feedback please email [email protected] or visit www.parshaknowledge.com
