The Jews, while traveling through the desert for forty years, were fed, on a daily basis, pearly white Manna from Heaven.
The Manna would appear bright and early each morning and was then collected. If the Manna was left over, it would evaporate as the sun grew stronger at the fourth hour of the day.
The Torah tells us that each person was apportioned an Omer sized portion. The basic taste of Manna was like a honey wafer, although it would taste like anything a person wished it to taste like.
Since the Manna originated from the heavens and it is referred to as bread, commentators say that the blessing over it was Hamotzie Lechem Min HaShomayim – who brings out bread from the heavens.
The Manna had an expiration date. If the Manna was left overnight it would become wormy by daybreak.
Friday was the exception, when every person collected a double portion, one for Friday and another for Shabbos. This was because the Manna did not appear on Shabbos. Our custom of breaking bread at our Shabbos meals over two Challos is to remind us of the Shabbos double portion of Manna the Jews received in the desert.
Additionally, in a verse when Moshe speaks of the double Shabbos Manna, he mentions the word Hayom – today ― three times. Our Sages derive from this repetition, that we are required to eat three meals on Shabbos; Friday night, Shabbos lunch and a third meal before evening at which two complete loaves of bread are at hand.
Additional laws of Shabbos were given together with the Manna. The law prohibiting walking a distance of 2000 cubits past the city limits or one’s confines; the prohibition of carrying objects in a public domain, or from a private domain to a public domain. And that one is to cook and bake foods before Shabbos for the Shabbos and not to actively cook on Shabbos.
Having such Heavenly food came with a price, not a monetary one but it demanded an upstanding spiritual level of conduct, for if not, the recipient would be called out for it.
Our Sages tell us that for the righteous, the Manna would appear at their doorstep. For the mediocre it would appear a bit further away from their dwelling, and for the not so righteous they would have to retrieve it from the outskirts of the encampment.
The miracle Manna was so pure that it produced no excrement from one’s body.
As we mentioned, the Manna appeared in proximities based on a person’s merit. A question raised is, if a mediocre person’s manna was located near a not so righteous person’s dwelling, perhaps the not so righteous person would take the other’s apportioned allotment of Manna. So how did it work? As we mentioned, the Torah tells us that the affixed personal portion of Manna was an Omer in size. What if one took more or less? The Torah tells us when the person came home it would miraculously adjust to the correct amount! Says Rabbi Ahron Leib Shteinman o.b.m., perhaps the same miracle occurred with each person’s apportioned Manna. Each portion was ‘addressed’ to that specific person and picking someone else’s would not produce results.
Another interesting idea Reb Ahron Leib points out is that during their travels in the desert, there were almost no opportunities to do Chesed/Tzedakah with food for another, since each person’s sustenance was taken care of. Rabainu Bechaya explains that if someone did not get to pick up their Manna by the time it already evaporated, one could perform Tzadaka by giving him food.
The many animals that accompanied the Jews were fed through vegetation that grew either from the dew that enveloped the Manna or through the abundance of water that the rock of Miriam gave forth that triggered exponential growth of vegetation, grass and trees.
This Shabbos is called Shabbos Shirah – the Shabbos of song ― since it hosts the prophetic Song that Moshe and the Jews sang after the Pharoh and the Egyptians were drowned at sea.
This song is so powerful that we recite it in our preliminary prayers each morning and refer to it again before the Amidah in the morning and evening prayers.
In regards to the splitting of the Red Sea, we recite, “With great joy they all said, “Who is like You among the heavenly powers, Hashem! Who is like You, mighty in holiness, too awesome to praise, doing wonders.”
The Sfas Emes reveals to us that each day when one recites the Shira happily and intently, they are able to tap into the same relief the Jews felt from their exodus from Egypt, and they can gain material blessings and spiritual elevation. This is because initially, when the Jews sang the Shira, they did it with thorough joy. We are taught when one performs a Mitzvah with joy, the effects are everlasting and we are still able to draw from that energy!
