Behaalosicha

This Parsha speaks about the travels and campings of Bnei Yisrael in the Midbar and it also mentions the mahn. I’d like to point out a common denominator between them.

The Gemara in Shabbos writes that for a person to be chayav for doing the melacha of soser (destroying in order to rebuild) on Shabbos, the rebuilding must be done in the same place as the destroying (according to R’ Yose). The source for this is the Mishkan. The Gemara wonders, the Mishkan was dismantled in order to be rebuilt in a different place, so how is it the source for this halacha? Ulah answers that since the passuk states, “על פי ה’ יחנו על פי ה’ יסעו” it is considered as if it was done in the same place. What is the understanding of this?

Rav Chaim Shmulevitz explains that the place of Bnei Yisrael in the Midbar was “al pi Hashem.” This place was never changed, for wherever they went they were always near Hashem. It is comparable to a child in its mother’s arms; wherever the mother goes, that is where the child is – always in the mother’s arms! So too, Bnei Yisrael’s place was always with Hashem. Therefore, when they took down the Mishkan it was in order to rebuild it in the same place – “al pi Hashem,” by Hashem!

We find the same idea hinted at in another place in this Parsha, by the mahn. The passuk states that Bnei Yisrael (caused by the Eirev Rav) complained about not having gourds, melon, leeks, onions, and garlic. This was because the mahn did not taste like those foods. Chazal teach that the mahn tasted like any food that one wanted, if so, why didn’t the mahn taste like those foods as well?

Rashi brings in the name of Rebbi Shimon that since a nursing lady shouldn’t eat these foods because it is bad for her child, therefore the mahn didn’t taste like those foods. Rabbi Yosef Shwartz asked, what is the connection between the taste of mahn to a mother who nurses her child? He explained that Bnei Yisrael in the Midbar were like a child is to its mother. Just as a mother doesn’t give her child unhealthy food through her milk, so too Hashem gave His children only healthy tasting food through the mahn. For the closeness of Hashem to Bnei Yisrael in the Midbar was as a mother to her child, with special closeness, care, and protection!

May Hashem return His special closeness and protection bimheira v’yameinu amen!