נותן לחם לכל בשר כי לעולם חסדו Each morning, we begin the prayer service with the Pesukeh De’zimra section, a selection of praises from Tehillim that we recite in order to put us in the proper frame of mind for prayer. On Shabbat, we recite additional chapters of Tehillim as part of the Pesukeh De’zimra service, beyond those which we recite on weekdays. One of the chapters, chapter 136, is referred to by our Sages as the הלל הגדול – “the great Hallel .” It goes through many different miracles that Hashem performed, and after each it says, כי לעולם חסדו – “for His kindness is everlasting.” Interestingly, there is also another occasion when we recite this chapter – on Pesach, at the seder . For some reason, our Sages saw fit to add this chapter to our Pesach seder as well as to our weekly Shabbat prayer service, and we need to understand why this is. We also need to understand why this chapter is called הלל הגדול . It is considerably shorter than the Hallel we recite on Rosh Hodesh and holidays. Why is it called the “great Hallel ”? This second question was asked already by the Gemara, in Maseches Pesahim (118a). Rabbi Yohanan, as the Gemara cites, explains that the reason for the name הלל הגדול is found in one of the final verses of the chapter, which says, נותן לחם לכל בשר כי לעולם חסדו – “He gives food to every creature, for His kindness is everlasting.” As Rabbi Yohanan observes, Hashem is the Supreme Being who governs the entre earth, and yet He personally cares for each and every creature in the world, from the largest beasts to the smallest insects. This is the greatest miracle of all – that each and every day, G-d provides the needs of all creatures on earth. As we say in blessing of Boreh Nefashot , Hashem created people and animals with needs, and He fulfills those needs on an ongoing basis, each and every day ( בורא נפשות רבות וחסרונן ). After listing the great miracles that Hashem performed, we exclaim, נותן לחם לבל בשר – that He sustains all living creatures, which is the greatest miracle of all. G-d sustains His creatures in the most wondrous ways. Some creatures have a natural instinct to provide other creatures’ needs and meet their own needs through what’s called a “symbiotic relationship,” whereby they cooperate with one another. For example, there’s a certain large fish that preys on smaller fish, but occasionally its food gets wedged in its teeth, which makes it impossible for it to eat again. Hashem arranged that another fish has the instinct to come and feed off that food caught in this large fish’s teeth, thereby sustaining itself while enabling the other creature to continue living. This is a beautiful example of the verse, נותן לחם לכל בשר כי לעולם חסדו . In Hashem’s infinite kindness, He sustains all of creation in the most extraordinary ways. The Gemara adds that the phrase כי לעולם חסדו appears 26 times in this chapter, corresponding to the 26 generations that lived from the time of creation until the Torah was given at Sinai. (There were ten generations from Adam until Noah, another ten until Avraham, and then six generations from Avraham to Moshe Rabbenu.) Throughout those 26 generations, the Gemara teaches, the world did not deserve to be sustained. As the Mishna famously states, אם אין תורה אין קמח – we cannot obtain our material needs without Torah. And so until the Torah was given, the world did not deserve sustenance. Nevertheless, G-d continued providing all creatures with their needs, because of His infinite kindness. (The Maharal adds that 26 is also the numerical value of the Divine Name of הוי"ה , which is the Name that signifies G-d’s graciously sustaining the world.) The Rabbis thus explain that the word גדול refers to kindness, because true greatness is bestowing kindness upon others. And so this chapter is called הלל הגדול , because it speaks of G-d’s infinite kindness in feeding all His creatures. The Mechilta infers from this chapter of Tehillim that the miracle of every piece of bread we eat is as miraculous as the Exodus and the splitting of the sea. In the same chapter that gives praise to Hashem for these miracles, we give praise also for נותן לחם , that people have bread to eat. We take this daily miracle for granted, but in truth, this is the greatest miracle. The Mechilta says, מה כוחה של פרוסה זו – a simple piece of bread is, in truth, an extraordinary miracle. When Yaakov Avinu blessed his grandsons, Menashe and Efrayim, he makes reference to the angel that rescued him from all his situations of danger – המלאך הגואל אותי מכל רע – and to Hashem who sustained him like a shepherd caring for his flocks – האלוקים הרועה אותי . The Mechilta points out that while it is an angel that saves us from harm, Hashem Himself sustains us and provides us with our material needs. It is specifically in the area of parnasah , our sustenance, that we feel a special connection to Hashem. The true חסד of Hashem is felt primarily through His graciously providing us with food each day: נותן לחם לכל בשר כי לעולם חסדו . With this in mind, we can understand the special relevance of this chapter of Tehillim to Shabbat. Shabbat is the day when we are reminded of this concept, of נותן לחם לכל בשר – that Hashem graciously feeds and sustains the world. Rav Moshe Wolfson tells a story he heard from a person who, like many Jews who lived in the United States in the earlier part of the 20 th century, faced a very difficult test with regard to Shabbat observance. It was common for Jewish workers to be told on Friday afternoon that they would be fired if they did not come to work on Saturday. Many Jews could not withstand the pressure and worked on Shabbat, while others heroically remained steadfast to Torah and continued observing Shabbat despite the financial hardship entailed. The man who told Rav Wolfson this story was one such hero. Every time he found a new job, he would be fired on Friday afternoon after informing the employer that he would not be coming to work on Shabbat. This went on for a long time, until the family’s savings were depleted, and the family literally could not afford food. That Friday morning, when this man got up, he felt he could not do this anymore. The deprivation was simply too much to bear. He decided that he would tell his boss that he would return to work on Saturday. But as he walked to work, he saw a perfectly clean, fresh loaf of bread sitting on a garbage can. He took it to bring to his family, as this was enough to sustain them for a day. He then thought to himself, “Just as Hashem can send me this loaf of bread, he can send me my livelihood every day.” And he did not work the next day, Shabbat. This story, Rav Wolfson said, brings new meaning to the words of the Mechilta : מה כוחה של פרוסה זו . A simple loaf of bread can have extraordinary power. On Pesach, we recite הלל הגדול because it speaks of the miracles of the Exodus. On Shabbat, we recite this chapter because it speaks of the great miracle of parnasah , of how Hashem provides our needs and the needs of all people and animals, in the most wondrous and remarkable ways. נותן לחם לכל בשר – this is the greatest miracle of all. The Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai) comments that the phrase לכל בשר indicates that Hashem provides food for all people, בין טובים בין רעים – both the righteous and the wicked. Even on the day Beneh Yisrael worshipped the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai , Hashem provided them with manna from the heavens. Hashem is kind and gracious to all people. Even when we do not deserve our sustenance, He continues to provide it, patiently awaiting our repentance. On Shabbat, we use two loaves of bread to commemorate the manna, to remind ourselves that Hashem always sustains us under all conditions and circumstances, כי לעולם חסדו – because His kindness is infinite and boundless. Hopefully, this insight into the הלל הגדול will enhance not only our Shabbat prayers, but our entire Shabbat experience. As we sit down to the Shabbat table, and we see the wide array of delicacies that we are able to enjoy, we should think to ourselves and discuss with our families, נותן לחם לכל בשר כי לעולם חסדו – Hashem’s kindness is infinite and everlasting, and He continues to mercifully and lovingly sustain us, day in and day out, week after week, month after month, throughout our lives. Reflecting on Hashem’s kindness will infuse us with great joy and faith which will accompany us throughout Shabbat and throughout the coming week, and make our lives happier, calmer, and bereft of worry and anxiety.