Parshas Ekev 5786 - Living By Bread Alone

The Torah tells us about the experience of the Jewish people during their forty years in the desert:

“He afflicted you and let you hunger, then He fed you the manna… in order to make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds from the mouth of Hashem does man live.” (Devarim 8:3)

Hashem allowed the Jewish people to experience hunger before providing them with the manna so that they would recognize that their sustenance ultimately comes from Him. The manna was provided each day and generally did not remain overnight, requiring the Jewish people to depend upon Hashem anew each morning for their daily food (Shemos 16:21).

This is puzzling. We are talking about a generation that witnessed the miracles of the Exodus, the splitting of the Red Sea, and the daily miracle of the manna itself. The desert was a hostile environment without the food and water necessary to sustain millions of men, women, and children. Throughout the forty years, their clothing never wore out and their feet did not swell (Devarim 8:4). Of course, they knew that they were completely dependent upon Hashem!

Why, then, did they need to experience hunger before receiving the manna? Why did Hashem need to teach them that “man does not live by bread alone”?

Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch explains that the Torah is teaching us something fundamental about human nature. Lechem - bread - represents more than food. It represents the product of human intelligence, creativity, and effort that enables us to master nature and provide for ourselves and our families.

There is nothing wrong with working hard. On the contrary, earning a livelihood is an important responsibility. The danger arises when the pursuit of “bread” becomes our sole focus in life.

Our work can easily become all-consuming. It occupies our thoughts and aspirations. No matter how many hours we work during the week, there is always the temptation to stay one more hour, finish one more project, close one more deal, or earn a little more money. Rav Hirsch describes this as an “unlimited, breathless chase after income.”

The problem is not work itself. The problem is when the pursuit of material success leaves little time or energy for the spiritual dimensions of life.

This was the lesson of the manna. Every morning, the Jewish people had to recognize that their sustenance did not come whatsoever from their own efforts. They could work, plan, and gather—but ultimately, their ability to live and prosper depended upon Hashem.

The Torah therefore reminds every generation, even a generation that witnessed the greatest miracles in history, that “man does not live by bread alone.” Material possessions are necessary, but they are not sufficient. A person can have plenty of bread and still lack the things that make life meaningful.

If we truly internalize this lesson, we can resist the temptation to make work and material success the center of our lives. This does not mean that we should neglect our work or our responsibilities. Rather, it means that we should put them in their proper place. We should work to earn our livelihood while recognizing that our ultimate security and success come from Hashem.

May we merit to find the proper balance between earning our “bread” and pursuing the spiritual nourishment that gives our lives their deepest meaning. As Pirkei Avos teaches (6:7):

“Great is Torah, for it confers life upon its practitioners, both in this world and in the World to Come.”