“And, as for you, take for yourself of every food that is eaten and gather it in to yourself, that it shall be as food for you and for them.” (6:21)
The Gemara states, as if quoting Hashem, “The entire world is sustained in the merit of My son, Chaninah [one of the sages of the Mishnah].” This means, explains R’ Elazar Shapira z”l (1808-1865; Rebbe of Lancut; son of the author of Bnei Yissaschar), that the tzaddik of the generation is the conduit through which blessing and sustenance flow to the entire world. Ironically, that tzaddik does not need to work hard to support himself. Even if he performs only a token act of hishtadlut / physical effort, he finds his sustenance. R’ Shapira continues: This lesson is learned from our verse. How so? Because Hashem told Noach to take food for all of the creatures that would be on the Ark, but Hashem never told Noach how long their stay on the Ark would be. It seems that it did not matter. As long as Noach performed some modest hishtadlut, the sustenance of all the creatures on the Ark would be guaranteed in his merit. (Yod’ai Binah)
Reprinted from the Parashat Noah 5785 email of R’ Yedidye Hirtenfeld’s whY I Matter parsha sheet for the Young Israel of Midwood in Brooklyn.
