ויאכלך את המן אשר לא ידעת ולא ידעון אבתיך למען הודיעך כי לא על הלחם לבדו יחיה האדם (ח-ג)
Regarding the mann the posuk refers to it as “Lechem” - bread, both here and earlier in Parshas Beshalach, when Hashem introduces the concept to Moshe and the Jewish people. It is interesting to note that the word "לחם" is commonly used as a reference to the basic necessities a person needs in this world. Just as bread is a staple of life and one cannot survive without it, it is used to describe other staples as well. Thus, the Torah is teaching us to realize that Hashem created and oversees every single thing in this world with hashgacha, and everything comes down to us from Heaven. This is exemplified in the miracle of the mann, which clearly highlighted the Divine protection that the Almighty afforded His nation in the wilderness.
Accordingly, maintains R’ Gamliel Rabinowitz Shlit’a, excessive attempts or efforts to make our livelihood greater and richer, will not facilitate obtaining any more than what we are meant to receive as dictated from Above. The reason we are required to work at all is merely because Hashem has decreed that we must perform an action so that His bountiful beracha will rest on it. It is not through working that we will attain anything more than is decreed.
When a person will achieve this recognition that he is working solely because this is the will of Hashem, then he will not be obsessed with the desire to accumulate money. Rather, he will work each day according to his needs for that day. There is no reason to think about the future, for regardless, the lechem is Heaven-sent, as Chazal expressed it (תענית ח:): “The One Who gives life gives sustenance.” Consequently, with this outlook and way of life, one will have more time to learn Torah. This is the implication of the words of the posuk in Shemos (טז-ד): “So that I can test them whether they will follow My Torah or not.”
With this emunah, a person will be able to stand up to the test and continue to study Torah all his life.
אל תשחת עמך ונחלתך אשר פדית בגדלך .... אל תפן אל קשי העם הזה ואל רשעו ואל חטאתו (ט-כו)
Moshe Rabbeinu recalls the dark days of the sin of the Golden Calf. He reflects on the nation’s iniquities and what he was required to do on their behalf simply to save them from annihilation at the hand of the Almighty. He did not tell them all this in order to boast, G-d forbid, for that would the last thing on Moshe’s mind. Rather, he wanted them to understand how close they came to being lost forever.
A Chassid’s wife was undergoing a difficult labor and the distraught man came to R’ Shalom Shachna ZT”L crying bitterly. R’ Shalom heard his petition and then exclaimed thunderously, “May that evil woman explode!”
The Chassid departed, even more distressed than before. On his return journey, he met a messenger who bore glad tidings: His wife had given birth to a healthy child. The Chassid was delighted and put the words of R’ Shalom out of his mind. However, when R’ Nachum of Chernobyl ZT”L heard what R’ Shalom had said, he suspected that his words had aided somehow and approached him to find out how.
“After the sin of the Golden Calf,” R’ Shalom began, “the Torah tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu went to Hashem to defend the Jews. ‘Do not turn to their stubbornness or to their wickedness,’ he declared. What sort of defense was this? In fact, this was an even greater indictment!”
R’ Shalom shook his head. “No. You see, when Moshe Rabbeinu saw the great indictment facing the Jews, he too, decided to accuse them of sinning. When the accusing angel saw that the nation’s only defender had abandoned them, he ceased his work. At that moment, Moshe prayed for them unchallenged, saying, ‘Do not destroy Your people and Your heritage’ - and it worked! So, when I saw this woman in pain, I realized there was an indictment issued against her and so I began to accuse her as well. This way, the accuser stopped accusing and my words became a blessing: When I said she should explode, I meant she should give birth!”
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