Chasidut for Genesis 2:2
וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃
And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.
Kedushat Levi
Having understood this concept, we will also understand why the manna was not allowed to descend to earth on the Sabbath, whereas G’d did not interrupt the growth of crops that originated from the earth during the Sabbath. Our author refers us to the commentary of Rabbi Moshe Alshich commenting on Exodus 20,11 כי ששת ימים עשה ה' את השמים ואת הארץ, “for during six days G’d made the heaven and the earth, etc,” that this refers to the אור הישר used by G’d. The seventh day that followed is to be viewed as the response by the creatures to having received such abundant blessings during the preceding six days. In other words, the day is used to show G’d our positive response to His generosity, the response being called the אור החוזר the “reflected light.” The words ויכל אלוקים ביום השביעי (Genesis 2,1) are understood by the Midrash as the creatures emulating G’d on the Sabbath in rejoicing and abstaining from “creative” activities, thus “sending back to their Creator the message (reflected light)” that they appreciate the “direct light” they had been the beneficiaries of during the preceding six days.
We must also consider that the manna having originated in the heavenly spheres, was originally not something tangible, although upon entering the atmosphere, it had to become garbed in a manner compatible with other earthly phenomena. Having it descend on the Sabbath would have negated the concept of the creation which commences with something intangible and converts it into something tangible, but retaining elements of: “direct light.” Earth grown crops never originated in celestial domains in the first place, so that there was no reason to interrupt their growth. On the contrary, according to the Kabbalists, eating and drinking by human beings is not an end itself, but the food is meant to help us to devote more time and effort to spiritual pursuits, i.e. to come closer to the completely disembodied essence of the Creator. On the Sabbath when we are free from the burden of having to secure our livelihood, we return the largesse of G’d experienced during the six preceding days, by commencing a journey in the opposite direction coming closer to the regions from which the manna originated. To summarize: the Sabbath itself is symbolic of the אור החוזר, “reflected light.”
We must also consider that the manna having originated in the heavenly spheres, was originally not something tangible, although upon entering the atmosphere, it had to become garbed in a manner compatible with other earthly phenomena. Having it descend on the Sabbath would have negated the concept of the creation which commences with something intangible and converts it into something tangible, but retaining elements of: “direct light.” Earth grown crops never originated in celestial domains in the first place, so that there was no reason to interrupt their growth. On the contrary, according to the Kabbalists, eating and drinking by human beings is not an end itself, but the food is meant to help us to devote more time and effort to spiritual pursuits, i.e. to come closer to the completely disembodied essence of the Creator. On the Sabbath when we are free from the burden of having to secure our livelihood, we return the largesse of G’d experienced during the six preceding days, by commencing a journey in the opposite direction coming closer to the regions from which the manna originated. To summarize: the Sabbath itself is symbolic of the אור החוזר, “reflected light.”
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy