:הָבֵתַּבּ וֹתִּא רֶשֲׁאַו ַחֹנ ˂ַא רֶאָשִּׁיַּו
בראשית פ"ז פכ"ג
Only Noach survived, and those with him in the Ark. (7:23)
...ויש אומרים שאיחר מזונות לארי והכישו וכו': רש"י פרק ז' פסוק כ"ג
And there are those who say he was injured, because he delayed giving food to the lion & the lion attacked him: - Rashi
During and after World War two, when the Mirer Yeshiva, so too other Yeshivos, Admorim, Rabbonim and Yidden from various origins, were in transit through Shangchai, escaping from Poland etc. The Rosh Yeshiva of the Mirer Yeshiva, Rav Avrohom Kalmanovich ZY”A, who was in the United States would make financial appeals in the Shuls in the New York area, to support the Yidden in Shangchai and eventually bring the Yeshiva to the United States and Eretz Yisroel. In his appeals he would ask the following. “How is it that the lion kicked Noach, as one day he brought his food late? Where is his Hakoras Hatov [realization of the good]? Noach did not sleep the whole year in the Teivoh [ark], and for coming late one day he acted in such a manner?” Answered The Mirer Rosh Yeshiva, the lion said as follows; I am the only lion existing. All future lions are my descendants, if I will be weakened by eating late one day, you are at fault for the weakening of all future lions. It is for that reason that the lion kicked Noach. Continued the Rosh Yeshiva, The Mirrer Yeshiva [and additional Talmidim and Yidden] who are in Shangchai are the last remanent of survivors of the Torah world of Europe, we must see to it to support them, as a weakness not creep into the lineage of the future of Klall Yisroel.
To the Talmidim of his Yeshiva, when Rav Kalmanovich would relate the following question, he would tell them that they are the future of the Mesoroh [lineage] of Torah in Klall Yisroel, and it is incumbent on them to utilize their abilities to their fullest extent. As not to cause a weakness in the future of Torah in Klall Yisroel.
As heard from my Rebbe Rav Refoel Green ZY”A
