Why Did the Lion Attack Noach on the Ark? | Rabbi Yosef Benyaminov

There's a very interesting insight in Parshat Noach. We all know the famous story of the flood where Hashem was upset with the world for doing horrible things and sinning all the time. So, he destroyed the world through the flood except for Noach and his family. But, the commentators tell us something very interesting. It says when Noach was inside the table, inside the ark, he was responsible for feeding all the animals. And one time he delayed feeding a lion and the lion clawed him. And he damaged him. He wounded him. >> [music] >> And it looks like, okay, something like detail that's not really important. No, it's actually important. Our sages explain, why did the world have to be destroyed? Because the entire world was full of hamas. People were stealing. People [music] were taking stuff that's not theirs. They were being In other words, being uh very selfish [music] and uh very uh entitled. It's mine. It's mine. Self-centered. So, self-centeredness, as I say, just uh kills a person. Cuz he's not acting like Hashem. >> [music] >> The whole mitzvah of uh halacha midrasha, be like Hashem, go in his ways, is to be kind like Hashem is kind. >> [music] >> When a person takes everything for himself, he's being selfish, he destroys himself. Cuz Hashem gives out life because he's [music] kind. But, if you take a taker, you destroy yourself. That's why the world had to be destroyed. So, the job of Noach was to be a giver. Uh inside the ark, that was the only way to survive. He had to go against the flow, the current of the world, and no pun intended, right? The whole world was a taker. Noach was a giver. So, look what happens. Amazing thing. Inside the ark, he was feeding the animals nonstop. Right? Taking turns with his children. One time he didn't give of himself, he didn't do kindness, [music] that means he was under the general decree of the whole world >> [music] >> to be destroyed, and that's why he got clawed by the lion. >> [music] >> He was about to die because the only thing that kept him going was the merit [music] of being kind to others. I would tie this up. So, so important nowadays we live in such a selfish world. Everyone feels entitled. Very few people are getting married. Those who are getting married getting >> [music] >> divorced. Why? Cuz it's not my way. It's my way or the highway. This is the most important thing to work on. It's not to be selfish.