민수기 11:8의 미드라쉬

"And God said to Aharon, 'Go to meet Moshe in the wilderness'": This is that which is written (Job 37:5), "God thunders wonders with His voice" - what is it that he thunders? When the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah at Sinai, He showed wonders of wonders to Israel. How is it? The Holy One, blessed be He would speak and the voice would go out and travel the whole world: Israel would hear the voice coming to them from the South and they would run to the South to meet the voice; and from the South, it would switch for them to the North, and they would all run to the North; and from the North, it would switch to the East, and they would run to the East; and from the East, it would switch to the West, and they would run to the West; and from the West, it would switch [to be] from the heavens, and they would suspend their eyes [to the heavens], and it would switch [to be] in the earth, and they would stare at the earth, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:36), "From the Heavens did He make you hear His voice, to discipline you." And Israel would say one to the other, "And wisdom, from where can it be found" (Job 28:12). And Israel would say, from where is the Holy One, blessed be He, coming, from the East or from the South? As it is stated (Deuteronomy 33:2), "The Lord came from Sinai, and shone from Seir (in the East) to them"; and it is written (Habakuk 3:3), "And God will come from Teiman (in the South)." And it is stated (Exodus 20:15), "And all the people saw the sounds (literally, voices)" - it is not written, "sound," here, but rather, "sounds." Rabbi Yochanan said, "The voice would go out and divide into seventy voices for the seventy languages, so that all the nations would hear. And each and every nation would hear in the language of the nation and their souls would depart. But Israel would hear and they were not injured." How did the voice go out? Rabbi Tanchuma said, "It would come go with two faces; [one] would kill the idolaters who did not accept it, and [one] would give life to Israel that did accept it." This is what Moshe stated to them at the end of forty years (Deuteronomy 5:23), "As who is it, from all flesh that heard the voice of the living God speak from amidst the fire" - you would hear His voice and live, but the idolaters heard and died. Come and see how the voice would go out among all of Israel - each and every one according to his strength: the elders according to their strength; the young men according to their strength; the infants according to their strength; the sucklings according to their strength; the women according to their strength; and even Moshe according to his strength, as it is stated (Exodus 19:19), "Moshe would speak and God would answer him with a voice" - with a voice that He could withstand. And so [too,] it states (Psalms 29:4), "The voice of the Lord is in strength" - it is not stated, "in His strength," but rather "in strength"; in the strength of each and every one, and even the pregnant women, according to their strength. Hence one would say each and every one according to his strength. Rabbi Yose bar Chanina said, "If you wonder about this thing, learn from the manna, as it would only come down according to the strength of each and every one of Israel: the young men would eat it like bread, as it is stated (Exodus 16:4), 'Behold I will rain upon you bread from the skies, etc.'; the elders like a wafer in honey, as it is stated (Exodus 16:31), 'and its taste was like a wafer in honey'; the sucklings like the milk of it's mother's breast, as it is stated (Numbers 11:8), 'and its taste, was like the taste of, etc.'; the sick ones like fine flour mixed with honey, as it is stated (Ezekiel 16:19), 'And My bread that I gave you, fine flour and oil I fed you'; and the idolaters tasted it bitter and coriander, as it is stated (Numbers 11:7), 'And the manna was like coriander seed.'" And Rabbi Yose bar Rabbi Chanina said, "And since the manna which was one type switched to many types because of the need of each and every one, all the more so, the voice that had strength in it would change for each and every one, so that that they would not be injured, as it is stated (Exodus 20:15), 'And all the people saw the voices.'" Hence, "God thunders wonders with His voice." Another explanation: "God thunders wonders with His voice" - Rabbi Levi said, "There are three voices that go from the end of the world to its end; and [even though] the creatures are among them, they do not hear at all, and these are them: the day; the rains and the soul at the time that it departs from the body." From where [do I know] the day? Rabbi Yehudah bar Rabbi Eelayai said, "This star (sun) that floats in the sky is none else than a saw (other books: this nail placed in wood)." From where [do I know] the rains? As it is stated (Psalms 42:8), "A depth to a depth calls to the voice of Your channels." How is this? There is a tree with roots going down twenty ells, there is [one] thirty, there is [one] fifty and there is [one] that only goes down three handbreadths. And if the rains above only water the ones that are three handbreadths, the ones of fifty ells die; if the ones of fifty drink, it destroys the ones of three handbreadths. Rather this is the top depth calling to the bottom, saying, "Arise and I will come down"; and the bottom, saying, "Come down and I will arise" - until the top goes down and waters [the ones] of three handbreadths and the bottom comes up and waters the ones of fifty. Come and see how much [distance] is between these and those and they call one to the other; and [even though] people are among them, they do not [know] hear. Hence, "God thunders wonders with His voice." And the soul at the time that it departs from the body, and [even though] people are sitting next to him, they do not hear. Hence, "God thunders wonders with His voice." Rabbi Reuven said, "At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe in Midian, 'Go return to Egypt' (Exodus 4:19), the speech divided into two voices and it became two faces. And Moshe heard in Midian, 'Go return to Egypt,' but Aharon heard, 'Go to meet Moshe in the wilderness.'" Hence, "God thunders wonders with His voice."

We are taught in a Baraitha: R. Jose says: "Just as the prophet disclosed to Israel all that occurred in the very nooks and fissures of their dwellings, so also did the manna disclose all the secrets that were hidden in the very nooks and fissures." In what manner? For instance, when two [litigants] came to Moses, and the plaintiff said: "He has stolen my slave," while the defendant said: "You sold him to me," Moses would say: "In the morning we shall decide it." On the morrow, if the measure of manna for the slave was found in the house of his first master, it became known that the slave had been stolen; but if the measure of manna was found in the house of the other, it was evident that he had bought him. And so also if one came and impeached his wife for adultery, and she counter-charged him with that crime; then Moses again said: "In the morning we shall decide it." If her measure of manna was found in the house of her husband, it was evident that he had sinned; if the measure of manna was found in the house of her father, it was plain that she had sinned." It is written (Num. 15, 9) When the dew fell upon the camp in the night the manna fell upon it; and it is written (Ex. 16, 4) The people shall go out, and gather; and again it is written (Num. 11, 8) The people went about, and gathered it. How are the three verses to be reconciled? As for the righteous, the manna came down at the door of their tents; the average man had to go out and find it; the wicked had to swarm around and gather it." It is written (Ex. 16, 8) bread from heaven; and (Num. 11, 4) … made cakes of it; and (ib.) ground it. How shall these passages be reconciled to each other? For the righteous, it was ready bread; for the average man, it was cakes (unbaked); and the wicked had to grind it in a mill. (Num. 11, 8) Its taste was as of cakes mixed with oil. R. Abahu said: "Just as the breast, in which the suckling, every time he touches it, finds a different flavor [according to what his mother had eaten], so also did the manna, as often as the Israelites ate it, contain all flavors."

The peoples of the world were not able to taste it because in their mouths it became like bitter wormwood. What did they do? They caught a deer that had drunk of it, and they took from it a taste of manna. Then they said: Blessed be the {body} [nation] which has this. R. Jose bar Hanina said: The babies who tasted it were not like the old person who tasted it.⁷⁴See above, 1:22; Yoma 75b; also Yoma 75a, Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Amaleq 3; Sifre, Numb. 11:6 (87); 11:21 (89); Exod. R. 25:3; Numb. R. 7:4; M. Pss. 23:3. How? To the babies it had the taste of milk, as stated (in Numb. 11:8): AND IT TASTED LIKE RICH CREAM. To the youths it tasted like honey, as stated (in Exod. 16:31): AND ITS TASTE WAS LIKE WAFERS IN HONEY. To the old people it tasted like bread, as stated (in Exod. 16:4): BEHOLD, I WILL RAIN DOWN BREAD FROM THE HEAVENS FOR YOU. To the sick it tasted like fine flour mixed with oil and honey, like barley grits,⁷⁵Gk.: ptisane; Lat.: ptisana. which they make for one who is sick. It is so stated (in Numb. 11:8): THEY BOILED IT IN A POT. And where is it shown that it had the taste of fine flour and honey? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 16:19): ALSO MY BREAD, WHICH I GAVE YOU, FINE FLOUR, OIL, AND HONEY…. Each and everyone tasted it according to his physical ability. Whoever was active went out and gathered it from the field, as stated (in Exod. 16:4): AND THE PEOPLE SHALL GO OUT TO GATHER. Those who were fairly <active> went out to their tent doors [to gather]. But the lazy lay down, stretched out their hands, and it came down right into their hands. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 16:14): WHEN THE LAYER OF DEW HAD GONE UP, <THERE ON THE FACE OF THE DESERT LAY SOMETHING FINE AND FLAKY….>

For the small ones it was like milk from their mother's breast, as stated (in Numb. 11:8): AND ITS TASTE WAS LIKE THE TASTE OF FAT CREAM. And the sick savored it as the taste of fine flour mixed with oil and honey like barley grits¹⁰⁷Gk.: ptisane; Lat.: ptisana. as one prepares it for the sick {fankokha' in the Arabic language}. It is so stated (ibid.): BOILED IT IN A POT. It also says (in Ezek. 16:19): ALSO MY BREAD, WHICH I GAVE YOU, FINE FLOUR, [OIL], AND HONEY, WHICH I HAD YOU EAT. R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: If the manna, which was one species, was changed into several varieties and into many species because of Israel's need, how much the more so in the case of the voice in which was < uttered > with power (koah). Ergo (in Job 37:5): GOD THUNDERS MARVELOUSLY WITH HIS VOICE….

R. Yosé the son of Hanina stated: If you are amazed at this remember, that the manna descended for each Israelite with a taste that varied according to the needs of each individual. The young men, for instance, ate it as bread, as it is said: Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you (Exod. 16:4); the elders ate it as wafers of honey, as it is said: And the taste of it was like wafers made with honey (ibid., v. 31); the sucklings, as milk from the breasts of their mothers, as is said: And the taste of it was as the taste of a cake baked with oil (Num. 11:8);³²Reading leshad ha-shemen (“a cake with oil”) as le-shad ha-shemen (“as a fat breast”). for the ill, as fine flour mixed in honey, as it is said: Thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil (Exod. 16:13); and the gentiles who tasted it found it as bitter as coriander seed, as is said: Now the manna was like coriander seed (Num. 11:7).

(Bamidbar 11:8) "The people would stroll out and gather it": I might think that they railed against Him because it was difficult to gather; it is, therefore, written (Shemot 16:4) "And the people will go out and gather it." One would sit at the door of his house and gather his share and the share of his household, and when the sun came out, it melted. "and they would grind it in a mill": Now (did we not learn that) it never "descended" to a mill? The intent is, rather, that it was converted for them to everything that is ground in a mill. "or beat it in a mortar": Now (did we not learn that) it was never beaten in a mortar? The intent is, rather, that it was converted for them to everything that is beaten in a mortar. I might think that it was converted only into these things alone. Whence is it derived that all the forty years that Israel was in the desert a woman had no need of spices, but was "decorated" (i.e., perfumed) by the manna? From "or" beat it." "or cook it in a pot": Now (did we not learn that) it never "descended" to a pot? The intent is, rather, that it was converted for them to everything that is cooked in a pot. "and they made cakes of it": Now (did we not learn that) it never "descended" to an oven? The intent is, rather, that it was converted for them to everything that is baked in an oven. I might think that it was converted only into these things alone. Whence do I derive (the same for) all the things gathered in a field? From "and they would gather it." And it is written (Devarim 2:7) "These forty years the L-rd has been with you. You have lacked nothing." As if a man would say I want to eat grapes, and they were given to him; I want to eat figs, and they were given to him. "and its taste was like the 'sap' (leshad) of oil": "leshad": an acronymic for three words: "layish" (dough), "shemen" (oil), and "dvash" (honey). As dough kneaded with oil and honey, such was the inherent taste of the manna, and thus (i.e., with intent for this taste) did the upright of Israel eat it. Variantly: "and its taste was like the 'sap' (leshad) of oil": Just as the breast (shad) is "primary" to an infant, and everything else, secondary. Variantly: Just as the breast, if an infant sucks it the whole day, it does not harm it, so, the manna; if Israel ate it a whole day, it would not harm them. Variantly: Just as the breast, which produces one kind, which changes into many kinds, so, the (taste of the) manna changed for Israel into any taste that they desired, except for that of the five kinds (viz. Ibid. 5). An analogy: (A doctor) tells a (nursing) woman: Do not eat garlic and onion for the sake of the infant. Variantly: Just as the breast, an infant suffers when it withdraws from it, so, Israel suffered when they withdrew from the manna, viz. (Joshua 5:12) "And the manna ceased the following day, when they ate from the grain of the land." An analogy: A man is asked: Why are you eating barley bread? He answers: Because I don't have wheat bread. Why are you eating carobs? Because I don't have figs. Similarly, if Israel had that handful (of manna) that they took on the day of Moses' death, from which they ate all forty days, they would not desire to eat of the grain of the land of Canaan. (Bamidbar, Ibid. 9) "And when the dew descended upon the camp at night, the manna descended upon it.": We are hereby taught that it descended upon the thresholds and the doorposts. I might think that the manna was eaten sullied; it is, therefore, written (Shemot 16:14) "and, behold, on the face of the desert it was spread thin." It (the dew) descended as a kind of hoarfrost and became a kind of layer upon the ground on which the manna descended. And from it Israel took and ate. This accounts for the lower level; but couldn't the reptiles and the flies infest it from above? It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "and the dew layer ascended," whence it follows that it was enclosed in a kind of casing. And they would recite the Shema and pray; and one would go out to the entrance of his house and take his share and that of his household, after which the sun would come out and melt it. Similarly, R. Shimon says: Why didn't the manna descend once a year? So that their hearts turn to their Father in heaven (for their food). An analogy: A king decreed that his son be fed once a year — and he visited his father only on the day of his stipend! Once he decreed that he be fed every day — and he visited him every day. So with Israel. If a man had five sons or five daughters, he would sit and worry, thinking: If the manna does not fall tomorrow, we will all die of hunger! — So that they all turned their hearts to their Father in heaven. R. Dostai b. R. Yannai said: If so, the son will say: Even if I visit my father only for the sake of my stipend it is sufficient for me! So that the visit becomes entirely opportunistic. Rather, (the manna fell every day) so that it could be eaten while it was still warm. Variantly: (It did not fall once for a long period of time) so that it would not be a burden on the road. Similarly, R. Dostai b. R. Yannai says: Why did the L-rd not create hot springs in Jerusalem as He did in Tiberias? So that one not say to his friend: Let us go up to the hot springs of Jerusalem. If we go up for only one dousing, it will be sufficient for us. So that the ascent becomes entirely opportunistic.