001 —ויאכילך את המן

Vaya'achilcha Es HaMan etc. LeMa'an Hodiacha etc.

The manna is a manifestation of the level of tal (dew), as it is written: "VaTa'al Shekvas HaTal" ("And the layer of dew went up"). This dew is the same dew that will revive the dead in the future; it represents abundant mercy, as it is said: "Mechayei Meisim BeRachamim Rabim" ("He revives the dead with great mercy").

To understand what is meant by 'abundant mercy' above,

It is written: "VeZara'ti Es Beis Yisrael Zera Adam VeZera Behemah" (Yirmiyahu 31) (see also on the verse VeEileh HaMishpatim). This means there are two types of souls: the level of Adam (man) and the level of Behemah (animal).

This can be understood with what is written: "Pnei Aryeh El HaYamin etc." (the face of a lion to the right), which is the level of love. Elsewhere it is written: "Aryeh Sha'ag Mi Lo Yira" (Amos 3). Also, the Days of Awe are called after the lion, for Aryeh shares the same letters as Yirah (awe).

This means that this level of love, the level of the lion above, comes from the revelation of the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, "U'Legeduloso Ein Cheker" (His greatness is unfathomable), which cannot be contained within the worlds. Therefore, "Tippol Aleihem Eimah U'Fachad" (awe and fear fall upon them) when this great revelation occurs, because the recipient cannot contain this level as it is above, in the aspect of love.

[As explained elsewhere with the analogy of a protruding seal, which leaves an indented impression in wax: so too, from the revelation of G‑d's greatness, what is drawn down into the worlds is the aspect of awe.]

This is the idea that fire descended on the altar in the form of a lion, consuming all the sacrifices etc. That is, the fat and blood are consumed and burned in this revelation. About this it is said: "Ki Hashem Elokecha Eish Ochlah Hu" (for the L‑rd your G‑d is a consuming fire), which burns and consumes all fires.

All the worlds receive the aspect of love from the level of the ox on the left, which is the aspect of gevurah (severity) that conceals and hides the above-mentioned greatness.

The love that comes from this level is called "behemah" (animal), in the feminine, which receives from the face of the ox. This is called "Ahavas Olam" (worldly love), because this love comes through the concealment and hiding of Divine vitality within the worlds.

The vitality rises upward, with wondrous longing, to be elevated and included in the One who is the source and life of all life, the level of Sovev Kol Almin (the transcendent light).

As it is written: "El Dami Lecha etc." (Tehillim 83:2), "Kari Tadira V'Lo Shachich etc." (He calls constantly and does not forget etc.).

Similarly, a person who constantly contemplates with the eye of his intellect the concealment and hiding of Divine vitality—hence the world is called 'olam' from the word 'he'elem' (concealment)—is aroused with wondrous longing, yearning and being naturally drawn upward, to be illuminated in the light of life. This love is called the level of "behemah" and "ahavah zuta" (small love) within the worlds.

The level of Adam is as it is written: "Ve'al Demus etc. KeMar'eh Adam etc." (Yechezkel 1:26), meaning masters of Torah. This is like a human who has 248 limbs and 365 sinews, whereas an animal does not have this number. So too, the Torah consists of 248 positive commandments and 365 prohibitions, which is a level higher than love and awe—for love and awe are only wings to ascend upward to the place of Torah.

2) It is written: "VaAni Ba'ar V'Lo Eida Behemos Hayisi Imach" (Tehillim 73:22)—'behemos' in the plural. There is another level of 'behemah' that is higher than 'adam.' This is called "Behemah Rabbah" (great animal), which is the level of "Ahavah Rabbah" (great love) that is above the grasp and comprehension that is clothed within the worlds, which is from the level of Sovev Kol Almin, where all is considered as nothing before Him.

[This is the meaning of what is said in Eitz Chaim, Shaar Arich Anpin, that all the supernal Partzufim—Arich Anpin, Abba and Imma, Zeir Anpin and Nukva—are first nourished from the two aspects of the 'breasts of the animal,' as explained there.]

From there is drawn the aspect of abundant mercy. This is like a human king, who, because of his exaltedness and superiority over all ministers and nations, has a greater attribute of mercy, having compassion on all. Because they are all lowly and inferior compared to him, his mercy is very great due to their extreme lowliness.

So too, so to speak, with the Infinite Light, before Whom all is nullified, and everything is truly considered as nothing before Him. Even the supernal worlds, as it is written: "Hein Shamayim Lo Zachu BeEinav" (even the heavens are not pure in His eyes). Therefore, the mercy upon them is very great, because they are so low and degraded compared to Him. Even on the levels of the higher and lower Gan Eden, this mercy falls. [See on the verse "Ki HaHarim Yamushu etc."] The concept of Gan Eden is that the righteous sit and enjoy the radiance of the Shechinah, but this is only a ray and illumination that extends from Him.

But in His very essence and glory, this does not apply at all, for all is nullified before Him and included in His unity and oneness, and there is nothing with independent existence to which a separate name or essence could apply, like Gan Eden etc.

[See in the discourse Ashira LaHashem Ki Ga'oh Ga'ah on Parshas Beshalach, regarding the hidden world.]

Even the level of "Eden," which is above "Gan," which is the level of chochmah (wisdom), it is said about it: "Kulam BeChochmah Asisa" (You made them all with wisdom), which is considered as physical action compared to the Holy One. The mercy on this is very great, how it descended so low as to be considered as nothing before Him.

From this, the wise person will contemplate to arouse abundant mercy upon his soul—that is, upon the Divine spark within him, which is a literal part of G‑d above. "Ani Hashem Lo Shanisi" (I, the L‑rd, have not changed)—He was, is, and will be. "Atah Hu Kodem Shenivra HaOlam etc." (You are He before the world was created etc.). Yet, the soul is bound and tied in the vanities of the world, which conceal and hide the light of truth, and is occupied with worldly vanities that are truly nothing.

Even if one is occupied with words of Torah, if he does so for his own honor etc.—that is, he wants to attain something to be considered a 'something' and an entity—this learning is "MiTachas HaShemesh" (under the sun), for all is vanity and striving after wind.

When one deeply contemplates this, each person according to what he knows and recognizes in himself—for a person knows his own soul—he will arouse abundant mercy and extra compassion, seeing how he is in utter lowliness and distant from Hashem to the utmost degree.

Through this, his soul will be revived like the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection will be through dew, as it is written: "Ki Tal Oros Talecha" (Yeshayahu 26:19), and this is the dew that drips from the mouth of Atikah (the Ancient One) etc.

This means there will be a revelation of G‑dliness in a great and mighty way from the source and life of all life, the Infinite One, "VeNiglah Kevod Hashem" (the glory of the L‑rd will be revealed). So much so, that even in a place where there was only a tiny bit of vitality and existence, it will be aroused and elevated upward, to be included in the One, and nullified like a candle before a torch, and they will be gathered from all the distant places. Through this, they will be able to receive abundant vitality to revive the dead, because there remains in them a tiny spark of life.

So too, a person will revive his soul, which is bound and tied in the vanities of the world and is considered as dead. As it is written: "VaYiten Es Resha'im Kivro" (Yeshayahu 53:9). And as our Sages say: "The wicked, even in their lifetime, are called dead." Even the vitality within them is considered as dead. Through the arousal of abundant mercy from above, the vitality is awakened and gathered from wherever there is even a tiny spark of life, to its source and root, and he will receive abundant vitality to revive his soul.

3) The drawing down of the above-mentioned abundant mercy is through the Thirteen Attributes. Since they are infinite mercy, they cannot be contained within the worlds except through contractions via the Thirteen Attributes, which give measure and limit so the worlds can receive them.

[This is the meaning of "K'Shemen HaTov etc. Yored Al HaZakan etc." (Tehillim 133:2). As it says in the Zohar I, 88a: He is oil and He is dew, and it descends on the beard, drawn and clothed in the Thirteen Attributes, which are the Thirteen Tufts of the Beard. As the Ramaz explains in Parshas Vayikra (15b) and Parshas Emor (94a) in the name of Likkutei Torah on Parshas Toldos, that there are two types of hairs in the beard, and the inner aspect etc.—see there.]

This corresponds to the twelve tribes and the tribe of Levi, which includes them all. Therefore, we recite Selichos and the Thirteen Attributes from Rosh Chodesh Elul onward, for then is the time of arousal of this level.

This is what is written: "Rachamecha Rabim Hashem K'Mishpatecha Chayeni" (Your mercies are many, Hashem; as is Your judgment, give me life). Through the aspect of abundant mercy, such vitality is drawn down that even in the place of "Mishpatecha Chayenu" (Your judgments, we live). As we say: "Kasveinu LeChaim Tovim" (inscribe us for a good life).

This is what is written: "Ki Avraham Lo Yedanu, V'Yisrael Lo Yakiranu, Atah Hashem Avinu" (Yeshayahu 63:16). This means that Hashem our Father is the aspect of abundant mercy mentioned above.

[This can be explained as the Ramaz says in Parshas Emor, that the existence of Abba is influenced from the inner aspect of the beard etc. See also what is written on this verse regarding Megillas Esther.]

Therefore, during the Ten Days of Repentance, we say: "Avinu Malkeinu" (Our Father, our King), which is above the level of the Patriarchs, who are the chariot. As it is written: "U'Shemi Hashem Lo Nodati Lahem" (My Name Hashem I did not make known to them), meaning they did not have knowledge and connection to the Name Hashem Avinu, which is the aspect of abundant mercy mentioned above.

This is what is written about the manna, which is the level of dew, the level of abundant mercy: "Asher Lo Yad'un Avosecha" (that your fathers did not know), meaning the Patriarchs had no knowledge of it.

[See also Bamidbar Rabbah 21, end of Parshas Re'eh, end of Parshas Acharei, Koheles Rabbah on "Berov HaTovah" 93b.]

"LeMa'an Hodiacha Ki Lo Al HaLechem Levado Yichyeh etc." ("So that He would make you know that not by bread alone does man live etc."). This is like what our Sages say: "Whoever says, 'I have only Torah,' even Torah he does not have." For it is not by this that "Yichyeh HaAdam" (man lives). This refers to the supernal man upon the likeness of the throne. As our Sages say: "Yisrael sustain their Father in Heaven," but rather "Ki Al Kol Motza Pi Hashem etc." (but by everything that comes from the mouth of Hashem). That is, through contemplation, realizing that Torah is the utterance of Hashem and the speech of the Divine, and Torah and the Holy One are entirely one. This is the concept of the dew of Torah. As our Sages say: "Whoever engages in Torah, the dew of Torah revives him," which is from the level of Sovev Kol Almin. However, it has become materialized in the physical letters on the book in ink.

[See more about the dew of Torah in the discourse Ha'azinu HaShamayim Tazal KaTal Imrati and in the discourse Yechayenu Miyomayim.]

This is the meaning of "LeMa'an Hodiacha"—that through the manna, this will be made known to you. It is the level of dew "Asher Lo Yad'un Avosecha" as above, and nevertheless, "Vaya'achilcha"—it became materialized to the point that it could be ground in a mortar.

From this you will understand the concept of Torah, which is the utterance of Hashem as above, only that it descended and became clothed etc. Therefore, through this, man will live.

[See also the explanation of "Ki Al Kol Motza Pi etc." in Zohar Parshas Yisro 81b, Pekudei 253a, Naso 122b, 123a, Vayechi 203a.]

Summary

This maamar teaches that the manna represents a transcendent Divine mercy that revives both body and soul. By contemplating our spiritual lowliness and connecting to Torah, we draw down this infinite vitality, enabling true spiritual life and renewal, just as dew revives the dead.