הָ֭יְתָה כָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת סוֹחֵ֑ר מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק תָּבִ֥יא לַחְמָֽהּ׃
Hê. É como os navios do negociante; de longe traz o seu pão.
Rabbeinu Bahya
A kabbalistic approach: The word ממטיר in the verse “here I will make it rain from the heaven,” is similar to משמרת, the attribute of Mercy which is a recipient of largesse from heaven. [which the Targum renders as מטרת (similar to מטר, rain.) The word מטרת is reminiscent of Mattatron, the angel in charge of running the universe on behalf of G’d]. Concerning this attribute Solomon wrote in Proverbs 31,14: ”She (this attribute) rises when it is still night and supplies provisions for her household and statutes for her maid-servants.”
The meaning of the word הנני is intransitive, whereas the word ממטיר is transitive, referring to the Shechinah. In other words: “The Lord will instruct the attribute Shechinah which provides the פרנסה for all creatures on earth to make manna rain down from השמים, ‘heaven.’” There was actually no need for the Torah to mention that the manna would come from השמים, seeing that rain always comes from “heaven.” If the Torah nonetheless made special mention of the words מן השמים, “from the heaven,” the intention is to tell us that this manna comes from an attribute known as השמים, or רחמים. I believe that this is the meaning of Job 39,27: “does the eagle soar at your command?” Our sages in Vayikra Rabbah 20,4 say that G’d said to Job: “if I were to either direct the Shechinah to settle on the Holy Ark or to remove itself from there by your command? You would then be greater than Aaron!” Verse 29 in Job continues with the words “‘from there he (the eagle) spies out his food, his eyes see it from afar.” These words closely parallel what Solomon said in Proverbs 31,14: “from afar she brings her bread.” Both verses tell us that the livelihood (food) for G’d’s creatures on earth is provided by the attribute Shechinah. In Song of Songs 5,2 Solomon calls the same attribute אחותי רעיתי, “my sister (beloved), my dove.” Our sages comment on this expression in Shir Hashirim Rabbah 1,3 by saying that the sacrifices were offered to this attribute as this is the spiritual region from which parnassah, livelihood, emanates. It is the region from which all blessings flow to earth. It becomes active during the last of the three watches the night is divided into. In other words, the manna fell during the final hours of the night. (Berachot 3 discusses the three watches of the night). The three watches represent the three (emanations) attributes גדולה גבורה,,תפארת in that order. Our sages (on that folio) provided us with a reminder of the three watches by telling us how to recognize them. During the first watch the donkeys bray; during the second watch the dogs bark; during the third watch the infants suckle at the breasts of their mothers.
All of the above helps you understand that the origin of the manna was in those regions reserved for mercy, regions in which the original light is at home, and that this is what the words מן השמים allude to. The word השמים has been used by Solomon in the same sense in his prayer on the occasion of the opening of the Holy Temple (Kings I 8,32). He said ואתה תשמע השמים, instead of ואתה תשמע בשמים. The former means “You, the שמים will hear” (respond to prayer), instead of “You will hear in the heavens.” Psalms 78,24 continues with ודגן שמים נתן למו, “giving them heavenly grain.” When we read in Numbers 11,9: “and when the dew descended on the camp at night the manna would descend upon it,” the Torah makes the point that whereas the manna was received at night it was not collected until the daylight hours in accordance with G’d’s promise of “bread in the morning to satisfy” (Exodus 16,8).
The meaning of the word הנני is intransitive, whereas the word ממטיר is transitive, referring to the Shechinah. In other words: “The Lord will instruct the attribute Shechinah which provides the פרנסה for all creatures on earth to make manna rain down from השמים, ‘heaven.’” There was actually no need for the Torah to mention that the manna would come from השמים, seeing that rain always comes from “heaven.” If the Torah nonetheless made special mention of the words מן השמים, “from the heaven,” the intention is to tell us that this manna comes from an attribute known as השמים, or רחמים. I believe that this is the meaning of Job 39,27: “does the eagle soar at your command?” Our sages in Vayikra Rabbah 20,4 say that G’d said to Job: “if I were to either direct the Shechinah to settle on the Holy Ark or to remove itself from there by your command? You would then be greater than Aaron!” Verse 29 in Job continues with the words “‘from there he (the eagle) spies out his food, his eyes see it from afar.” These words closely parallel what Solomon said in Proverbs 31,14: “from afar she brings her bread.” Both verses tell us that the livelihood (food) for G’d’s creatures on earth is provided by the attribute Shechinah. In Song of Songs 5,2 Solomon calls the same attribute אחותי רעיתי, “my sister (beloved), my dove.” Our sages comment on this expression in Shir Hashirim Rabbah 1,3 by saying that the sacrifices were offered to this attribute as this is the spiritual region from which parnassah, livelihood, emanates. It is the region from which all blessings flow to earth. It becomes active during the last of the three watches the night is divided into. In other words, the manna fell during the final hours of the night. (Berachot 3 discusses the three watches of the night). The three watches represent the three (emanations) attributes גדולה גבורה,,תפארת in that order. Our sages (on that folio) provided us with a reminder of the three watches by telling us how to recognize them. During the first watch the donkeys bray; during the second watch the dogs bark; during the third watch the infants suckle at the breasts of their mothers.
All of the above helps you understand that the origin of the manna was in those regions reserved for mercy, regions in which the original light is at home, and that this is what the words מן השמים allude to. The word השמים has been used by Solomon in the same sense in his prayer on the occasion of the opening of the Holy Temple (Kings I 8,32). He said ואתה תשמע השמים, instead of ואתה תשמע בשמים. The former means “You, the שמים will hear” (respond to prayer), instead of “You will hear in the heavens.” Psalms 78,24 continues with ודגן שמים נתן למו, “giving them heavenly grain.” When we read in Numbers 11,9: “and when the dew descended on the camp at night the manna would descend upon it,” the Torah makes the point that whereas the manna was received at night it was not collected until the daylight hours in accordance with G’d’s promise of “bread in the morning to satisfy” (Exodus 16,8).
Rabbeinu Bahya
למען אנסנו הילך בתורותי אם לו, “so that I can test them whether they will follow My teaching or not.” The verse teaches that anyone who has ample food supplies, a comfortable lifestyle, is obligated to devote his time to Torah-study. This is what G’d had in mind when He said: “to test them if they follow My Torah or if not.” This is also the reason the Torah provided that the Levites and Priests be given various tithes and other gifts from the farmers so as to leave them free to devote themselves to Torah as we know from Chronicles II 31,4: “so that they might devote themselves to the Teaching of the Lord.” The sages have seen fit to introduce similar contributions to be made to support non-priest Torah scholars, basing themselves on Proverbs 31,14: “she is like the merchant ships; she brings food from afar.”
Rabbeinu Yonah
From here you learn that any one who benefits from the words of the Torah: One who benefits from words of Torah in this world, behold he removes his life from the world to come. And it is not only benefit from honor and benefit of money that they spoke about, but it is forbidden even to save oneself [with Torah]. As behold, they tied up Rabbi Tarfon to throw him into the river, as they thought that he was a thief. And he (only) said, "Woe to Tarfon, as this one is killing him." And since they [then] recognized that he was Rabbi Tarfon, they let him go and he ran away. All of the days of that righteous one, he was anguished about this thing and said, "Woe is to [me] that I have made use of the crown of Torah" - since anyone who makes use of the crown of Torah does not have a portion in the world to come. And we say the reason is because Rabbi Tarfon was very rich and he could have appeased him with money (Nedarim 62a). And we also say in Bava Batra in the first chapter (Bava Batra 8a) [that] Rabbi (Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi) opened his storehouses in a year of drought. He said, "Let the masters of scripture, the masters of Mishnah and the masters of Talmud enter! Let the ignoramuses not enter!" Rabbi Yochanan ben Amram pushed and entered; he said, "Rabbi, sustain me." He said [back] to him, "Have you read [scripture]?" "No." "Have you studied mishnah?" "No." "And if so, with (in the merit of) what should I sustain you?" He said, "Sustain me like a dog or a raven." He got up and sustained him. But after he left, he said, "Woe to me, since I gave from my money to an ignoramus." Rabbi Shimon beRabbi said to him, "Maybe that was Yonatan ben Amram, your student, who does not want to benefit (with the honor) [from the honor] of Torah." They checked and found that it was like his words. [Hence], Rabbi said, "Let all enter!" But [didn't] Rabbi also say [he wanted] to sustain [based] on the honor of Torah? Rather it was a year of drought, when it is a commandment to sustain whoever is lacking his needs; and the one who needs may take. However Rabbi did not want to give benefit from his money to ignoramuses. And Rabbi followed his reasoning, as Rabbi said, "Punishment only comes to the world because of ignoramuses." And nonetheless Yonatan ben Amram [went] beyond the letter of the law. As since he saw that they were only sustaining Torah masters, he said, "If so, they are sustaining based on the honor of Torah" - and he did not want to benefit from the honor of Torah. And it appears that maybe if they had not been willing to sustain him on the condition that he was an ignoramus, he would have sustained himself through the honor of Torah - as this transgression is no greater than all of the commandments in the Torah, about which it is stated (Leviticus 18:5), "and live by them" and not that he die by them, except for the three known ones (Yoma 85b). And that which they said (Ketuvot 105b), "From here, [we see] that the verse counts one who brings a gift to Torah scholars as if he brings up the first fruits" - they only said it about something to which commoners are [also] accustomed, as it is the way of people to bring a gift to an important person even if he is an ignoramus. And that which the sages said (Berakhot 10b), "[A scholar] who wants to benefit, he may benefit like Elisha" - this is [referring to] one who puts his merchandise into the 'pocket' of Torah scholars (for them to resell for a profit), their reward for which is great and it is permissible. And the verse also exempts them from types of taxes and fees and even from money for the poll tax, and other [benefits] that are known from tradition that the Holy One, blessed be He, allowed Torah scholars. And so did Rabbi Meir (Halevi), may his memory be blessed, arrange the matter.