Likutei Moharan 56:8/ליקוטי מוהר"ן נ״ו:ח׳

18. This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Kiddushin 38a): “They ate the manna for forty years. Was it not forty years less thirty days? However, in the cake they took out from Egypt they could taste the taste of manna.” In truth, it would have been fitting had they eaten the manna, which is the aspect of daat, for forty complete years, because forty is the aspect of understanding and daat, as explained above. In other words, as soon as they went out of Egypt, and daat was revealed, it would have been fitting had they immediately eaten the manna. In this regard our Sages, of blessed memory, answered: “In the cake they took out from Egypt”—namely, the matzot—”they could taste the taste of manna.”

2<The point is> that peace is dependent upon daat, as has been explained, while dispute is <the absence of> daat. Nevertheless, there is dispute that is for the sake of Heaven, which in truth is very great daat, even greater than the daat of peace. For in fact, such dispute is great love and peace, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Kiddushin 30b): “et vaHeV be’Sufah” (Numbers 21:14)—they do not move from there until they become oHaVim (lovers). This is the meaning of what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Dispute that is for the sake of Heaven, will in SoFaH (the end) prove constructive” (Avot 5:17). This is the aspect of love, as it is written, “et vaHeV be’SuFaH,” as explained above.

3This corresponds to Moshe, because Moshe is the aspect of daat, which is the aspect of machloket (dispute) for the sake of Heaven. Thus, MoSheH is an acrostic for Machloket Shamai Hillel, for they are the aspect of dispute for the sake of Heaven.

4The redemption from Egypt therefore came through Moshe, because the essence of redemption is through daat (know ledge), as it is written, “and you will know that it was God Who took you out of Egypt” (Exodus 16:6) ; “so that they might know” (Leviticus 23:43) .

5And this is the aspect of “the cake”—i.e., the matzot—”that they took out from Egypt.” MaTZah is the aspect of dispute, as it is written, “The men who MaTZutekha (contend with you) will be as naught” (Isaiah 41:12) .

6This is the meaning of “that they took out from Egypt.” Specifically, “that they took out,” because in Egypt, daat was in exile; there was certainly no dispute for the sake of Heaven, which is dependent upon daat, as explained above.

7This is: “In the cake that they took out from Egypt”—i.e., the matzah, which is the aspect of dispute; “that they took out from Egypt”—for there the daat is in exile; “they could taste the taste of manna”—because after they took the aspect of dispute out of exile in Egypt, they had in them the taste of manna, which is the aspect of great daat, which is the aspect of dispute that is for the sake of Heaven, as explained above.

8This is the aspect of “LeCheM (bread) from heaven” (Exodus 16:4), which refers to the manna. It connotes battle, as it is written (Psalms 35:1), “LeChaM et lochamai (battle my opponents),” the aspect of dispute. In other words, the manna, which is daat, is the aspect of dispute for the sake of Heaven, as explained above.

9Therefore, Datan and Aviram, who took issue with Moshe, who is daat, blemished also the manna by leaving some over. This is because the manna is the aspect of daat, the aspect of Moshe, as explained above.

10Thus it is written in the holy Zohar (II, 183b), that “matzah heals.” For matzah, which is the aspect of dispute for the sake of Heaven/ daat /peace, as explained above, is a cure. This is because peace is a cure, as it is written (Isaiah 57:19), “Peace, peace, to the far and the near—says God—and I will heal them.” For in the main, illness, Heaven forbid, stems from an absence of peace—i.e., dispute among the elements, with one of the elements overpowering the other. But peace is a cure.

11This is why matzah is called “poor man’s bread,” because poverty is but a lack of daat (Nedarim 41a). This is the aspect of a sick person, as it is written (2 Samuel 13:4), “Why are you in such poor spirits, O prince?” But matzah, <which is dispute for the sake of Heaven,> heals <impoverished daat >, as explained above. This is the meaning of “poor man’s bread”: it is a cure for poverty, as explained above.