Lesson from a "coincidence"
Coincidence is the noteworthy alignment of two or more events or circumstances without obvious causal connection. Let's get rid of the last part of the definition and learn a lesson from the noteworthy alignment of two occasions that definitely do have a meaningful connection. TU BiShvat falls on Shabbat Shira about 30% of the time - statistically, that's often. In recent years, TU BiShvat was on Shabbat 3, 4, and 7 years ago. When it happens, as it does this year, one's pondering tends to go in the direction of Miracles and Nature, with Parshat B'Shalach presenting the miracle side of the thoughts and TU BiShvat focusing us on nature. Shabbat Shira and TU BiShvat present us with interesting - prepare for a play on words; please don't groan - food for thought.

G-d says to Moshe that He will provide the people with "bread from the heavens" which the people will gather on a daily basis, "that I may test them, whether they will walk in my Torah, or not". Rashi explains that G-d will see whether the people follow the rules related to the MN (manna) - will they leave over any and will they look for it on Shabbat (both of which they were told not to do).

In Parshat Eikev, Moshe tells the people that the whole Midbar experience was to see if the people would keep G-d's commandments or not, and in particular, that the experience of the MN would teach people that "man does not live by bread alone", but by the word of G-d.

Okay (actually, we should say OU), until now we've been talking about the Shabbat Shira side of issue. The miracle side of the topic. Let's bring things down to earth. To the TU BiShvat side of the day.

We do not receive LECHEM MIN HASHAMAYIM anymore. The MN had an almost 40 year run and ended when Bnei Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael. A sample of MN was kept as a reminder, but we no longer received MN and we no longer ate MN.

We eat LECHEM MIN HAARETZ. And many other things that come from the ground. And many other things from nature. (And, of course, food and drink that are made from natural - or otherwise - ingredients. Important side note: Even the most artificial food ingredients are made from things that G-d created as part of this natural world - so really it is all from nature.) We too have a challenge similar (and maybe more subtle) than those of the Midbar generation. Because we have many rules and regulations that go with the food we eat. Yes, we can plan on leftovers, but we've got kashrut laws and brachot to make, and many other things that demonstrate our keeping G-d in the picture and not viewing food as a simple necessity of life. We too must always see the Hand of G-d in the food we eat, and become more mindful of His omnipresence and our reliance on and commitment to Him. We too do not live by bread alone.

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