“So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.”

When you read the account in Exodus 16:19-20 you see Moses getting angry but not G-D yet in Exodus 16: you see G-D getting angry but not Moses Why? Moses tells the Children of Israel take only enough Manna for the one day, no more no less, yet some took more just in case the manna was not there the next day… and Moses got angry, but not G-D.

Moses told the Children of Israel “take a double portion on Friday, enough for Friday and Shabbat”; still some came out on Shabbat to gather more Manna, this time G-D got angry. Was Ha’shem mad because some of the Children of Israel desecrated Shabbat by going out to gather? That might be the obvious but is there possibly more?

Was it that they went out or is it that they went out to gather? Both prohibited. Could it be they wanted more than what G-D gave them? Is there a difference between taking to much and going out and looking for more?

G-D understands our frailties. That first morning the Manna came down from heaven I am sure many were not sure if it would be there tomorrow, after all it disappeared by noon. Even though Moses told them G-D would provide it for them daily, some still took a little extra. Years of living in slavery and never having enough to eat, needing to provide for our families may cause you or me to take a little more just in case too.

Nana, a dear friend of mine, always tries to feed me when I go to visit her. As she sets plate after plate she says ‘Eat you don’t know what tomorrow will bring” My response to her today is “yea if I keep on eating tomorrow I will weigh five more pounds”. People who grew up during the great depression seem to have saved everything, just in case.

All that to say, on that first day the Children of Israel received their food from heaven, you can see and I believe G-D understood their concern about it being there tomorrow, after all something like this had never happened before. Yet Moses got made because they did not believe his words. You have to remember Moses had a different relationship with G-D then the other Children of Israel; all of us have a different relationship with G-D

Let’s assume the Manna started falling from heaven on Tuesday. Everyday it was there and everyday for those who took to much the left over stank and was full of worms. How many days would it take you or me to believe the word of G-D concerning this issue?

Friday rolls along and we are told to take enough for today as well as tomorrow because the bakery in heaven is closed on Shabbat! We take our double portion wondering if we are going to wake up to that stench we smelled and the maggots we woke up to on Wednesday.

We woke up to no stench, no maggots and a bowl full of sweet tasting, fresh bread from the hand of our G-D, just like He said. Everything is going all right until some went out to gather even more on Shabbat, maybe to get a head start on next week; after all Shabbats Manna did not spoil… now that got G-D angry.

Is it because we went out to gather more on Shabbat, breaking the commandment not to work or for that matter to even go out of your tent on Shabbat that G-D got angry or is it because they wanted more than the amount G-D had provided for them?

G-D you told me to take enough of only one day and I didn’t. Sure enough it stank and got maggots just like you said. I have learned over the past week to trust you. Shabbat comes along and just like you said I took a two day supply and it stayed fresh, just like you said. But I want MORE I am not satisfied with what you have given me. It’s when we want more we run into problems; when we are not satisfied with what G-D has provide for us; when we are willing to go against what G-D has said to get ahead.

What Ha’Shem could not accept was; “If I give you double on Friday what are you going to look for on Shabbat? If I gave you enough why are you looking for more? How much more do you need? “I understand if you don’t have enough, but you had enough why are you going out looking for more? Is it possible that’s why G-D got angry.

When John D. Rockefeller was asked “How much money is enough?” He answered “Just a little bit more” Are we satisfied with what G-D has given us, are we thankful for what He has provided for us or are we prepared to go against His word and go out to gather Just a little bit more?