Midrasz do Hioba 33:24

(Exodus 16:13) "and in the morning there was a layer of dew": Scripture comes to apprise us how the manna descended for Israel: A north wind would come and "sweep" the desert. Then rain would come and clean the ground, and the dew would rise and the wind would blow on it and make it like golden tables, on which the manna descended. (Ibid. 14) "and, behold, on the face of the desert": Not on the whole desert, but on part of it. (Ibid.) "thin as hoarfrost": We are hereby apprised that it descended like ice on the ground. These are the words of R. Yehoshua. R. Eliezer Hamodai says: "And the dew layer ascended": (homiletically) there arose the prayers of our forefathers who were buried in the earth, on the face of the ground. "and, behold, on the face of the desert": Not on the whole desert, but on part of it. "dak like hoarfrost": It descended from the firmament, as it is written (Isaiah 40:22) "… who stretches out the heavens like dak." Since it descended from the firmament, I might think it descended cold. It is, therefore, written "cham" ("warm" [i.e., the samech in mechuspas looks very much like a mem]). I might think it descended with a great din. Whence is it derived that it descended silently? It is, therefore, written "hass" ("hush" [i.e., the cheth in mechuspas reads very much like a heh]). I might think that it descended on vessels. Whence do I derive that it descended only on the ground? From "as hoarfrost upon the ground." R. Tarfon says: It descended, as it were, on the palms of the L rd ("pas" in "mechuspas" is a palm). The Holy One Blessed be He stretched out His hand took the prayers of our forefathers buried in the earth and brought down the manna which is like the dew for Israel, viz. (Iyyov 33:24) "Then He will be gracious to him and will say: 'Redeem him from descending to the pit, for I have found his ransom ("kofer," as in the description of the dew, "dak kakfor.") Once, R. Tarfon and the elders were sitting, and R. Elazar Hamodai was sitting before them, when he said to them: The height of the manna was sixty cubits. R. Tarfon: "Modai, until when will you continue to confound us with your wonders?" R. Elazar: "It is a verse in the Torah! Which 'measure' (of the Holy One Blessed be He) is greater? That for evil (i.e., punishment) or that for good (i.e., reward)? That of good. It is written (re the flood, Genesis 7:11 and 7:20) "And the windows of the heavens were opened … Fifteen cubits did the waters increase" (above the mountains). And of the measure of good, what is written? (Psalms 78:23-24) 'And He commanded the skies above, and He opened the doors of heaven, and He rained upon them manna for food, and the grain of heaven did He give them.' As it relates to our subject, the windows in a door being four, then two doors give us eight windows, (so that if two windows provide fifteen cubits,) then the height of the manna must have been (at least) sixty cubits." Issi b. Yehudah says: When the manna descended for Israel, all of the peoples saw it, as it is written (Psalms 23:5) "You spread a table before me in full view of my foes."

From what source do we know that the angel calls out before him? It is said: If there be for him an angel, and intercessor, one among a thousand (ibid., v. 23)—if he is one of those thousand, he (the angel) calls out before him to vouch for a man’s uprightness. At that time He is gracious unto him, and saith: “Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom” (Job 33:23–24). Thus if a man fulfills many precepts, ten thousand and a thousand angels guard him, but if he is perfect in understanding the Torah and in the performance of good deeds, the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself guards him, as it is said: The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand (Ps. 121:5).