021 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ד - ש"פ עקב, כ"ף מנחם-אב ה'תשכ"ג

B"H, Shabbos Parshas Eikev, 20 Menachem Av 5723.

VaYa'ancha VaYar'ivecha VaYachilcha Es HaMan etc.

The Rebbe Rashab, in his discourse beginning with "Zeh," notes that elsewhere in Torah the manna is praised, but here it says "He afflicted you and made you hungry, and fed you the manna etc."^[1]—which seems the opposite of praise. We also need to understand the Gemara^[3] that says Moshe established the blessing of "HaZan" when the manna fell, and Yehoshua established the blessing of "HaAretz" when they entered the Land. The Rashba writes^[4] that Moshe and Yehoshua established the text of the blessings, but the blessings themselves are from the Torah [as the Gemara says, "VeAchalta VeSavata U'Verachta"^[6]—this is Birchas HaZan; "Al HaAretz" is Birchas HaAretz]. Likkutei Torah^[7] explains that the reason we mention food in Birchas HaAretz and conclude "for the land and for the food" (even though we already said Birchas HaZan) is because the text of Birchas HaZan is about the manna, bread from heaven, while the food in Birchas HaAretz is bread from the earth^[8]. But this needs explanation: Birchas HaZan is about satisfying food ("VeAchalta VeSavata"), and true satisfaction is mainly with bread from the earth. Yet, the blessing for bread from the earth is in Birchas HaAretz (which does not say "VeAchalta VeSavata"^[9]), while the text of Birchas HaZan (which does say "VeAchalta VeSavata") is about the manna, which says "He afflicted you and made you hungry"^[10].

We also need to understand why the affliction of Yom Kippur is learned^[11] from the affliction mentioned regarding the manna. It says here affliction ("VeInisem Es Nafshoseichem"^[12]) and there affliction ("He afflicted you and made you hungry"), just as there it is hunger, so too here it is hunger. But the hunger of the manna was that eating it did not fully satisfy them [because it's not the same as someone who has bread in his basket^[11] as opposed to someone who does not], (and the manna was a daily thing^[13]), and it's not the same to see and eat as not to see and eat^[11] (with the manna they tasted all flavors but only saw manna^[14]), so from the comparison to Yom Kippur, it seems the hunger of the manna was (not just that it didn't satisfy like regular food, but) as if they hadn't eaten at all^[15]. According to this, it is even more puzzling that the text of Birchas HaZan is about the manna. We also need to understand^[16] that now (after the manna ceased), all the blessings of Birchas HaMazon are apparently about bread from the earth, yet the text of Birchas HaZan is the one Moshe established for the manna.

2) This can be understood by first noting the Midrash^[17] that says the manna was "food of hunger." The phrase "He made you hungry and fed you the manna" means the manna itself made you hungry. The idea is that manna alludes to Aggadah [as it says^[18] "it was like coriander seed, white," and the Mechilta says like Aggadah, which draws the heart], which is the inner dimension of Torah. As explained elsewhere^[20], bread from the earth is the revealed part of Torah, and bread from heaven (manna) is the inner dimension of Torah. Since in the inner dimension of Torah there is only knowledge of existence but not comprehension of essence^[21], learning the inner dimension of Torah is associated with hunger (like the hunger to hear the word of Hashem^[22])—a yearning to grasp the essence^[23].

On a deeper level, the Midrash's statement that the manna is "food of hunger" means (not only that the manna does not remove hunger from the person eating it, but also) that the manna itself is food of hunger. This can be understood by prefacing that the distinction between bread from the earth and bread from heaven applies generally, but specifically, both aspects exist within the inner dimension of Torah. Tanya^[24] says that learning the inner dimension of Torah has two aspects: it is a lofty mitzvah^[25] and it brings one to a complete heart. The aspect that brings one to a complete heart, since it relates to refinement (of character traits), is like bread from the earth, while the main aspect of bread from heaven is learning and knowing the inner dimension of Torah for its own sake^[26]. The difference between these two types of learning is also in the level of intellect: learning for the sake of refining the heart is in intellect related to emotions, while learning for its own sake is in intellect above emotions. Thus, the manna is food of hunger because satisfaction (in intellect) is when one grasps the idea, so the comprehension in intellect related to emotions (bread from the earth within the inner dimension of Torah), which is fully grasped and thus affects one's character, is food that satisfies. But the comprehension in intellect above emotions (bread from heaven, manna), which is wondrous and not fully grasped, is food of hunger.

3) We can say that the difference between the two explanations of "food of hunger"—that it does not remove hunger from the person and that the food itself is hunger beyond grasp (even though the knowledge that causes hunger in the person is because it is beyond his comprehension)—is that the former is in intellect relative to emotions, just above them, and so it causes a yearning and thirst to grasp the idea. The latter, where the knowledge itself is hunger, is in intellect above emotions (as in section 2), so when this level is revealed in the emotions, they are in a state of nullification. This is like the difference between Chochmah and Binah: through the comprehension of Binah, when one contemplates the wondrous Infinity beyond worlds, it leads to great love (with longing and thirst)—there is someone who loves; but through the vision of Chochmah, it leads to awe, nullification^[27]. Nevertheless, even this level of manna is called "food of hunger," because the refinement through eating the manna is that the person becomes completely nullified, and thus becomes a vessel to receive vitality from a light beyond his level. This is like "to sustain them in hunger"^[28] on Yom Kippur^[29], where the hunger is a hidden, unperceived delight beyond eating and drinking [as is known^[30] that the reason eating and drinking are forbidden on Yom Kippur is because then there is a revelation of essential, unperceived delight], and "to sustain them in hunger" means that on Yom Kippur we receive vitality from this delight^[31].

4) This can be connected with the Zohar^[32] on the verse^[33] "See that Hashem has given you the Shabbos," where Rabbi Chizkiyah opens "Shir HaMa'alos MiMa'amakim etc."^[34]—"from the depths" (plural) are the depth of everything and the depth of the pit. My father, the Baal HaHilula, wrote in the margin of his Zohar^[35] (which was in captivity for years and was recently redeemed and brought here), that the connection of this explanation of "MiMa'amakim" to "See that Hashem has given you the Shabbos" is that the depth of everything and the depth of the pit are Chochmah and Binah, from which flow all six emotions of Zeir Anpin^[36]. This relates to "See that Hashem has given you the Shabbos," because Shabbos is the seventh day, which is Binah^[37] (the depth of the pit), in which Chochmah (the depth of everything) is invested, and from them the blessing flows to the six days^[38], the six emotions. The Baal HaHilula continues that this is the meaning of "And you shall call the Shabbos delight (oneg)," which is the acronym for Eden, river, garden^[40]: Eden and river are Chochmah and Binah (the depths), and from them the blessing flows to the garden, Malchus. This is why Malchus is called Shabbos^[41], because Shabbos is the letters Shin-Bas^[42]; Shin in gematria is "depths," which are Eden and river, and Bas is Malchus (garden), which receives the blessing from Eden and river, the depths. But we need to understand: at first, it discusses the flow from Chochmah and Binah (depths) to the six emotions, and then it explains that "And you shall call the Shabbos delight" is the flow from Eden and river to the garden, Malchus. The explanation (in a person's service) is that the two "depths" are the two aspects of "food of hunger": the depth of the pit (Binah) is the knowledge that causes hunger, and the depth of everything (Chochmah) is the knowledge that is hunger itself for the person. The two aspects of Zeir Anpin and Malchus are two levels in a person's intellect: as it is somewhat abstracted from his being (Zeir Anpin) and as it is within his limitations (Malchus). The drawing down from the depths into a person's intellect (through his nullification) is in both levels, even within his limitations, so that the aspects of the inner dimension of Torah that are themselves above intellect are drawn into intellect, into actual comprehension^[43].

We can add that the main revelation of the depths is in Malchus. The six emotions of Zeir Anpin are only blessed from the seventh day, but Malchus (in addition to receiving the flow from Chochmah and Binah) is itself called Shabbos. Moreover, in Shabbos (which mainly refers to Binah) there are also the letters Bas, meaning the main aspect of the Shin (depths) is when it is drawn into Bas, Malchus. The explanation in a person's service is as is known^[44] that by spreading the wellsprings outward, the essence of the wellsprings is revealed.

5) From the two aspects of the manna in the inner dimension of Torah—hunger beyond comprehension, and yet it is "food of hunger"—these two aspects were also drawn into the physical manna. The reason the manna was a daily thing [and thus it says "He afflicted you and made you hungry," because it's not the same as someone who has bread in his basket versus someone who does not] is because the nature of the world is (space and) time^[45], but the manna is above the world, above time, and therefore, even after it was drawn into the world, it had to be renewed each day^[46]. This is the difference between someone who has bread in his basket and someone who does not: bread from the earth and all influences that are drawn into the world, since it is not apparent that they are renewed daily^[47], a person thinks they are in his basket, but the manna, which was openly renewed daily from above, was not in a person's basket. Similarly^[48], regarding the fact that the manna tasted like all flavors (the second reason for the hunger of the manna): in something limited, it is impossible to have all flavors (especially since flavors can be opposites), and the fact that the manna had all flavors is because even as it descended below, it was bread from heaven, a G‑dly matter above the limitations of the world. This is "not seeing and eating"—the limited human eye could not grasp the infinite nature of the manna, and therefore did not see even simple food, like being blinded by a great light.

And this, that the manna is food of hunger, is when a person is a separate entity; but when he is nullified to G‑dliness, his main pleasure and delight is from an influence that is felt as not being in his basket and is drawn from Hashem. Through his nullification, he becomes a vessel to receive the unlimited influence, and he sees and eats.

6) Based on this, we can explain that the text of Birchas HaZan (which says "VeAchalta VeSavata U'Verachta") is about the manna, because true satisfaction (and wealth^[49]) is with the manna, when one feels that the influence given to him is not in his basket but is always being drawn from above (like the manna, which was openly renewed daily). Every Jew can reach this feeling, especially since it is known^[50] that sustenance in this time of exile is in the manner of the manna. Through this feeling, one becomes a vessel to receive the unlimited influence of the manna. As our Sages say^[51], an empty vessel holds, a full vessel does not. When a person is a separate entity, especially when he thinks the influence given to him is in his basket (a full vessel), he cannot even hold the limited influence of bread from the earth, but when he is an empty vessel, he can hold even the satisfaction and wealth of the manna, and all blessings of children, life, and sustenance are drawn to him in abundance.

Summary

This maamar explores the spiritual significance of the manna, teaching that true satisfaction comes from recognizing our dependence on G‑d's constant renewal. The Rebbe explains that the inner dimension of Torah both fills and awakens a deeper yearning for G‑dliness, transforming our approach to blessing and sustenance.