What are the connotations of, "Yatze'u Min ha'Am ... "?
Rashi (to Sanhedrin 11a): It means some of the people went to collect Manna.
Seforno: It means that some people - who did not believe what Moshe told them (that they would not find Manna that day) - went far from the camp to search for Manna.
Targum Yonasan: Some Resha'im went from the camp to collect Manna.
Rashi (to 15:25) wrote that at Marah, Hashem gave us three Parshiyos of the Torah to learn and observe - among which was the Shabbos. The Gemara (Shabbos 118b) observes that if only Bnei Yisrael had observed the first Shabbos, no nation could have ruled over us - as we find that our attempt to gather Manna on Shabbos, was followed by Amalek's attack (17:8). But this seems difficult chronologically. We reached Marah at the end of Nisan, three days after leaving the Yam Suf. The first Shabbos after the Manna fell, was already 22 Iyar (see above, 16:1:1.1:1**) - such that it surely was not "the first Shabbos"!
Gur Aryeh (to 15:25): When they were commanded about Shabbos at Marah, it was as a Mitzvas Aseh. Now, in connection with the Manna, it became a Lo Sa'aseh as well (i.e, do not go out to gather). Furthermore, it was only now in the context of the Manna that Shabbos was written explicitly; whereas at Marah it was told to us Ba'al Peh. Therefore, this was considered "the first Shabbos."
The Gemara (Shabbos 118b) states that if only Bnei Yisrael had observed the first Shabbos, no nation could have ruled over us - as we find that our attempt to gather Manna on Shabbos was followed by Amalek's attack (17:8). What is the connection between the two events?
Maharal (Chidushei Agados Vol. 1, p. 56, to Shabbos 118b): Shabbos is Yisrael's connection to Hashem; and in fact, a non-Jew who observes Shabbos is Chayav Misah (for trespassing upon that connection - see Sanhedrin 58b). Shabbos constitutes a higher level of attachment to Hashem than do other Mitzvos, seeing as it stems from Hashem's very Creation of the world. Had Yisrael observed the first Shabbos, they would have merited that their attachment to Hashem would be inherent in their being - a connection eternal and unchanging - such that no other nation could challenge it. 1
And that first Shabbos was the initial, primary connection that would define its nature for the future as well. Perhaps we can explain, that the intrinsic sanctity of Shabbos is inherent in Creation, independent of any action on the part of Yisrael, an inherent sanctity that does not change. But because of their desecration of the first Shabbos, Bnei Yisrael did not merit that inherent sanctity, but rather only some aspect thereof - to a degree that would be dependent upon their own actions. (EK) The Gemara (loc. cit.) continues by stating that if Yisrael would observe two Shabbosos, they would immediately be redeemed. Maharal explains that Shabbos is the portion of Yisrael, to the exclusion of all other nations. Just as the Shabbos is exalted over the weekdays, by observing it, Yisrael is raised above the nations. Because in exile we are subjugated under the nations, we must observe two Shabbosos in order to rise above them - thus rectifying ourselves both in Chomer and Tzurah - and thus we will be redeemed.
The Gemara (Arachin 15a) counts this attempt to gather Manna on Shabbos, as one of the ten Nisyonos that our forefathers tested Hashem in the wilderness (see Avos 5:4). What is their sequence; and why are they called "tests," rather than "sins"?
Refer to 16:3:2:1.
