The essence of faith is unknown, yet it is rooted in the simple, hidden pleasure within the Divine soul, which is “an actual part of God above.” The secret of faith is hinted at in our reading which tells of the manna, specifically in the verse, “They said to one another, ‘It is manna,’ for they did not know what it was.” The letters of the words, “It is manna” permute to spell “faith.” It is clear that the fact that the Israelites “did not know what it [the manna] was,” refers to the highest aspect of the sefirah of crown, the Unknowable Head.
It was by virtue of the faith inherited from our holy patriarchs that we were redeemed from Egypt. This original faith of the patriarchs was captured (and internalized) in the matzah that was eaten on the night of the Exodus, which is known as “the food of faith.” The matzah’s inner essence can be found in its middle letter, the tzaddik, whose value is 90, the value of manna. Its external essence, captured in its first and last letters, mem and hei, spells the word “what” appearing in the Israelites bewilderment at the manna, “for they did not know what it was.” The faith found in the matzah was subsequently strengthened and deepened by Moses, our teacher, in whose merit the manna descended for Israel.
The word “manna,” according to Rashi means “preparation of food.” Just as food that has been prepared and made ready-to-serve, which is easily digested and integrated into the body, so the manna drew faith into the individual, and made it easy to integrate into the person’s being.
Indeed, the sages tell us that, “the Torah was given only to those who ate manna” revealing that being awarded the crown of Torah requires faith (corresponding to the crown of priesthood).
