שמות, פרק ט״ז, פסוק ל׳

After a period of struggle and challenge surrounding the daily gathering of the Manna, a profound turning point occurs in the behavior of the Israelites. The nation finally internalizes the commandment of the Sabbath, accepting it fully and resting from their labor just as God rested during the creation of the world [קאסוטו]. This acceptance stands in sharp contrast to their earlier behavior, where they stubbornly refused to follow His instructions, marking a true correction of their past failures [ברכת אשר על התורה]. The commitment to rest was not limited to a select few; it reached the masses and the everyday people. The vast majority of the Israelites now listened to Moses and embraced the day of rest [מלבי״ם], [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators is that this rest was not a one-time event isolated to a single Sabbath, but rather a permanent acceptance for all future generations. From that point forward, the Israelites ceased going out to gather Manna on the seventh day. In fact, from that day on, no one violated the Sabbath in the desert, with the sole exception of the rare incident involving the man who gathered wood [אבן עזרא הקצר].

The motivation behind this widespread embrace of the Sabbath was rooted in profound spiritual and historical promises granted in the merit of their observance. According to one perspective, the Israelites were promised the three pilgrimage festivals in the months of Nissan, Sivan, and Tishrei, which would provide them with protection and peace from any fears associated with the astrological signs of those specific months. Another approach adds that through the merit of the Sabbath, the nation was promised six extraordinary gifts: the Land of Israel, the World to Come, a renewed world, the kingdom of the House of David, the priesthood, and the Levite service. A third view suggests that keeping the Sabbath serves as a spiritual remedy, protecting the people from future calamities such as the suffering preceding the Messiah, the apocalyptic war of Gog and Magog, and the great Day of Judgment. Upon hearing these promises, the people accepted the Sabbath with immense joy. They did so not merely to receive a reward, but out of a deep desire to earn His divine protection and peace [שפתי כהן].