2021/5781
In this week's Parashah, the Torah records the episode of the Man. However, the Torah presents a shocking Pasuk immediately before Parashat HaMan that sends the Mepharashim looking for answers. The Pasuk says, "VaYomeru Aleihem Bnei Yisrael Mi Yitein Muteinu BeYad Hashem Be’Eretz Mitzrayim BeShivteinu Al Sir HaBasar BeOchleinu Lechem LaSova Ki Hotzeitem Otanu El HaMidbar HaZeh LeHamit Et Kol Kehal HaZeh BaRa’av,” “The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt when we sat by the fleshpots when we ate our fill of bread! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to starve this whole congregation to death’” (Shemot 16:3). There are many questions we may pose on this behavior, but the obvious one is how the Jews could complain. Hashem had just taken them out of slavery, miraculously saved from death by the Sea, and now we arere finally free. And the first thing they do is complain!?
Rashi (ad loc) explains the Pasuk like the Peshat, saying that the people are saying if only we would have died it would have been better than leaving Egypt. Rabbeinu Chananel and Rabbeinu Bachya both say this complaint alludes to the people who died during the three days of darkness, and the people are saying it would have been better if we were killed like them. The Rashbam and Chizkuni agree the most important words of the Pasuk are “BeYad Hashem”, that the people would die at the hands of Hashem. They explain the people would have instead passed away by the hands of Hashem, and from natural causes, not by hunger. These answers thoroughly explain the Pasuk and provide clarity to what the people may have been thinking, as being slaves for nearly one hundred years, the people may have still experienced a bit of “Stockholm syndrome”. People become reliant on their captors for food, and suddenly, these Jews are on their own for the first time, and find it very scary.
However, the Ohr HaChaim brings a fascinating new approach to this Pasuk. He explains the main focus of this Pasuk is the words regarding the fleshpot, "BeShivteinu Al Sir HaBasar". He expounds that the people who were complaining were the people who were not slaves, but the leaders who were not slaves. The slaves never had anything substantial to eat, and therefore, they did not complain. However, the supervisors were better off, and thus they are the one who were complaining.
We learn from this Pasuk that there is no single way to read a pasuk, or one correct commentary, as we see the many different commentaries focus on many different keywords for their explanations. It is essential to understand there is no exclusive way to learn or interpret Torah, but many different ways as long as we are careful to be rooted in Halacha.
Additionally, we can learn from the Ohr HaChaim to always appreciate what we have. The slaves did not complain because they had seen how bad it was to be slaves, and therefore were appreciative of any freedom. Whereas the people who were not slaves could not appreciate those same freedoms and instead looked to complain of what they did not have. We have to learn to have Hakarat HaTov for everything in life because nothing is definite. Just as if someone had said a year ago you would not have been able to go to your friend's house or go to shul without a mask, you would have said he's crazy, but now we can barely imagine life before.
I recently heard a Shiur where the Rabbi explained we die many deaths and start over. We have different stages of life with varying levels of maturity. In the last ten months, everyone has experienced this type of death and rebirth. Frequently, what allows us to keep going is that Hakarat HaTov that Hashem chose to bring us into the world, and we are here for a reason, and there is a reason for this pandemic. Hopefully, we can increase our Hakarat HaTov in all situations and become happier and more fulfilled people.