In this week's parsha we read about the Manna which fell for the Jewish People during their 40 year journey in the desert. The constant miracle supplied the nation with their sustenance day in and day out as it fell from the heavens each morning. Our Sages explain that the Manna was referred to as being "oppressive" and one of the reasons they give for this is that the nation needed each and every day to receive their portion. They could not leave over and save manna for the next day and if they did it would rot. Each person would receive whatever was needed for that day for their sustenance no more and no less (except for Friday when they received a double portion). The reason this was oppressive is because each day they wouldn't know where tomorrow's next meal would come from they had no choice but to turn their hearts to prayer to Hashem to give them their sustenance. Why didn't Hashem just give them a week's supply or month's supply at once? Because if that would happen they would inevitably forget about Hashem and would believe it is in "their" hands not Hashem's. This served to strengthen the trust that the nation would have in Hashem and they were commanded to save a container of the manna for a constant reminder throughout the generations to this reality.

Although we no longer have the Manna and we no longer have any remembrance, we can certainly arouse our trust by reading the episode in this week's parsha. We need to constantly remember that although we must put in effort to earn a living, our effort is not the cause of our success. Our sustenance to this day is entirely dependent upon Hashem. Furthermore, no matter how much we try to put in "extra hours" and work harder we cannot earn more than what Hashem has decreed.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath