2021/5781
Parashat BeShalach introduces the period of wandering through the desert, and Bnei Yisrael are often clamoring for food and water. At one point, they even criticize Moshe Rabbeinu for taking them out of Egypt in the first place: “If only we had died by the hand of Hashem in the land of Egypt, as we sat by the pot of meat, when we ate bread to satiety, for you have taken us out to this wilderness to kill this entire congregation by famine” (Shemot 16:3). In response to this grievance, Hashem tells Moshe, “Behold! I shall rain down for you bread from heaven; let the people go out and pick each day’s portion on its day, so that I can test them whether they will follow my teaching or not. And it shall be that on the sixth day when they prepare what they bring, it will be double what they pickevery day” (Shemot 16:4-5). God addressed their concern with a promise to provide Mahn each day as a means of satisfying their hunger.
Interestingly, Hashem intended for the Mahn to serve a dual purpose. On a basic level, it would sustain Bnei Yisrael on their journey through the desert. Yet, it was also a test to see if the Jews would follow Hashem’s commandments. Rashi (Shemot 16:4 s.v. Devar Yom BeYomo; Lemaan Anasenu) suggests that the test refers to the laws concerning Mahn and portion control. First, no one was allowed to save any leftovers for another day. Additionally, they were supposed to rely on their portion from the sixth day lasting through Shabbat without collecting an extra portion or going out for fresh Mahn the next morning. Ramban (ibid. S.v. Lemaan) shares a similar idea, stating that the test was to receive only one day’s portion at a time. Bnei Yisrael followed Hashem into the Midbar without any prior knowledge of miraculous food descending from heaven, and they were called upon to have faith that He would provide them with each day’s portion on its own day: “Devar Yom BeYomo.”
While these classic approaches shed light on the Mahn as a test of faith, there is still one detail to address. Hashem was responding not only to the Jews’ hunger, but also to their nostalgia. From their complaint in the wilderness, they made Egypt sound cozy by comparison. Apparently they used to gather around pots of meat with plenty of bread for everyone to enjoy; fond memories they now recalled under duress. One can imagine how desolate the desert must have felt to the hungry Jews as they remembered the familiar aroma wafting from their cooking pots back in Egypt. Here, God promises to provide food while the Jews are craving comfort food! The Mahn clearly met their physical need for sustenance, but how did it speak to the experiential aspect of mealtime in Mitzrayim?
Perhaps there is an additional layer of meaning in Hashem’s instruction regarding the Mahn. The term “Devar Yom BeYomo,” “each day’s portion on its day,” could very well have touched upon a sensitive nerve in the collective Jewish mind. For, in fact, Bnei Yisrael were commanded to collect “each day’s portion on its day” once before. After Moshe and Aharon initially requested a respite from slavery, Paroh reacted by increasing the nation’s workload. The quota of bricks produced each day must remain the same; however, Paroh would no longer supply the necessary straw for production. “So the people spread out through the entire land of Egypt to gather gleanings for straw. The [Egyptian] taskmasters pressed, saying, ‘Complete your work, the daily portion on its day, as when there was straw!’” (Shemot 5:12-13). The Jewish foremen were beaten for the lower productivity rate, and Paroh did not listen when they tried to appeal this harsh new policy. The Torah describes how these poor foremen felt the pain of their comrades when they shared Paroh’s answer; “Do not reduce your bricks, the daily portion on its day” (Shemot 5:19). Ironically, the edict of “Devar Yom BeYomo” was the last straw before God brought the ten plagues and an end to slavery.
One could suggest that the parallel between Mahn and straw might have been intentional. As Bnei Yisrael reminisce about the good ol’ days in Mitzrayim, God seemingly decides to jog their memory. Once again, the Jews must go out to collect each day’s portion on its day. On a certain level, this procedure could arguably cause the average Jew to experience a surreal sense of deja-vu. Even the term “Devar Yom BeYomo” on its own may conjure up images of suffering and toil, testifying to the bitter injustices endured as slaves in Egypt. Could the Mahn be another tyrannical edict designed to break their spirit? Or are the Torah and Mitzvot a special gift from Hashem to be relied upon with each new day? The last king refused to provide for my needs, do I truly believe this One will take better care of me?
It is worth noting that Rashi provides a compelling case study. When the Jewish foremen delivered the heartbreaking news, some Jews turned their anger on Moshe and Aharon. “May Hashem look upon you and judge, for you have made our very scent abhorrent in the eyes of Paroh and in the eyes of his servants, to place a sword in their hands to murder us” (Shemot 5:21). Rashi (ibid. 16:20 s.v. VaYotiru Anashim) identifies the antagonists as Datan and Aviram, since they have a habit of picking fights and flouting authority. Later, when the Mahn falls and the Jews are tested to see if they will follow Hashem’s command regarding portion control, the Torah reports that “they did not obey Moshe and some men left over from it until morning and it became infested with worms and it stank.” Not surprisingly, Rashi names Datan and Aviram as the offending pair of contrary culprits in this episode, too. Their reaction is the same in both situations. Rather than choosing to believe in Hashem, they fell back on the same incredulity and defiance from their days in Egypt. While one can hardly fault the Jews for feeling upset by Paroh’s decree, the text appears to cast a shadow upon Datan and Aviram for their reactions across these two episodes.
Specifically, Datan and Aviram warn Moshe and Aharon that Hashem would judge them, “Ki Hivashtem Et Reicheinu,” “for you have made our scent abhorrent,” and the result from their attempt to thwart Hashem by saving a portion of Mahn was “VaYarum Tola’im VaTiv’ash,” “it became infested with worms and it stank.” Lest the reader think their initial complaint and intentions were entirely pure, we find that Datan and Aviram’s tactics are no less repugnant later on in their career; Hashem made it absolutely clear whose actions ran afoul.
Thus, the Mahn may have been both a viable food source as well as a daily reminder to Klal Yisrael that there is a difference between Avdei Paroh and Avdei Hashem. Throughout the entire journey in the Midbar, Hashem always sent the Mahn to B’nei Yisrael on schedule. Every morning the Jews went out to collect their daily portion, and they always found it. Many serious mistakes were made in the desert, but Hashem never gave up on us and each new day was a new opportunity to pass the test. Devar Yom BeYomo signaled only the last straw for Avdei Paroh BeMitzrayim. For an Eved Hashem, it is Hakadosh Baruch Hu giving us the chance to grow a little stronger, learn a little more, and serve Him a little better every day.