Reply To: Short & Sweet

Bishalach: Seeing Double

We know that the reason we have לחם משנה on Shabbos is to remember that a double portion of Mun fell on Friday in preparation for Shabbos. The Medrash cites many other examples of doubling having to do with Shabbos, from זכור ושמור to the Shabbos Korban of two sheep.

What does it say about Shabbos that everything about is doubled?

R’ Lopiansky explains that this goes to the heart of what it means when we say that Shabbos is מעין עולם הבא. In עולם הבא, the reward that we get is not like a salary, which is entirely independent of the work that we did. Rather, the pleasure we receive is built upon the satisfaction of our accomplishments in this world. In the next world, we are able to truly appreciate all that we have already done.

That is why Shabbos is marked by the double portion that fell on Friday. On Shabbos, we are able to appreciate the ruchniyus in all the work that we have done during the six days of the week.

לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום