The people clamored for meat. It is not as if they were being fed steak in Egypt, but, in the wilderness as free men, they felt that they had a right to ask for meat. If so, why did they add, “We remember the fish.” If they were asking for meat, why did they introduce the fact that they had eaten fish in Egypt? Horav Levi Yitzchak Berditchever, zl, explains that, with the manna, they were able to taste any food they liked. There was one contingency: it had to be a food with whose taste they were familiar. By recalling the flavor of the food, they could impart that exact flavor into the manna. Ostensibly, they could not impart the manna with a flavor which they had never tasted – which was the case concerning kosher meat. This meat is derived from an animal that was ritually slaughtered, allowing for much of the blood to leave the body. It was then washed and salted to remove even more blood. Thus, kosher meat had a different taste than its non-kosher counterpart.
In Egypt, prior to the giving of the Torah, no stipulations existed concerning meat. The Torah introduced kashrus. Therefore, Bnei Yisrael were unfamiliar with the taste of kosher meat. Fish, however, had not changed. The fish they ate in Egypt was no different in taste, since, until the giving of the Torah, Bnei Yisrael did not have a mitzvah to prepare fish in any special manner. This is why they clamored, “Who will give us meat/kosher meat, so that we can taste it in the manna that we eat?” We remember the fish, because its taste has not changed.
The Berditchever now adds a kabbalistic/esoteric exposition; Lea’asid lavo, in the future, Hashem will feed the Jewish People a banquet, the main dish consisting of: the Livyasan/Leviathon; shor ha’bor, wild ox; bar avazos, wild ducks; and yayin ha’meshumar, the wine that had been preserved in its grapes from the Six Days of Creation. Why is it necessary to prepare such a lavish meal consisting of these special foods? He explains that, in the future, we will subsist on manna, as was our diet post-liberation from Egypt. This Heavenly food will be our staple. In order to impart the unique taste of livyasan and the other foods into the manna, it is necessary that they taste these foods at this banquet. Likewise, from the mei b’eirah shel Miriam, waters of Miriam’s well, the Jewish People will taste the flavor of all beverages, just as they did when they left Egypt.
In Olam Habba, the World-to-Come, we will receive reward for our service to Hashem in this world. The World-to-Come is, thus, an extension and conclusion – of our Divine service in this world. It is, therefore important that, prior to arriving in Olam Habba, we cultivate our Divine consciousness in this life, since the reward we experience will consist of heightened Divine consciousness. In other words, if our neshamos are to experience the sublime delight in store for one who has carried out his mission in this world and has served Hashem properly, we must begin the process on this world and prepare for that ultimate reward. In order to enjoy – one must first have a “taste” of what he will enjoy.
