B"H
Friday, Shevat 9, 5785 / February 7, 2025
One of the great miracles which G-d performed for the Jewish people after the Exodus, is in this week's Parsha, B'Shalach. The miracle of the manna - "bread from heaven" - which G-d provided for the people each day throughout their forty years in the desert.
When their food supply which they took out of Egypt was depleted, they complained to Moshe and Aaron, “Why did you take us out of Egypt only to die in the desert.” G-d told Moshe to tell the people that He will supply them from now on with bread from heaven, which they called manna.
Each day they received one portion of manna per person. On Friday they would receive a double portion of manna - for Friday and for Shabbat. Because the manna was testimonial to the holiness of Shabbat, some of the Shabbat customs are associated with the miracle of the manna.
* We use two Challot (Shabbat breads), to recite the blessing for the Shabbat meals. This symbolizes the double portion of manna which G-d sent each Friday in honor of Shabbat.
* The Shabbat Challot are covered like the manna which was covered with a layer of dew.
* It is customary to prepare a stew (some call it Cholent) which is placed on the stove before Shabbat in order to stay hot and delicious for the Shabbat afternoon meal. This is to remember the manna which came down Friday morning, yet, in remained fresh, warm and delicious throughout the Shabbat.
Shabbat, the 10th of Shevat, is the Yartzeit of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, of blessed memory, sixth Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. He passed away 75 years ago in New York. His entire life was dedicated to spreading Torah under the harshest conditions in the former Soviet Union and later in Poland and America. He was imprisoned for that in Russia and was sentenced to death. Miraculously, his sentence was changed to being exiled from Russia. He moved to Poland where he later had to flee the Nazis. In 1940 he came to the U.S. and he passed away in 1950.
He told the following episode about his grandmother: "When my grandmother was 18 years old she became very sick. The doctors ordered her that due to her health condition she must eat each morning as soon as she wakes up. My grandmother did not want to eat before reciting her morning prayers, so she decided to rise very early, recite her prayers, and eat after. The lack of sleep which she missed as a result of this arrangement didn't help her health situation.
"When her father-in-law, my great grandfather, found out about this, he said to her: "A Jew must be healthy and strong. Concerning the observance of the mitzvot, the Torah uses the expression: 'Live in them' which means, one should bring life and vitality into the performance of mitzvot. In order to perform mitzvot with vitality, one must be healthy, strong and joyful." He instructed her to listen to the doctors and eat first and pray afterwards. Then he said to her: "It is preferable to eat for the sake of praying rather than pray for the sake of eating!"
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montreal candle lighting time: 4:52 / Shabbat ends: 5:58
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW