01 Aug PARSHAS EIKEV: MANNA FROM HEAVEN

The One Who feeds you
manna in the desert…in
order to test you. (Devarim
8:16)
Everyone knows that life is
a test. We struggle to make
a living, to raise our
children, to build up our
communities. Nothing
comes easy, and our test is to deal with the
hardships and frustrations in the best way
possible.
But what if our livelihood were served up to us on
a silver platter? How wonderful that would be! No
more worries about how to pay for the children’s
tuition or the new roof. What if everything we
needed came to us like manna from heaven?
Would we consider this a test? Hardly. We would
consider it a blessing. The Torah, however, seems
to say otherwise.
No sooner had the Jewish people come forth from
Egypt that they complained (Shemos 16:3), “If
only we had died by the hand of G-d in the land of
Egypt when we were sitting beside the fleshpots,
when we ate our fill of bread; now you have
brought us out into the desert to let the entire
congregation starve to death.”
“Behold, I will rain down bread from the heavens
on you,” Hashem replied (ibid. 16:4). “The people
shall go out to collect their daily portion every
day, in order to test whether or not they will
follow My Torah.”
The commentators wonder what kind of test this
is. What could be better than having everything
you need delivered to your doorstep every day?
This is a test? This is a blessing!
Rashi explains that Hashem was referring to the
laws that govern the manna. One could not store
away any manna for the next day. One had to
collect a double portion on Friday. And so forth.
This was the test. Would the Jewish people
observe the laws of the manna scrupulously?
This test is also mentioned in Parashas Eikev, “The
One Who feeds you manna in the desert…in
order to test you.” Sforno explains that the test is
to see if the Jews would still follow the Torah
when they do not have to worry about their
livelihood.
Yes, there is a great test in “bread raining down
from heaven.” Affluence without effort is a
dangerous thing. It comes with a great amount of
leisure time and freedom of action. What do we
do with that leisure time and that freedom of
action? Do we use our leisure time and freedom of
action to taste the forbidden? This is the great test
of the manna.
We are all aware of the test of poverty. We are all
aware of the trials and tribulations of being poor.
However, says Sforno, affluence also comes with
great temptations. It puts a tremendous
responsibility on a person. This is the test of the
manna, and it is the test for many Jews in these
affluent times.
The Chovos Halevavos writes in Shaar Habitachon
that one of the reasons people, unlike birds and
animals, must make a great effort to earn their
livelihood is to control the yetzer hara. If we had

too much time on our hands, we would be unable
to resist the temptations he puts before us. As it is,
we are either too busy or too tired most of the
time. And even then it is a struggle to resist
temptation.
The Maggid of Mezritch once said that when
people face troubles, sickness or mortal danger,

Heaven forbid, they all become religious. They all
come to shul. They pray fervently. They say
Tehillim with tears streaming down their cheeks.
They give charity generously. But when things are
going well, when they are going wonderfully, do
they give much thought to the Almighty? This is
the test of the manna.