שמות, פרק ט״ז, פסוק כ״ו

The daily gathering of manna in the wilderness transitions from a temporary event into a permanent, weekly cycle that guides the Israelites throughout their journey [אבן עזרא, שפתי כהן, שטיינזלץ]. The instructions follow the classic structure of Sabbath commandments found elsewhere, establishing a lasting rhythm of work and rest [קאסוטו].

The directive to gather food for six days is not merely a description of their routine, but a call for mindful action. Since the Israelites were already introduced to the concept of the Sabbath, collecting food during the workweek requires conscious preparation on Friday for the upcoming day of rest [העמק דבר]. Alternatively, this instruction serves as a strict warning against going out to collect food on the seventh day. Under this view, God's anger toward those who later attempted to gather manna stemmed from their violation of this explicit boundary [אור החיים].

The absence of food on the seventh day reveals the very essence of the Sabbath. The manna was a new divine creation each day, while the core of the Sabbath is a pause from creation. Therefore, the fact that no food falls on this day proves it is a direct gift from God and cements the Sabbath as a holy, divine institution [רש ר הירש]. On a deeper spiritual level, the Sabbath serves as the source of blessing for the entire week. Instead of falling physically to the earth, the divine influence is gathered and stored in heaven on the seventh day, ready to sustain the six working days that follow [מלבי״ם, רקנאטי].

When the people failed to observe this rest, Moses was included in God's rebuke, as part of his leadership responsibility was to teach them these laws thoroughly beforehand [גור אריה]. Furthermore, the clear boundaries of this weekly cycle refute those who lacked faith and mistakenly believed the Sabbath only begins in the morning. The established pattern proves that the day of rest is a continuous period extending from evening to evening [חזקוני].

The simple reality is that no manna would appear on the day of rest [רשב״ם, אבן עזרא הקצר, ביאור יש״ר]. However, since the people were already told they would not find any, repeating this fact serves a broader purpose. The primary approach among commentators is that this repetition expands the rule to include other holy days. The cessation of the manna depends on the spiritual essence of resting rather than just the seventh day of the week. Thus, no food would fall on the Festivals, nor would it appear on the Day of Atonement [גור אריה, פרדס יוסף]. Although eating is forbidden on the Day of Atonement, the daily portion would otherwise still be needed for the children who do not fast, or to provide for the meal after the fast concludes [דברי דוד, ברכת אשר על התורה].