It’s not just about receiving, but about the giving, the engagement, the doing. Let's dive into a fascinating passage from Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Exodus, that sheds light on this very idea.
The verse we're looking at is from Exodus 16:4: "And the people shall go out and gather each day’s portion on its day." Sounds simple, right? Just gather your daily bread, or manna. But the Rabbis, in their infinite wisdom, see so much more woven into these words. They connect it to Psalm 68:20, "Blessed be the Lord, day by day." What's the link?
The idea is this: The Holy One, blessed be He, gives according to how we give. It's a reciprocal relationship. The Torah, the very foundation of Jewish life, is meant to be engaged with each day. As Proverbs 8:34 tells us, "Happy is the man who heeds Me, to persist at My gates each day." We seek God daily, as Isaiah 58:2 says, "they seek Me each day," and in return, God promises to provide for us daily.
Think about it. God says, "I will sate you with bread from the heavens each day… so that I may test them, whether they will follow My Torah." The daily manna wasn't just about physical sustenance; it was a test of faith, a chance to choose God's way each and every morning.
And here's where the wordplay gets really interesting. The verse in Psalms 68:20 says, "Blessed be the Lord, day by day, He will provide [yaamos] for us day after day." Yaamos, "He will provide," connects to other words with similar roots, revealing deeper layers of meaning.
When we perform God’s will, we are called "Those borne [haamusim] by Me from birth," as it says in Isaiah 46:3. And what will God provide? A cup of salvation [maamis], due to the merit of the Temple. The Temple, in turn, is linked to "a stone of burden [maamasa]," as Zechariah 12:3 says, "It will be on that day, that I will render Jerusalem a stone of burden."
See how it all comes together? Yaamos, haamusim, maamis, maamasa… These aren't just random words. They create a chain of connection. Our daily actions, our commitment to Torah, our willingness to carry the "burden" of responsibility – all of this unlocks the daily blessings, the daily sustenance, the daily salvation that God offers.
So, what does this all mean for us today? We might not be gathering manna in the desert, but we are faced with choices every day. Do we engage with our spiritual lives? Do we strive to live according to God's teachings? Do we carry the weight of responsibility for our communities and the world?
The message of Shemot Rabbah is clear: the blessings flow when we participate, when we engage, when we actively choose to walk in God's ways, day by day. It's a reminder that our daily actions, no matter how small, have the power to unlock incredible blessings. And that, my friends, is a thought worth pondering.