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B'shalach 5764-2004
"The
Malbim Teaches the Lessons of the Manna"
Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald
In
this coming week's parasha, parashat B'shalach, the freed
Israelite slaves experience the fullness of G-d's glory
as the walls of water at the Sea of Reeds split, and the
people march through safely on dry land. An unrepentant
Pharaoh, his chariots and his soldiers are drowned in
the sea. The Israelites, led by Moses and Miriam, sing
Az Yashir, the great song of salvation, praising
G-d for His miracles. Hence, the name for this Shabbat,
Shabbat Shirah--the Sabbath of Song.
Despite
the miraculous rescue that the Israelites experience,
the people soon test G-d. The Talmud in Arachin 15a &
b lists ten trials that the people tested the Al-mighty
after the exodus. The first test occurred at Marah when
the people complained that the waters were bitter. Through
miraculous intervention, Moses sweetens the water.
Not
long after Marah, the people journey to Elim. There the
entire assembly of the children of Israel once again complain
against Moses and Aaron. They say (Exodus 15:3): "Mee
yee'tayn moo'tay'noo v'yad Hashem b'eretz Mitz'rayim,"
If only we had died by the hand of G-d in the land
of Egypt, as we sat by the pots of meat, and ate bread
to satisfaction. Why did you take us out to this wilderness
to kill this entire congregation by famine?
The
Al-mighty responds to Moses saying (Exodus 16:4): "Hin'nee
mahm'teer lah'chem leh'chem min hah'shah'may'im,"
Behold I shall rain down for you bread from heaven.
Let the people go out and collect each day's portion on
its day, so that I can test them to see whether they will
follow my teachings or not.
Soon
after, a layer of dew descends on the earth, and behold
upon the surface of the wilderness was something thin,
exposed, thin as frost. The children of Israel saw it,
and said to one another (Exodus 16:15): "Mahn
hoo," What is it? Moses tells them that it is
the food (manna) that G-d has given them to eat. He then
commands the people to gather an omer of manna
for every person in their household. When the people gather
the manna, they discover that no matter what they collected,
they had exactly an omer. Moses warned the people
not to leave any manna overnight, until in the morning.
But of course, the people did not obey and the leftover
manna became infested with worms.
On
the sixth day of the week (Friday), Moses told the people
that since tomorrow is a day of rest (Shabbat), they should
gather a double portion and to keep it until the next
morning. Miraculously the manna did not rot. As would
be expected, the Torah tells us (Exodus 16:27) that on
the seventh day, some people still went out expecting
to gather manna, but they could find none.
One
of the most fascinating modern commentators on scriptures
is Rabbi Meir Yehudah Leibish Malbim (1809-1879). Known
as the Malbim, he was a leading Torah scholar in Germany,
Romania and Russia and a prodigious and original scholar.
Recognized for his brilliance while yet a child, the Malbim
nevertheless lived a very difficult life. Because of the
modern style of his writings, he was looked upon with
suspicion by the Chassidim. The anti-religious, Maskilim,
originally mistook him to be one of their own. But
they soon learned to fear the power of his tongue and
pen, and used every method available to persecute him.
Students
of Torah generally rely on the classical bible commentaries
for the basic interpretations. Rashi (1040-1105), the
Ramban (1194-1270), and the Ibn Ezra (1089-c.1164), all
provide penetrating analyses of the text, and a fundamental
elucidation of the religious, legal and philosophical
issues of the scriptural verses. Later commentators all
rely on these earlier classical commentators.
There
is a perceptual difference between the early commentators
and the later commentators. When one studies the commentaries
of the Malbim however, one is left with the impression
that the Malbim belongs to the earlier school, despite
the fact that he lived many hundreds of years later. His
insights are so penetrating, his textual instincts so
erudite, and his linguistic analysis is so exceptionally
brilliant, that one would have to conclude that his are
the words of a Rishon--an early commentator, rather than
an Acharon--a latter commentator.
In
his commentary on the Torah, the Malbim presents seven
lessons that we may learn from the manna.
1. The key to our economic well-being is entirely in the
hands of G-d.
2. "Bread" is of heavenly origin, not of earthly
origin. The essential nutrients of the human being are
spiritual. Contrary to popular belief, a human being subsists
not on the physical bread, but upon that which comes out
of the mouth of G-d.
3. Human beings should not be obsessed with the desire
to amass wealth, for He who gives life, gives sustenance.
While every person needs to make the effort, sustenance
is designated for everyone. He who makes the effort will
soon find the reward.
4. One who has what to eat today and says "What shall
I eat tomorrow?" is a person of little faith. G-d
tests the human being, and makes certain that those who
follow His Torah will receive their sustenance.
5. We learn from the manna that anything holy needs preparation.
6. Every human being's economic status is predetermined
in Heaven, except for his expenditures on Shabbat, that
are limitless.
7. By honoring the Sabbath, the other six days will be
sustained properly.
It's
interesting to note that the Malbim expresses such profound
faith in G-d's sustenance, despite the fact that he himself
endured great difficulties in his own personal life. His
early marriage to a wealthy man's daughter ended in divorce.
After remarrying, he was appointed to the prestigious
position of Chief Rabbi of Bucharest, but was slandered
by his enemies and accused of being a foreign agent. He
was soon sentenced to death by court marshal, and was
saved only by the intervention of Sir Moses Montefiore
who rushed from London. The Malbim however was eventually
banished from Romania.
After
the Bucharest affair, the Malbim had a few years of respite,
when his wealthy father-in-law passed away leaving him
a substantial estate in Lintshitz. Unfortunately, the
Jew his family hired to help manage the estate turned
out to be an unscrupulous swindler and the Malbim and
his family were left penniless.
Forced
to return to the rabbinate, this time in the White Russian
city of Mohilov, the Malbim once again was persecuted
by his enemies. Again as a result of slander he was forced
to leave all of Russia within 48 hours.
And
yet, the legacy of the Malbim endures. Not only endures,
but prevails. His commentaries shine brightly, luminescent
in their extraordinary brilliance.
Perhaps,
there is no greater lesson that we could learn from the
manna than the lesson that we learn from the life of the
Malbim, who truly believed, and lived with the belief,
that all sustenance is a gift from the Al-mighty.
May
you be blessed.
Copyright 2007 National Jewish Outreach Program www.njop.org
