At the start of every Shabbos meal, we make Hamotzi on two challos, known as lechem mishneh. The Gemara in Shabbos (117b) bases this on the pasuk in Parshas Beshalach in regard to the mann, where it states that they received a double portion on Erev Shabbos.
Let us take a closer look at what happened so we can understand what exactly we are commemorating. There are a number of points that need to be clarified:
- What exactly happened every Friday in the desert?
- How did they use the double portion?
- What exactly are we commemorating?
The Da’as Zekeinim offers two basic ways of explaining what we are commemorating when we take lechem mishneh.
RECEIVING A DOUBLE PACKAGE
His first explanation is that on a regular day, an omer fell, sufficient to make two breads, one for the morning meal and one for the evening meal. Since there was no mann falling on Shabbos, a double portion was provided on Erev Shabbos, which was enough to make four breads: one for Friday morning, one for Friday night, one for Shabbos day, and the last for Shalashudos, enough to keep them going through the whole Shabbos.
According to this understanding, no extra food was received; they just got a double package on Friday, enough to last for the two days of Friday and Shabbos. According to this explanation, we are commemorating the fact that they received extra challos to last them until Shalashudos. Since by the time they got to Shalashudos, there was only one challah left, it is unnecessary to have lechem mishneh at Shalashudos.
But Rashi in Parshas Bereishis quotes the Midrash that Hashem blessed the Shabbos by giving a double portion of mann before Shabbos, and according to this understanding, nothing extra was given, so what was the special bracha? Perhaps the special blessing was that the mann didn’t spoil when kept overnight going from Friday into Shabbos.
DOUBLE PORTIONS
The Da’as Zekeinim then offers another way of understanding what went on in the desert and what we are trying to commemorate. He suggests that the output was actually doubled as well. Not only did they receive what they needed for Friday and Shabbos, but the amount produced was doubled.
On a regular day, the two portions of omer were enough to make two challos, and on Erev Shabbos, there was a special bracha in the mann, and they were able to produce double the amount for Shabbos. The reason for this bracha was because a person has a neshama yeseira and consumes more, so it produced double, and at each one of the Shabbos meals, they were able to consume two challos. According to this understanding, they still had two challos at Shalashudos, and that is why we need to have lechem mishneh at the third meal as well. We also now have a much more clear and simple explanation for the blessing that Shabbos gives to the mann, as they actually received more food than on a regular day.
Thus, we have two ways of understanding the extent of the blessing of the double portion that came down on Friday: either there was more food than usual, or that the two-day supply was delivered before Shabbos. The nafkah minah, halachic difference between the two understandings, would be in regard to the requirement of having lechem mishneh at Shalashudos. According to the first understanding, there would be no reason to have lechem mishneh at Shalashudos, and according to the second understanding, we are required to have lechem mishneh at the third meal.
HALACHICALLY SPEAKING
Shulchan Aruch (291:4) rules that one must have lechem mishneh at Shalashudos. The Rama notes that others maintain that it is not a requirement, but we should try to have lechem mishneh at Shalashudos. This question, whether one is required to have lechem mishneh at the third meal, is seemingly based on the two explanations of the Da’as Zekeinim.
The Mechaber is following the second understanding and requires lechem mishneh at Shalashudos, whereas the Rama follows the first understanding and does not require lechem mishneh at Shalashudos, but adds that it is preferable to fulfill the other opinion and have lechem mishneh at Shalashudos.
IN SUMMARY
There are two reasons for lechem mishneh:
- To remember the double delivery
- To remember the doubling of the challos for each meal
A possible difference between the reasons will be if there is a requirement of lechem mishneh at Shalashudos.
RABBI NACHUM SCHEINER
