As a frequent flyer, when preparing food for trips I take into account the possibility of lengthy delays, but there is a limit to what I can shlep. Once, during a peak season I was stranded in Dallas at midnight, rebooked to an early morning flight the next morning with no food left. Obtaining kosher food before arriving El Paso was not an option. Yes, it was a hungry trip.
In this week’s parsha we learn of the grand journey the Israelites embarked upon as they left Egypt. They were not given an arrival date to the Promised Land and the food provisions they took with them were wholly inadequate for a lengthy desert sojourn. Miraculously, the matzah baked on their first morning of freedom lasted thirty days!
As the 15th of Iyar dawned, the matzah was finished and the Jews faced the frightening probability of starvation. In response to their concerns, G-d notified them that He would provide them food every day from heaven. Each morning the Manna, cushioned between two layers of dew, would descend upon the camp and each family was to gather an “omer” measurement per head.
There were specific rules associated with this divine nourishment. 1. No extra was to be gathered. No matter how much one gathered in the field, back home the manna would always equate one “omer” per mouth. 2. No hoarding. Each day’s portion of manna needed to be consumed on the same day. No leftovers for early morning breakfast.
On the first Friday of this arrangement, upon returning home from gathering manna, the Jews realized that there was a double portion in their jars. Moshe explained that on the seventh day, Shabbat, food will not fall from heaven and on Friday G-d would provide for two days.
This is the reason for the custom of having two Challahs at the Shabbat meals.
The peculiar food arrangement that sustained our forebears in the desert for forty years was a training period in true faith and trust in G-d. Going to sleep at night without food in the cabinet or fridge for breakfast is a frightening prospect. To follow the rules of “gathering” our sustenance can be challenging. Most of all, forgoing a full day of obtaining a livelihood seems irresponsible at best.
Yet, this is the essence of faith and trust in G-d. By adhering to His guidebook to life, regardless of what the big world says, we are assured a sufficient and plentiful livelihood, even in the “desolate wilderness” of life. Honesty in business, tithing accordingly and Shabbat observance are the keys to monetary success.
As you recite the Hamotzi on the two challahs on Friday night, be mindful of the message of the manna. Even when making a living seems as challenging as finding bread in a desert, by sticking to G-d’s rules we will certainly receive His blessing. If you are thankfully in the higher income bracket, be thankful for G-d’s continued blessing and find ways to improve the clarity and size of your vessel. If good is good – better is always better.