In our parasha, Parashat B’shalach, we will study the Man (Manna) through the one and only mitzvah that appears in our parasha – the mitzva of:

“One may not leave his designated place on the seventh day.”

(Shemot 16:29)

The Rishonim (earlier Rabbinic authorities) disputed the nature of this mitzvah. The Ramban establishes that this commandment forbids the transfer of articles from one r’shut (domain) to another r’shut on Shabbat – ie. The prohibition of ‘carrying’ on Shabbat. The Rambam and other Rishonim, however, understand that this is in fact the commandment regarding T’chumin – the prohibition of leaving the T’chum (boundary) on Shabbat. (One may not leave a radius of two-thousand cubits of his city on Shabbat.)

Either way, as we mentioned above, it is important to emphasize that this mitzvah was commanded in direct relationship to the Man, yet not in the context of the laws of Shabbat. In other words, Am Yisra’el is commanded not to gather the Man on the seventh day, while on the sixth day they will receive a double portion of Man. As the verse states:

“See that God gas given you the Shabbat, and therefore He gave you bread for two days on the sixth day; every person must remain where he is, one may not leave his designated place on the seventh day.”

(ibid.)

We will focus our discussion on the Man, and also on the meaning of the command “every person must remain where he is.”

Let us first recall the context of this first incidence of the Man.

This section appears after the splitting of the Yam Suf (Sea of Reeds) and after the great song of praise sung by Moshe and Am Yisra’el to God. After Am Yisrae’l reaches Mara and Eilim, the verses tell us:

“They traveled from Eilim, and the entire community of Yisra’el came to the Sin Desert, between Eilim and Sinai. It was the fifteenth of the second month after they had left Egypt. There in the desert the entire community of Yisra’el complained against Moshe and Aharon. Bnei Yisra’el said to them: ‘If only we had died by God’s hand in the Land of Egypt! There at least we could sit by the pot of meat and eat bread until satiation. But you had to bring us out to this desert, to kill the entire community by starvation.”

(Shemot 16:1-3)

The verses tells us that after Yisra’el arrived at Eilim, on the fifteenth of Iyar, a month after having left Egypt, and three weeks after the splitting of Yam Suf, they began to complain against God as they remembered the “pot of meat” that they had while in Egypt.

The very mention of the date of this complaint is very difficult – for Am Yisra’el are so soon after all the events that occurred to them! Certainly they remember the slavery and bondage of Egypt – how then, do they remember Egypt with longing? Is it possible that Am Yisra’el has already forgotten the inhuman slavery that they experienced while in Egypt?

There are some of the commentators who tried to explain this difficult by saying that the final year of slavery in Egypt was not that difficult or demanding of the Jews. During this year the Egyptians experienced plague after plague, and as a result they were more lenient with the Yisra’el.

However the claim against this solution is that even if this is true, Bnei Yisra’el were still enslaved to the Egyptians, and therefore recalling Egypt with such yearning is still perplexing. And even though we are unfortunately used to Yisra’el’s various complaints, this one is simply far out of proportion. And even for such complaints, as ludicrous as they are, they too have limits.

Not only is the complaint that Yisra’el lodge against God surprising, but God’s reaction to this situation is no less startling. After this severe complaint, which seems to be a denial of all the good that God has bestowed upon the nation, we would expect and attack of Divine rage. Yet instead, Bnei Yisra’el are informed as to a new, miraculous, occurrence.

“God said to Moshe: ‘I will make bread rain down to you from the sky. The people will go out and gather a daily quota in order that I will test them to see whether they keep My law or not.”

(Shemot 16:4)

We must ask – How is bestowing Man an educational solution is to their complaint that denies the good that God has done for then?

Also the conclusion of the verse, “in order that I will test them to see whether they keep My law or not,” tells that the Man in fact comes to deal with a deeper problem than simply their complaints about food. The Man comes to deal with the true problem that lies in their longing for the meat pots of Egypt, for the verse emphasizes that the purpose of the Man is, “in order that I will test them to see whether they keep My law or not.” What then is the underlying problem that the Man comes to address?

The verse immediately following these verses we have mentioned simply adds to our perplexity:

“And it will be on the sixth day that they will have to prepare what they bring home; it will be twice as much as the gather every other day.”

(Shemot 16:5)

It is unclear why immediately after the announcement of the Man the Torah moves on to discuss the intricacies of Shabbat, prior to which the Man will appear in a double portion.

The verses then continue to describe the Man:

“God spoke to Moshe saying: ‘I have heard the complaints of Bnei Yisra’el. Speak to them and say, ‘In the afternoon you will eat meat, and in the morning you will have your fill of bread. You will then know that I am God your Lord.’’ That evening a flock of quail came and covered the camp. Then in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew evaporated there were little grains all over the surface of the desert. It looked like fine frost on the ground. And Bnei Yisra’el say this, and they asked one another ‘Man hu?’ (‘What is it?) for they had no idea what it was. Moshe said to them: ‘This is the bread that God is giving you to eat.”

(Shemot 16:11-15)

The name of the Man is rather fascinating – the Torah tells us that it is called ‘Man’ for Bnei Yisra’el had no idea what it was. And indeed, Rashi explains that the meaning of the words “Man hu” is in fact “Ma hu,” (What is it.) The Rashbam, however, claims that the word “Man” is not of Hebrew origin, similar to the words “Y’gar Sahaduta,” (Bereshit 31:47.) He thus explains that words “Man hu” are in fact from the language of the Arabs (some form of Arabic it would seem) meaning “This bread.”

Either way, there is no specific name by which the Man was labeled, this certainly being the case according to Rashi’s explanation that the Man was thus called after Bnei Yisra’el did not know what it was and astonished, asked: “What is it?” We will reconsider this point later.

Later, the verses repeat the description of God’s command – not to go out and collect the Man on Shabbat, for on the sixth day a double portion of Man will descend. Then the seventh day arrives, together with its challenge to remain in their houses and not to go out to gather. Yet a portion of the nation do not withstand the test, and they go out to gather:

“And it was on the seventh day that some people went out to gather, but they found nothing.”

(Shemot 16:27)

Immediately following this we witness God’s reaction:

“God said to Moshe: ‘How long will you refuse to keep My commandments and My Torah?’”

(ibid. v.28)

At first glance it seems unclear as to why this act draws such a severe reaction of “‘How long will you refuse to keep My commandments and My Torah?’” The act of attempting to gather Man on Shabbat seems to be a minor transgression.

The Torah then continues, bringing the commandment with which we opened our discussion today:

“See that God gas given you the Shabbat, and therefore He gave you bread for two days on the sixth day; every person must remain where he is, one may not leave his designated place on the seventh day.”

(ibid. v.29)

The verses then continue until the words of Moshe who describes the Divine imperative to preserve some Man for the coming generations.

“”Moshe said: ‘This is what God has commanded: ‘Fill an omer measure of it (the Man) as a keepsake for your descendants. They will then see the food that I fed you in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.’’ Moshe said to Aharon: ‘Take a jar and fill it with an omer of Man, and place it before God as a keepsake for your descendants.’ As God commanded Moshe, Aharon placed it before the (Ark of) Testimony as a keepsake.”

(ibid. v.32,33)

We thus see that a portion of the very first Man to descend to Am Yisra’el was placed in a jar and preserved for eternity in the Mishkan (Tabernacle.) We may question this act, for Bnei Yisra’el ate the Man for the full forty-year period that they were in the desert, as the verse indicates:

“And Bnei Yisra’el ate the Man for forty years until they came to inhabited territory. They ate the Man until they came to the edge of the land of Canaan.”

(ibid. v.35)

Why then must the Man be preserved now for a keepsake and commemorative article? We would expect that when the Man was to cease descending from the heavens that then we would set aside a portion for the future. Why now, at the very beginning of the Man’s appearance? In addition, after Am Yisra’el reaches settled territory, Canaan, we never meet the jar of Man again.

Therefore, it would seem that the main aim of this jar of Man, set aside in commemoration, was to be fulfilled while Yisra’el was still in the desert! Why is this so?

Before we deal with this issue of the Man, let us first examine the Birkat ha’Mazon (Blessing after Meals), which is the only blessing with an absolute obligation rooted in the Torah. We will see the connection between this b’racha (blessing) and the Man.

Birkat ha’Mazon, as we all know, is comprised of four b’rachot: Birkat ha’zan, (“the b’racha of “He who sustains”), Birkat ha’aretz (the b’racha of the land – which concludes with the b’racha “for the land and the food,”) Birkat bo’ne yerushalayim (the b’racha of “He who builds Jerusalem” which begins “Have mercy” and concludes with the b’racha of “He who builds Jerusalem), and finally birkat ha’Tov u’meitiv (the bracha of “He who is good and bestows good”).

The Gemara in Masechet B’rachot describes the circumstances of the institution of each b’racha of Birkat ha’Mazon.

The Gemara states:

“Rav Nachman said: ‘Moshe instituted Birkat ha’zan for Yisra’el when the Man descended for them; Yehoshu’a instituted Birkat ha’aretz when they entered Eretz Yisra’el; David and Sh’lomo instituted (Birkat) bo’ne yerushalayim: David instituted ‘(Have mercy) on Yisra’el Your nation and on Jerusalem Your city,’ and Sh’lomo instituted ‘and on Your great and sanctified house.’ Ha’tov u’meitiv was instituted in Yavne as a result of the dead of Beitar – as Rav Matna said: ‘On the day that they permitted the dead of Beitar to be buried, they instituted (the b’racha of) ha’tov u’meitiv in Yavne: ‘ha’tov’ – that the corpses did not decay, and ‘ha’meitiv’ - that they were permitted to be buried.’”

(B’rachot 48b)

Birkat ha’zan, then, was instituted by Moshe Rabenu after the Man descended. This is a very important point that we will address in detail. First let us examine the source for Birkat ha’Mazon as recorded in the Torah in Sefer D’varim. There we see the commandment as to Birkat ha’Mazon in direct connection to Eretz Yisra’el.

Let us study the verses that precede the commandment of Birkat ha’Mazon. At first the verses deal with the travels of Am Yisra’el through the desert:

“Faithfully observe the entire commandment that I command you today, that you may live, and multiply, and arrive at and possess the land which God swore to your fathers. And you must remember the entire way that God your Lord led you through the desert for forty years, in order to afflict you, to test you (in order) to know that which is in your heart – whether you will observe His commandments or not.”

(Devarim 8:1,2)

At that point the Torah begins describing the Man:

“And he afflicted you, and let you hunger, and he fed you the Man which you did not know of and which your fathers did not know of, in order to inform you that it is not by bread alone that man lives, but by everything that emanates from the mouth of God does man live.”

(ibid. v. 3)

The verses then continue describing the special care that God took with His nation as they traveled through the desert. Then the verses make a transition to the description of Eretz Yisra’el and the Divine Promise of the land’s inheritance to Am Yisra’el.

“For God your Lord is brining you to a good land, a land with streams of water, of springs and underground water coming forth in valley and mountain; a land of wheat, barley, grape, fig, and pomegranate; a land of oil-olives and honey (of dates); a land where you will eat bread without poverty – you will lack nothing there, a land whose stones are iron, and from whose mountains you will mine copper.”

(ibid. v. 7-9)

Then, after this long description of the Land of Israel do we find the verse that indicates the obligation of the recital of Birkat ha’Mazon:

“You will eat and you will be satiated, and you will bless God your Lord for the good land that He gave you.”

(ibid. v. 10)

However it is specifically the entry into Eretz Yisra’el that may lead to many difficulties and crises. As the verses describe:

“Take care lest you forget God, your Lord, by not observing His commandments, His laws, and His decrees, which I command you today, lest you eat and be satiated, and you build good houses and settle, and your cattle and sheep and goats increase, and you increase silver and gold for yourselves, and everything that you have will increase – and your heart will become haughty and you will forget God, your Lord, Who took you out of Egypt out of the house of bondage.”

(ibid. v. 11-14)

For then we must recall the miracles that God affected with us in the desert:

“Who leads you through the great and awesome desert – of snake, fiery serpent, and scorpion, and thirst where there was no water – Who brings forth water for you from the rock of flint; Who feeds you Man in the desert , which your fathers did not know, in order to afflict you and in order to test you, to do good for you in your end.”

(ibid. v. 15,16)

Now, when we do not recall these events, when we do not harbor the memory of the Man, then the following thought steals into our hearts:

“And you may say in your heart, ‘My strength and the might of my hand made me all this wealth!’”

(ibid. v. 17)

Rather we must always recall:

“Then you shall remember God, your Lord, that it was He Who gave you strength to gain wealth, in order to establish His covenant that he swore to your forefathers, as this day.”

(ibid. v. 18)

Thus we are able to learn a number of ideas:

Firstly, the commandment of Birkat ha’Mazon was given in direct connection to Eretz Yisra’el. The proof to this is the order of the verses that we have just seen: after the verses describe Eretz Yisra’el, the land to which God is leading us, the land flowing with milk and honey, the Torah transmits the obligation: “You will eat and you will be satiated, and you will bless God your Lord.” And how shall we bless Him? What is the content of this blessing? It must be “for the good land that He gave you.” This indicates that the praise and thanksgiving that this blessing must contain pertain to Eretz Yisra’el.

From the above verses we also see that the purpose of the Man was “in order to afflict you, to test you” – once again we see that the Man holds within it a hidden test. This reminds us of the verse in out parasha where God tells Moshe:

“Behold! I shall rain down food from the heaven for you, let the people go out and gather each day’s portion on its day, so that I can test them, whether they will follow My teaching or not.”

(Shemot 16:4)

Once again we will ask, what is the test of the Man?

After our long introduction we can now examine the issues properly – what the nature of the Man is, how the Man is connected to Birkat ha’Mazon, and more specifically we will examine the b’racha of “Who sustains the entire world,” (Birkat Ha’zan), which Moshe instituted as a result of the Man.

One of the key points we must make note of, is that in truth Birkat Ha’zan is not really an integral part of Birkat ha’Mazon. For as we have noted, Birkat ha’Mazon’s purpose is to give praise “for the good land that He gave you.” This fact is duly expressed in the second b’racha of Birkat ha’Mazon:

“No’de lecha A-donai E-loheinu…” - “We will gave thanks to you, God, our Lord, for the precious, good land…”

What, then, is the meaning of Birkat Ha’zan?

The answer is clear. Moshe instituted Birkat Ha’zan as a result of the Man in order that when Am Yisra’el will reach Eretz Yisra’el, they will continually remember the Man. The significance and memory of the Man, “that it was He Who gave you strength to gain wealth,” will always accompany them. For there is the danger that after the conquest of Eretz Yisra’el, and the building of Jerusalem and the Temple, that they will believe that: “My strength and the might of my hand made me all this wealth!”

Therefore, prior to thanking God for Eretz Yisra’el and the Temple, and in fact to the contrary – prior to properly paying tribute for these, we are required to hold the memory of the Man at the forefronts of our minds. The memory of the bread that would descend daily in the desert, the bread that God commanded us not to leave any of it until the next day. Through the Man we thus fully comprehended that God is He Who sustains and nourishes the entire world though His goodness, with grace, kindness, and mercy.

Incidentally, the fact that Birkat Ha’zan is the only independent b’racha among the b’rachot of Birkat ha’Mazon has Halachik basis. For example, when three people ate and they forget to make a zimun, (the “invitation” recited when three or more men eat together,) yet one already began to recite Birkat ha’Mazon, then he may complete Birkat Ha’zan and then answer the zimun. Te reason for this is that Birkat Ha’zan is an introductory b’racha to the Birkat Ha’mazon proper, the essence of which is to be a b’racha for Eretz Yisra’el. (This concept appears in Rashi in the Gemara in Masechet B’rachot, where he writes that Birkat Ha’zan is in fact part of the zimun.)

Returning to our main topic, the purpose of the Man was to educate man, and implant in his heart the verity of his true dependence on the Creator alone, and on nothing else – whether it be himself or another individual.

Let us now consider the questions we opened with.

We asked how it was that one month after the exodus from Egypt, after the tremendous miracles, Bnei Yisra’el complains to God, fondly recalling “pot of meat” in Egypt.

We also questioned God’s reaction, Who seems to have understandingly accepted this complaint. We asked that with the memory of the exodus from Egypt and the splitting of Yam Suf fresh in their minds, we would have expected, and justified, and severe, harsh Divine reaction.

The key to our questions is lodged in understanding the concept of the “pot of meat” – and thus in the appreciation of Am Yisra’el’s longing for Egypt.

What then, is this “pot of meat?”

It seems that modern Hebrew has distorted this expression. Its true meaning can be understood against the background of Bnei Yisra’el’s slavery in Egypt.

In those difficult times, a period when eighty-percent of our nation was annihilated in the Egyptian house of bondage, he who wanted to survive had to be a good slave.

What is a good slave? A good slave doesn’t question, he bears no thoughts of freedom, and his entire aim is to merit a morsel of food at the end of his day, so that he and his family may eat, and live another day in slavery. Slowly, slowly, it was in this manner that Pharaoh gained control of the Jews hearts and souls. They became enslaved to the food that they required in order to survive, the were enslaved to that “pot of meat,” to that existential dependence on Egypt.

As soon as the first thoughts of freedom surface, when Moshe and Aharon begin to demand that Pharaoh set the nation free, Pharaoh’s takes a simple course of action – he increases the work-quota of the Jews, as the verse states: “Let the work be heavier upon the men…” (Shemot 5:9.) In this manner Pharaoh increases the Jews’ daily concern for existence, making it more severe and thus more enslaving.

Then the taskmasters go out to the Jews, telling them: “Complete your work, the daily quota,” (ibid. v. 13.) This expression “the daily quota” is the same expression said in reference to the Man in our parasha, (Shemot 16:4,) however the significance is completely to the contrary, (as we will see shortly.)

Yet this terrifying system of enslavement, that enslaves through the pressure and threat of the person’s very existence, may also seem positive in a certain light – for it is a system wherein the individual’s place is highly defined. The individual knows what he must do in order to survive, he understands who and what hold the keys to his life. Yet all this is good as long as the individual cooperates with the system, for then he survives. However if he is unwilling to play his part, then he meets his end.

The underlying claim of the mention of the “pot of meat” is that Yisra’el does not know what to do with the freedom that they have been granted. They do not know how to function in a system that does not hold the “pot of meat” above their heads in the horizon. For despite the fact that the structure around the “pot of meat” is an enslaving, lowly framework; it is well-defined and clear-cut.

Therefore God does not become enraged with Yisra’el – their claim is understandable if one considers the Egyptian culture in which they developed, and certainly considering the fact that they have only now just been removed from that entire system.

Yet here God causes the Man to descend from the heavens, to be gathered in a “daily quota,” (ibid.) – thereby uprooting the subjugation to the decayed Egyptian system, clearly indicating to Yisra’el who in fact is their provider and sustainer.

Yisra’el are forbidden to keep any Man from one day to the next, but rather to gather the Man anew every day. They are forced to educate themselves that they are not ruled over or controlled by a human, but solely by God.

This is exactly the significance of God’s words:

“In order that I will test them to see whether they keep My law or not.”

(Shemot 16:4)

That is to say that gathering a daily quota of Man, and then not leaving any for the following day is an act of complete faith in God, faith that only He sustains the entire world by His grace, benevolence, and mercy. This is the way to be liberated from the enslavement unto the Egyptian “pot of meat.”

This idea is expressed in the following commentary that appears in the Mechilta, on the verse “a daily quota.”

“‘A daily quota’ – Rabi Elazar ha’Moda’i says: ‘(This was) in order that a person would not collect today for tomorrow, as the verse states: ‘a daily quota;’ He who created today – created its livelihood.”

And in the Mechilta of Rabi Shim’on bar Yochai there is an additional emphasis regarding this idea of the “daily quota” – that specifically this daily dependency illustrates the intimate relationship between God and His children – contrary to a king who simply hands his sons all that he will need for the coming year, and then no longer wants to see his son.

The test of the Man is the test of a man who must go to sleep with no provisions for the coming day, but despite this he believes that God will supply his every need the following day.

Yet if one leaves even a small quantity of Man for the next day – then it becomes full of worms. Those worms are not an external punishment, but are rather the natural result of the person’s attitude to the Man. For if he goes to the extent of preserving some food for the next day, he indicates that he relies on nature more than on God – he sees the Man as a natural foodstuff, and not the miraculous bread that it is. Accordingly his Man will obey nature’s law that bread which remains overnight in the desert rots and decays.

From here we will understand why the jar of Man was required specifically for the period of Bnei Yisra’el’s travel in the desert. The miracle of the Man will continue for forty years, and there is the concern that Yisra’el will cease to consider the Man as a miracle, and may rather think of it as part of nature. Therefore Yisra’el are commanded with the start of the appearance of the Man, already then, to place some in a jar, in order to remember that this bread is all miracle and not natural. Therefore it is named “Man,” “What,” for there if no natural definition of this supernatural object.

Moshe instituted the Birkat Ha’zan which acts as an introduction to the Birkat ha’Mazon proper, for there is the concern that when dealing with the great concepts of Eretz Yisra’el, Yerushalayim, and the Temple – we tend to forget that the bread we eat is also miraculous. We forget that even the small, ‘constant’ aspects of life also hold within in them the miraculous – the miracles that hide within nature.

We mentioned above that there were two other commandments relating to the Man: to collect a double portion on Friday, and to refrain from collecting on Shabbat. These illustrate the concept we raised, for Shabbat teaches one that all his gains and successes are in fact from God. Therefore refraining from collecting Man on Shabbat is in order to educate one to overcome the challenge that even if there is Man in the field – this is of no importance – for on this day he is commanded to ‘rest.’

In conclusion, let us deal with a custom practiced on the Shabbat, Shabbat Shira, which completes the idea we have been dealing with. There is a custom on Shabbat Shira to feed birds. (Despite the fact that some of the Halachik authorities dispute this custom, for on Shabbat one may only feed his own, personal animals, in any event this custom is still practiced.)

This custom is described as follows:

“It is the custom of Yisra’el to give food to the birds on Shabbat Shira: It is customary to give the birds some of the wheat dish cooked for this Shabbat. The Pnei Moshe (B’shalach) brings a beautiful reason for this custom: ‘To indicate that if Yisra’el (who are compared to a bird) will have respite from their dealings and will busy themselves with Torah and mitzvot – God will provide them their foodstuffs without (them having) any toil or labor, and the Man will descend from above, just as the birds find their food in this manner.’”

According to this reason that if Yisra’el will busy themselves with Torah and mitzvot and will believe that the Master of the Universe will provide for them – “God will provide them their foodstuffs without (them having) any toil or labor.” Once again we see that one’s livelihood is conferred upon him by God.

Another reason for the custom is:

“Another well known reason is since the birds ate of the Man that on Shabbat Datan and Aviram scattered where the Man had previously fallen in order to refute the words of Moshe Rabbenu that ‘And on the seventh day, Shabbat, it (Man) will not be there,’ (Shemot 16:26.)”

(Sha’ar bat Rabim - R’ Eliezer of Mikoliev, in the name of the Visionary of Lublin.)

This second reason is based on a Midrash that it was Datan and Aviram who scattered some Man in the field on Shabbat in order to refute Moshe’s words, yet then the birds came and ate all that Man, reminding us that everything is from God.

It is interesting that it was also Datan and Aviram who went out on Shabbat to gather the Man – the very people who scattered the Man went out to collect it. He who does not believe in and attempts to refute the belief in God’s Providence falls prey of his own warped beliefs.

But the Man and Shabbat educate him that even those things that seem natural, that very food that sustains man, are all miracles, bestowed upon us by the Creator of the world. This is man’s essential virtue – the ability not only to recognize God’s hand in great nature-defying events, but the capability to see and experience God in those occurrences that appear to be the most natural and earthly.

Translated by Sholem Hurwitz.

Copyright Keren Yishai/Rav M. Elon