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Why did the Israelites complain about the manna, calling it "lechem hakelokeil" and objecting that it produced no bodily waste? The shiur connects this to Baal Peor worship, which elevated waste production as a mark of bodily independence from divine connection. The manna represented physical perfection through spiritual dependence on Hashem (ה׳), but the people wanted to view the physical world as self-contained rather than requiring divine connection.
This shiur analyzes the puzzling complaint of the Israelites in Parshas Chukas against the manna, which they called "lechem hakelokeil." Rabbi Yeshaya Greenberg ZT"L examines the various interpretations of this term - whether it means "light" (kal) or "corrupting" (kilkul) - and addresses fundamental questions about why they would complain about perfect food that produced no waste. The shiur explores several commentaries including Rashi (רש"י), Mizrachi, and the Be'er Basadeh. Rashi explains that the manna was completely absorbed in the body without producing waste, leading to their complaint that it would "blow up" inside them. The Be'er Basadeh resolves the chronological difficulty (why didn't this happen in 38 years?) by suggesting they couldn't digest other foods due to the manna's effects.
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Parshas Chukas 21:5
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