Parshat Behaaloscha 5778
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha that Bnei Yisrael complained about the mahn and longed for the delicacies they had in Mitzrayim. The Torah testifies about the uniqueness of the mahn and refers to it as (Chapter 11, Pasuk 7), V'Hamahn K'Zra Gad Hu. Rashi learns that this phrase means that the mahn was round like a coriander seed. The Zohar Hakadosh teaches on these words that the Torah is comparing the mahn to the tribe of Gad. K'Zra Gad, just as the descendants of Gad received their portion in Ever HaYarden and not in Eretz Yisrael, so too the mahn was given to Bnei Yisrael in Chutz L'Aretz, i.e. in the desert.
Why does the Zohar learn that the Torah is comparing the mahn to shevet Gad? Gad wasn't the only tribe that received a portion in Chutz L'Aretz and further, what is the significance of pointing out that the mahn fell to Bnei Yisrael in Chutz L'Aretz?
The Gemara in Shabbos 117B derives the requirement to have three meals on Shabbos from a pasuk in parshat Beshalach. The pasuk repeats the word Hayom three times when Moshe teaches Bnei Yisrael not to go out to collect more mahn on Shabbos but rather to eat what they gathered before Shabbos. Rav Tzadok asks, why is it that the source for eating three meals on Shabbos is derived from a pasuk which discusses collecting mahn, albeit in regards to Shabbos, and doesn't bring a pasuk which is focused exclusively on Shabbos?
Regarding why the Zohar Hakadosh compares the mahn specifically to shevet Gad, Rav Tzadok explains that this is because Moshe Rabbeinu was buried in the area of Eiver HaYarden which belonged to shevet Gad. This is derived from the pasuk in V'Zos HaBrachah (Chapter 33, Pasuk 21), Vayar Ki Reishis Lo Ki Sham Chelkas Mechokeik Safun, the place of burial of Moshe is hidden and unknown within the portion of Gad. And the Medrash Rabbah (19,13) explains why Moshe Rabbeinu is buried in the portion of Gad and didn't enter Eretz Yisrael. According to the Medrash, Hashem says to Moshe, how would it look that the Dor Hamidbar, the generation that left Mitzrayim and died in the desert, wouldn't enter Eretz Yisrael and you would? All would say they have no portion in the world to come. Rather you will be buried here in Eiver HaYarden, in the portion of Gad, and in the future you will lead the Dor Hamidbar into Eretz Yisrael.
The uniqueness of the Dor Hamidbar and their life in the desert was in that it was a totally spiritual experience. They lived in the desert and made themselves "hefker kamidbar", they had no desires of their own and totally devoted themselves to fulfilling the will of Hashem. Hence, even their physical sustenance was through the spiritual; they ate mahn which was Lechem min Hashamayim. The Gemara in Yoma75B refers to the mahn as Lechem Abirim, the food of angels.
This changed when Bnei Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael. In Eretz Yisrael, Bnei Yisrael worked the land and became involved in the physical world. They no longer ate mahn and instead they ate from the fruit of the land and were obligated in Mitzvos HaTeluyos Ba'Aretz. The Kedushah of Eretz Yisrael was necessary for them in order to fulfill the mitzvos of Terumah and Ma'aser and give Kedushah to their food. Eating fruit which had Terumah and Ma'aser taken was a substitute for eating the holy mahn.
But in the midbar they didn't need Kedushas Eretz Yisrael since they were totally focused in Avodas Hashem. The Medrash Rabbah on Bereishis (11,7) teaches that Yaakov who kept Shabbos, Yarash es Ha'Olam Shelo B'Midah, he inherited the whole world without any borders. Rav Tzadok teaches this to mean that he took Kedushas Eretz Yisrael with him wherever he went. This was also the same portion of Moshe Rabbeinu and the Ochlei HaMahn, the eaters of the mahn in the desert. And this is why the Zohar says that just as shevet Gad (and the burial place of Moshe Rabbeinu) was outside of Eretz Yisrael, so too the mahn descended upon the Jewish people outside the holiness of Eretz Yisrael. Both Moshe Rabbeinu and the Ochlei HaMahn had Kedushas Ha'Aretz in the Midbar. And had they entered at that point Eretz Yisrael, they would have maintained their life of a totally spiritual existence without the physical. And since the time wasn't ripe for this, the Medrash teaches it would only happen in the future, L'Asid Lavo.
Shabbos is also a time when we totally devote ourselves to spiritual pursuits and nullify our own desires and needs. As the Mechilta teaches on the pasuk in Shemos (Chapter 20, Pasuk 9), V'Asisa Kol Melachtecha, Shetihyeh Kol Melachtecha Asuyah. On Shabbos our mindset is that all of our work has been completed regardless of what we really need to accomplish. And it is from keeping Shabbos and being Me'aneg es HaShabbos that we merit a Nachalah Belo Metzarim; a portion without borders like Yaakov Avinu and like the eaters of the mahn.
This is the reason we derive the obligation to eat three meals on Shabbos from the parsha of the mahn. The eaters of mahn nullified their own desires to the will of Hashem. So too on Shabbos we nullify our own physical desires and refrain from work and even from considering what we need to do; it's as if everything is already done. And Rav Tzadok points out that the Gemara says Kol Ha'Mea'neg es HaShabbos and not Kol HaMisaneg B'Shabbos. It doesn’t say one who has physical pleasure and Oneg on Shabbos, rather one who is Me'aneg the Shabbos which is a reference to the Neshamah Yeseirah we receive on Shabbos. The one who focuses exclusively on the spiritual on Shabbos receives a portion without borders. He always has Kedushas Ha'Aretz wherever he goes, as did the Ochlei Hamahn and Moshe Rabbeinu, buried in the portion of Gad in Eiver HaYarden, outside Eretz Yisrael.
Good Shabbos
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