Manna proves that God loves us TB Yoma 76

I have the best, the cutest, and the smartest grandchildren in the entire universe. Just ask me and I shall affirm these truths as an unbiased source. Since becoming a grandfather I’ve held the position that my children may live whatever they want; however, there should be a law that grandchildren may not live more than three blocks away from the grandparents! I’m pretty lucky that three out of my five grandchildren live in the greater New York area, but I don’t get to see them as often as I would like. When I do, my day is made.

I now understand better how God feels about the Jewish people. TB Yoma 76 continues discussing the deeper meaning of the manna.

“Furthermore, with regard to the manna: The students of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai asked him: Why didn’t the manna fall for the Jewish people just once a year to take care of all their needs, instead of coming down every day? He said to them: I will give you a parable: To what does this matter compare? To a king of flesh and blood who has only one son. He granted him an allowance for food once a year and the son greeted his father only once a year, when it was time for him to receive his allowance. So he arose and granted him his food every day, and his son visited him every day.

So too, in the case of the Jewish people, someone who had four or five children would be worried and say: Perhaps the manna will not fall tomorrow and we will all die of starvation. Consequently, everyone directed their hearts to their Father in heaven every day. The manna that fell each day was sufficient only for that day, so that all of the Jewish people would pray to God for food for the next day.” (Sefaria.org translation) Prayer shouldn’t be looked upon as a burden.  Because God loves us, the Holy One just wants us to drop by three times a day, morning, afternoon, and evening, to visit Him and keep Him company.

Having to collect the manna every day was another expression of God’s love for us. “Alternatively, they received manna daily so that they would be able to eat it while it was hot and fresh. Alternatively, they received manna daily due to the hardship of carrying on the journey. They did not stay in the same place all those years, and it would have been difficult for them to carry the manna from one place to another. Therefore, the manna fell wherever they went.” (Sefaria.org translation)