Parasha Beha’aloscha contains a passage about the mannah, or mun. I would like to share something I read from Rav Shimon Schwab’s writings.
Before Rav Schwab left Europe he went spent Shabbos with the Chofetz Chaim for Shabbos. Shabbos night a group of students came over to the home of the Chofetz Chaim and he said:
We know the mun had the ability to take on whatever taste we wanted it to. What happened when the person eating the mun didn’t think about what he wanted it to taste like?
The Chofetz Chaim answered his own question: Then it simply has no taste.
This gets me every time. It’s one of my favorite d’vrei Torah. If I don’t think about my Avodas Hashem, then it has no taste. If I don’t appreciate the people my family, it’s like they don’t exist. How often does my learning or mitzvah performance seem like tasteless mon?
I struggle to approach each day as a new one.I never want to be too comfortable with my Yiddishkeit.
Torah Judaism require that we think about what we do. We owe it to our creator.
My tefillah is that I hope I keep on tasting.
great dvar Torah! Unfortunately we get stuck in our routines and much of what we (I) do has no or little taste..
Thanks, Rafi. I read Rav Schwab’s words 12 years ago and they’ve always stuck with me. It’s nice to share this dvar Torah someplace other than my Shabbos table.
i dont claim to know too much in learning because ive been out of school for ages already, (and im just a girl) but i think i remember learning that if you thought of nothing it tasted like bread soaked in honey…but i have no sources so im probably wrong… whatever the case is, youre lesson is still so powerful,
thank you!
I’ve also heard that, but I’m not one to go head to head with the Chofetz Chaim. Thanks for checking out the post and commenting.
I think the passuk says ” V’Taamo K”tzapichit B’Dvash” that it said like [something] dipped in honey..
Rabbi Rafi G-you’re the best.
ForWomenByWomen- What’s up with your blog? I’d leave a comment, but that’s not an option. I say Jewish before Human is the way to go.
Please email me… How did you come across MODERN UBERDOX anyhow?
First time here nice blog. I like your thoughts on the parsha. I like the taste bit.
SW-FM: Thanks for reading and commenting.
Sure anytime, thanks for the interesting read. I will be back!
Fascinating thought. Thanks for sharing.
Tofu also seems to have no inherent taste. So it’s not surprising that we see “…asher tofu…” in Beshalach in connection with mun.
[I once heard or read this somewhere]
So think of the mun when you eat that pareve “cheese” or “ice cream” or “burger”.