When we learn about the mann, we are overwhelmed by the miraculous bread that fell from heaven for our forefathers. Yet, we see that the mann was not only a tremendous gift, but also a nisayon. It was difficult for the yidden to receive their sustenance through the mann for a number of reasons, and in this week’s parsha we find that some of them complained.
Hashem was upset that the yidden were disgusted with His heavenly gift, and they were punished in a most unique manner. Hashem sent snakes to bite them and many died. Why did Hashem punish them with snakes? What’s the connection between their sin of complaining and snakes?
The yidden then realized their error and begged Moshe Rabeinu to daven on their behalf to remove the snakes. Hashem instructed Moshe Rabeinu to set up a pole with a copper snake on it. Whoever was bitten by a snake should look up at the copper snake and he will be cured. What is the message here?
The gemora says in Yoma 76 that the talmidim of Rav Shimon Bar Yochai asked him, why didn’t the mann just fall once a year and last for an entire year? Rav Shimon Bar Yochai answered them with a mashal to a king who had an only son. Once a year, the king would give the prince all the money he needed for the year. While the prince was taken care of financially, the king realized that he wasn’t seeing his son all year! He longed for a daily connection to his only child, and so the king changed his method of support. He started giving his son only enough money for one day. Lo and behold, the prince visited his father each and every day! They spoke, spent time together, and had a beautiful, loving relationship. This was what the king wanted – a daily connection with his son. So too, Hashem wishes to have a daily connection with us, His precious only child. If He would give us sustenance once a year to last all year, He wouldn’t hear from us all year! And so, Hashem made the mann fall daily, ensuring that klal Yisroel would turn to Hashem on a daily basis.
Hashem cursed the snake when it caused Adam and Chava to sin that it would eat dust its whole life. Rav Simcha Bunim M’Peshischa asks: what is the curse? It seems that the snake is being blessed that it will always have what to eat and never have to worry about his sustenance! He answers that the biggest curse is when a father gives his son a lifetime of support and says, “Take this and get away; I never want to see you again”. How much greater is the curse when Hashem says this! And that is precisely what Hashem was telling the snake with this curse – I never want to hear from you again. Contrast that with the mann – and we see what a tremendous gift it was to have the mann fall on a daily basis.
However, people like to feel independent. They like to think that they don’t have to come onto anyone, and that’s why they didn’t like the mann and they complained about it. Hashem punished them with snakes because they were acting like the original nachash! They didn’t appreciate this daily connection and dependency on Hashem, so if they took the attitude of the snake, they were punished by snakes.
The cure was to look up at the copper snake on the pole that Moshe Rabeinu erected. How did that work? The idea was to look up at Hakadosh Baruch Hu, realize that all we have is from Him and that we are completely dependent on Him. Once we come to that realization, we are cured from the illness of the snake.
Rav Hutner zt’’l points out that the Hebrew word for “admitting” and the Hebrew word for “giving thanks” are the same - hodaah. Rav Hutner explains that the reason these two words are identical in Hebrew is because a person’s ability to give thanks is based on his ability to admit that he is incomplete. When a person gives thanks to someone, he is admitting that he needed that person’s favors and kindness. A person who has difficulty admitting that he can’t succeed on his own has difficulty saying, “thank you.” On the other hand, someone who is deeply aware of how others help him is naturally appreciative, and therefore feels more gratitude towards others and towards Hashem, the greatest Giver of all.
The eighteenth bracha in shemone esray is modim. Eighteen is gematria chai – life. The purpose of life is to recognize Hashem’s kindness and to feel and express gratitude. The average person takes eighteen breaths a minute, which is a symbol of life and gratitude. “Al kol neshima unishima tehalel kah” – on every breath of life we should thank and praise Hashem.
When we say modim, we stress “modim anachnu lach” – we thank YOU. Rav Avigdor Miller points out that the word lach means that we acknowledge that Hashem is the only source of all we have. The gemora says in Bava Kama 16 that if a person does not bow at modim during his lifetime, after seven years in the grave his spine turns into a snake. Says the Maharsha, the original nachash was ungrateful, and that’s why an ungrateful person is punished with a snake.
Let’s take a lesson to become grateful people, people who yearn for and appreciate a daily connection with our Creator. The privilege of speaking to Hashem on a daily basis and constantly asking him for our needs is indeed a tremendous privilege. Let us utilize these opportunities to draw closer to our Father in Heaven Who so yearns for a closer connection to all of us.
