(5) We remember the fish that we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.

(Bamidbar 11:5) "We remember the fish that we would eat in Egypt, free": Is it possible that the Egyptians gave them fish free?

Is it not written (Shemot 5:18) "And now, go and work, and straw will not be given you": If they did not give them straw free, would they give them fish free? How, then, are we to understand "free"? "Free" of mitzvoth.

(12) It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?”

The Torah instructs us, "It is not in heaven" [Deuteronomy 30:12]. Each posek must rule as he sees fit, after meticulous study and analysis of all the relevant texts and prior rulings, to the best of his ability, fully cognizant of the heavy responsibility he has assumed in applying Hashem's Torah to the life of the Jew...

If he makes his decision with due diligence, he will be rewarded for his efforts even though he has not divined the real truth.

"When Moshe ascended to the heavens, he found the Holy One, Blessed be He, sitting and attaching crowns to the letters. He said before Him, "Master of the Universe! Who is staying your hand?" He said to him, "There is one man man who will exist after many generations, and Akiva the son of Yosef is his name, who will in the future expound on every crown and crown piles and piles of laws." He said before Him, "Master of the Universe! Show him to me." He said to him, "Turn backwards." He went and sat at the end of eight rows [of students in Rabbi Akiva's Beit Midrash], and he did not know what they were talking [about]. He got upset. When he [Rabbi Akiva] got to [teaching] something, his students said to him, "Teacher, from where do you learn this?" He said to them, "It is a law [that was taught] to Moshe at Sinai." He calmed down. He returned and came before the Holy One, Blessed be He...

And afterward all the people went to teach – each person his neighbor – all that they heard from the mouth of Moshe – and write that commandment in scrolls. And the officers would circulate to all of Israel to teach and correct, until [the people] knew the commandment by heart and became accustomed to reading it. And afterward, they taught them the explanations of that commandment that was given from God – and that explanation would include [many] matters. And they would write the commandment and study [it] according to the received tradition.

1. According to the novel interpretation that a person innovates in Torah, so is it drawn to him light (meaning inspiration and excitement) from the holiness of the Land of Israel.

2. Through "asmachtos," abundant livelihood is bestowed upon the world. This is because there are many things for which we do not find an [explicit] verse from the Torah and our sages, of blessed memory, labored to find for them some sort of support.

3. Through novel Torah interpretations, the Providence of Hashem, may He be blessed, is more revealed to people...

16. Those of little faith, it is difficult for them to conceive novel Torah interpretations.