The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.
The first vort R' Frand said tonight related to the Jews complaint about the Manna. [He quipped that the one thing that does not change is that the Jews complain about the food]. Initially they said in 11:4 וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מִ֥י יַֽאֲכִלֵ֖נוּ בָּשָֽׂר - we want meat. Next they said that in 11:5 - זָכַ֨רְנוּ֙ אֶת־הַדָּגָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נֹאכַ֥ל בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם חִנָּ֑ם אֵ֣ת הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗ים וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֲבַטִּחִ֔ים וְאֶת־הֶֽחָצִ֥יר וְאֶת־הַבְּצָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַשּׁוּמִֽים they remember the "good old days" in Egypt when they ate fish for free. Then they said in 11:7 - וְעַתָּ֛ה נַפְשֵׁ֥נוּ יְבֵשָׁ֖ה אֵ֣ין כֹּ֑ל בִּלְתִּ֖י אֶל־הַמָּ֥ן עֵינֵֽינוּ - we are dried out because there is nothing, except for the Manna to look at.
This is difficult to understand, given the famous statement of Chazal that the Manna tasted like whatever a person wanted to eat. If they wanted steak - it was steak. Chicken soup - it tasted like Chicken soup.
R' Frand then quoted Devarim 8:3 where Moshe told the Jews "וַיְעַנְּךָ֘ וַיַּרְעִבֶ֒ךָ֒ וַיַּֽאֲכִֽלְךָ֤ אֶת־הַמָּן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֔עְתָּ וְלֹ֥א יָֽדְע֖וּן אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ." R' Frand noted that the term וַיְעַנְּךָ֘ is odd, as how was feeding the Jews Manna an affliction? R' Frand referenced the Gemara in Yoma 74 which quotes a Machlokes between R' Ami and R' Assi about what the affliction was. One of them said that it was people did not know from day to day if they would have food the next day, people were uncomfortable that they had no reserve. The second opinion was that people were afflicted because they did not see what they were eating and its not the same pleasure if you don't see what you are eating. The Gemara says that its better to eat in the day time when you can see what you are eating.
R' Frand quoted the Sefer Arzei HaParsha which described a scientific experiment where people were given a steak and potatoes meal in poor lighting. The steak had been dyed blue and the potatoes were dyed green. They then turned the lights on and people did not want to continue eating.
R' Frand also referenced the Rashash on the words בִּלְתִּ֖י אֶל־הַמָּ֥ן עֵינֵֽינוּ - all we see is the Manna. Regardless of what it tastes like, if all our eyes see is the Manna, we are unhappy.
R' Frand said that the Ein Ya'akov in Yoma quotes a Chazal which states that the pasuk in Devarim 8:3 וַיְעַנְּךָ֘ וַיַּרְעִבֶ֒ךָ֒ is a hint to the Mitzva of Hadlakas Neiros on Shabbos. We light the candles for Shalom Bayis, because people need to be able to see what they are eating in order to enjoy it.
R' Frand said a second vort related to the people who complained about missing out on Pesach. They had stated in Bamidbar 9:7 - וַיֹּֽאמְר֠וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָהֵ֨מָּה֙ אֵלָ֔יו אֲנַ֥חְנוּ טְמֵאִ֖ים לְנֶ֣פֶשׁ אָדָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה נִגָּרַ֗ע. The Sifri says that these people were Tzadikim and Chareidim Al HaMitzvos. R' Frand said that this is the source for the term Charedi in Israel - that people tremble. These people were trembling and upset that they missed out on the Mitzva.
R' Frand observed that this is not the only time that we saw that people were upset in the Parsha as the first Rashi states that Aharon was upset that he did not have the opportunity to bring a Karban like the heads of the other tribes.
R' Frand told a story about a man who was ill and approached R' Yitzchak Zilberstein and told him that the doctor had told him that he could not fast on Yom Kippur. The man wanted instruction about how to eat halachically and R' Zilberstein went over the rules. The next day the man came back and said - I forgot what you told me. They reviewed it again in great detail, but the following day he returned again. The man was not mentally deficient, he was just so worried that he could not remember the rules as he was just too worried.
R' Frand quoted the Chidushei HaRim that when Aharon complained and Hashem told him that he would get the job of lighting the Menorah which was greater than the other Nesi'im. The Chidushei HaRim said - yours is greater, because your desire is greater than them. They were given the ability to bring sacrifices, but you wanted and desired it.
If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!
