וַיִּצְבְּר֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם חֳמָרִ֣ם חֳמָרִ֑ם וַתִּבְאַ֖שׁ הָאָֽרֶץ׃
I zgarniali je na liczne kupy i zacuchnęła ziemia.
Rabbeinu Bahya
It is well to remember that the manna consisted of small grain-like crystals which were collected individually. This is why the expression לקיטה, “gleanings,” was an appropriate description for the manner in which it was collected.
ולקטו דבר יום ביומו, “they would gather it on a daily basis;” it looked like granules covered by a husk, more or less globular in appearance. This is what the Torah means when it described it (verse 14) as דק מחוספס, “fine, peeled.” The word מחוספס is similar in meaning to קלוף, derived from מחשוף הלבן, (the letter ש andס are often interchangeable, compare Genesis 30,37). Onkelos also translates it in this sense, i.e. דעדק מקלף דעדק. The meaning of the second word דק in verse 14 is דעדק i.e.: “white as chalk.” It fell in heaps. Onkelos has translated Exodus 8,10 חמרים, as דגורין. The manna was white like frost, and sweet. A later verse sums up all its qualities in one expression when the Torah compares it to זרע גד לבן, “white coriander seed tasting like wafers with honey” (verse 31).
Perhaps the repetition of the letter ס, (60) in the word מחוספס is what prompted Rabbi Eleazar Hamodai in Mechilta Vayissa section 1 to suggest that the layer of manna was more than 60 sa'ah high. He made a comparison to what the Torah wrote in connection with the deluge, In Genesis 7,11 the Torah spoke about the ארבות השמים נפתחו, “the windows of heaven being opened (in order to release all that rain). In connection with the manna, Assaph, a contemporary of that event, speaks in Psalm 78,23 of the “doors of heaven being opened.” In both instances Scripture uses the expression פתח, “opened.” In Yuma 76 the Talmud describes that the manna descended during the night while the people were asleep so that they would be able to find it all ready for them when they awoke in the morning. They would find their livelihood had already been provided for them. During the period when the Temple was being built (Taanit 23) something analogous took place. Rain fell only on the nights of Tuesday to Wednesday and on Friday nights. This was designed to ensure the rain did not interfere with the Israelites’ normal activities. During the reign of King Chizkiyah G’d was also active on behalf of the people as in his prayer Chizkiyah said: “I am unable to kill, to pursue the enemy, or even to sing a song of praise. All I am able to do is lie down and sleep and leave my problems in Your hands.” G’d replied: “I am going to look after things.” This is the meaning of Kings II 19,35: ”on that night an angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the Assyrian camp, and the following morning they were all dead corpses.” This has all been explained in the introduction to Eichah Rabbati chapter 30.
ולקטו דבר יום ביומו, “they would gather it on a daily basis;” it looked like granules covered by a husk, more or less globular in appearance. This is what the Torah means when it described it (verse 14) as דק מחוספס, “fine, peeled.” The word מחוספס is similar in meaning to קלוף, derived from מחשוף הלבן, (the letter ש andס are often interchangeable, compare Genesis 30,37). Onkelos also translates it in this sense, i.e. דעדק מקלף דעדק. The meaning of the second word דק in verse 14 is דעדק i.e.: “white as chalk.” It fell in heaps. Onkelos has translated Exodus 8,10 חמרים, as דגורין. The manna was white like frost, and sweet. A later verse sums up all its qualities in one expression when the Torah compares it to זרע גד לבן, “white coriander seed tasting like wafers with honey” (verse 31).
Perhaps the repetition of the letter ס, (60) in the word מחוספס is what prompted Rabbi Eleazar Hamodai in Mechilta Vayissa section 1 to suggest that the layer of manna was more than 60 sa'ah high. He made a comparison to what the Torah wrote in connection with the deluge, In Genesis 7,11 the Torah spoke about the ארבות השמים נפתחו, “the windows of heaven being opened (in order to release all that rain). In connection with the manna, Assaph, a contemporary of that event, speaks in Psalm 78,23 of the “doors of heaven being opened.” In both instances Scripture uses the expression פתח, “opened.” In Yuma 76 the Talmud describes that the manna descended during the night while the people were asleep so that they would be able to find it all ready for them when they awoke in the morning. They would find their livelihood had already been provided for them. During the period when the Temple was being built (Taanit 23) something analogous took place. Rain fell only on the nights of Tuesday to Wednesday and on Friday nights. This was designed to ensure the rain did not interfere with the Israelites’ normal activities. During the reign of King Chizkiyah G’d was also active on behalf of the people as in his prayer Chizkiyah said: “I am unable to kill, to pursue the enemy, or even to sing a song of praise. All I am able to do is lie down and sleep and leave my problems in Your hands.” G’d replied: “I am going to look after things.” This is the meaning of Kings II 19,35: ”on that night an angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the Assyrian camp, and the following morning they were all dead corpses.” This has all been explained in the introduction to Eichah Rabbati chapter 30.
Rashi
a heap of many waters Jonathan renders. upon a heap, an expression of (Exod. 8: 10) “many heaps.”
Rabbeinu Bahya
ויצברו בר, “and they will amass grain.” The expression צבר used here by the Torah refers to underground storage. We find a comparison between עפר, earth, dust, in Job 27,16 אם יצבר כעפר כסף, “if he were to pile up silver like dust.” Joseph suggested to Pharaoh to store grain both above ground in grain elevators as well as below ground. The expression צבירה includes both kinds of storage. We find the expression occurring when the Egyptians piled up the frogs into great heaps in Exodus 8,10.