וַיְצַ֣ו שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל וְדַלְתֵ֖י שָׁמַ֣יִם פָּתָֽח׃
Gayong nag-utos na Siya sa mga alapaap sa itaas, at binuksan Niya ang mga pintuan ng langit,
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.
Rabbeinu Bahya
There is a single verse in Psalms 127,2 which sums it all up: “He provides as much for His loved ones while they sleep.” The psalmist teaches that what all the people who rise early and stay up late (beginning of same verse) achieve only after expending much energy and not even enjoying the bread they eat, the Jewish people (who observe G’d’s commandments) find that G’d provides for them without any effort on their part. In other words, those people’s toil and fatigue was really all in vain.
What is the meaning of the words ועינו כעין הבדולח “its appearance was like the color of bedolach” in Numbers 11,7 where we are given another aspect of the appearance of the manna? This is an indication that the color of the manna was of an extraordinary nature, similar to the diamond known as perla as described in Exodus 28,18. It is a derivative of a supernatural light described by Ezekiel 1,24. On the breastplate of the High Priest the precious stone called יהלום had the name of the tribe Zevulun engraved upon it. This stone emitted this light. It is recorded in a book by R' David Kimchi called Sefer Michlol under the root בדולח. The manna descended in the form of a fine drizzle, similar to what is meant by Psalms 147,16-17: “He scatters frost like ashes, He tosses down hail like crumbs.” This is why David explained in Psalms 78,23: “He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, and rained manna upon them to eat, giving them heavenly grain.” This teaches that the origin of the (color) light of the manna was supernatural which prompted David to describe it as “heavenly grain.” David mentioned further that G’d opened the doors of heaven in order to cause it to rain down from those regions because concerning this supernatural light we have been told in Ezekiel 1,1: “the heavens opened and I beheld visions of the Divine.”
You will note that this paragraph which acquaints us with the manna contains the word מן five times. This corresponds to the five occasions that the word אור, “light,” is mentioned in the first paragraph of the Book of Genesis (Genesis 1,1-5). This teaches that the manna is a derivative of G’d’s first physical creation, of the original light which was withdrawn after Adam sinned. Just as the light was created on the first day, so the manna was released on the first day (compare what we wrote on verse 1).
In interpreting the meaning of Psalms 78,25 לחם אבירים אכל איש, “each man ate a hero’s meal,” our sages (Yuma 75) comment that the reference is to the kind of food which the angels consume (view of Rabbi Akiva). Rabbi Yishmael countered saying that the angels do not consume any material food at all. He based himself on Moses who had said that during the forty days he had been in heaven, in the domain of the angels, he had neither eaten bread nor drunk water. The idea was that when in celestial regions one conducts oneself like celestial beings whereas when the angels visited earth, i.e. Avraham or Lot, the Torah reports them as partaking of the food offered to them by earthly beings (compare Deut. 9,9 and Genesis 18,8 as well as 19,3). Rabbi Yishmael understood the meaning of the word אבירים as food which was totally absorbed by the organs of those who ate it, there being no need to excrete any of it. [The word אבירים is equated with אברים, organs, human tissue.] As a result of this discussion our sages in Yuma found that the numerical value of the word מחספס is 248, i.e. the number of bones in the human skeleton. This is the background to the claim that people eating an exclusive manna diet did not ever have to excrete any of their food intake. We have a further comment in Bamidbar Rabbah 7,4 on Numbers 14,11 “how long will this people spurn Me and how long will they not have faith in Me after the all the miracles I have performed ‘within them?’” The word בקרבו, “inside it” is a reference to all the manna dissolving in their tissue instead of in their entrails.
What is the meaning of the words ועינו כעין הבדולח “its appearance was like the color of bedolach” in Numbers 11,7 where we are given another aspect of the appearance of the manna? This is an indication that the color of the manna was of an extraordinary nature, similar to the diamond known as perla as described in Exodus 28,18. It is a derivative of a supernatural light described by Ezekiel 1,24. On the breastplate of the High Priest the precious stone called יהלום had the name of the tribe Zevulun engraved upon it. This stone emitted this light. It is recorded in a book by R' David Kimchi called Sefer Michlol under the root בדולח. The manna descended in the form of a fine drizzle, similar to what is meant by Psalms 147,16-17: “He scatters frost like ashes, He tosses down hail like crumbs.” This is why David explained in Psalms 78,23: “He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven, and rained manna upon them to eat, giving them heavenly grain.” This teaches that the origin of the (color) light of the manna was supernatural which prompted David to describe it as “heavenly grain.” David mentioned further that G’d opened the doors of heaven in order to cause it to rain down from those regions because concerning this supernatural light we have been told in Ezekiel 1,1: “the heavens opened and I beheld visions of the Divine.”
You will note that this paragraph which acquaints us with the manna contains the word מן five times. This corresponds to the five occasions that the word אור, “light,” is mentioned in the first paragraph of the Book of Genesis (Genesis 1,1-5). This teaches that the manna is a derivative of G’d’s first physical creation, of the original light which was withdrawn after Adam sinned. Just as the light was created on the first day, so the manna was released on the first day (compare what we wrote on verse 1).
In interpreting the meaning of Psalms 78,25 לחם אבירים אכל איש, “each man ate a hero’s meal,” our sages (Yuma 75) comment that the reference is to the kind of food which the angels consume (view of Rabbi Akiva). Rabbi Yishmael countered saying that the angels do not consume any material food at all. He based himself on Moses who had said that during the forty days he had been in heaven, in the domain of the angels, he had neither eaten bread nor drunk water. The idea was that when in celestial regions one conducts oneself like celestial beings whereas when the angels visited earth, i.e. Avraham or Lot, the Torah reports them as partaking of the food offered to them by earthly beings (compare Deut. 9,9 and Genesis 18,8 as well as 19,3). Rabbi Yishmael understood the meaning of the word אבירים as food which was totally absorbed by the organs of those who ate it, there being no need to excrete any of it. [The word אבירים is equated with אברים, organs, human tissue.] As a result of this discussion our sages in Yuma found that the numerical value of the word מחספס is 248, i.e. the number of bones in the human skeleton. This is the background to the claim that people eating an exclusive manna diet did not ever have to excrete any of their food intake. We have a further comment in Bamidbar Rabbah 7,4 on Numbers 14,11 “how long will this people spurn Me and how long will they not have faith in Me after the all the miracles I have performed ‘within them?’” The word בקרבו, “inside it” is a reference to all the manna dissolving in their tissue instead of in their entrails.
Ramban
AT EVEN, THEN YE SHALL KNOW THAT THE ETERNAL HATH BROUGHT YOU OUT FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT. “And it is not we. [i.e., Moses and Aaron] who have taken you out from there, as you have said, for ye have brought us forth.”322Above, Verse 3. 7. AND IN THE MORNING, THEN YE SHALL SEE THE GLORY OF THE ETERNAL. This does not refer to G-d’s Glory that appeared in the cloud, [mentioned further in Verse 10], for that occurred [later] in the day when Aaron spoke to them, and they looked toward the wilderness and, behold, the Glory of the Eternal appeared in the cloud.323Further, Verse 10. “But,” commented Rashi, “thus did Moses say to them: At even, then ye shall know that His hand has the power to give you your desire, and He will give you flesh. He will not, however, give it to you with ‘a bright countenance,’ since you were improper in asking for it, [inasmuch as one can exist without meat]. Besides, you asked for it out of a full stomach, [i.e., while still having cattle which you took along with you from Egypt]. But as regards the bread for which you properly asked out of necessity, when it falls in the morning, you will see the Glory of His countenance, as He will bring it down for you in a manner indicative of love, i.e., in the morning, while there is yet time to prepare it.”324In the printed Rashi text, it concludes: “and there shall be dew above it and dew below it as though it were packed in a chest.” The quail, on the other hand, came down at even (Verse 13) when there was not much time to prepare it. It was thus given, as the Mechilta — quoted by Ramban — said further on, b’panim chasheichoth (with a ‘dark countenance’), or as Rashi puts it, lo b’panim me’iroth (not with a ‘bright countenance’).
But it is not correct to interpret the expression, and in the morning, then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal as applying to the gift of the manna because He gave it to them early in the morning. What Glory of the Eternal is made manifest in this? Moreover, how does it logically connect with the phrase following it, for that He hath heard your murmurings? And this Midrash of our Rabbis, [which Rashi mentions, i.e., that there was a difference in the ways the manna and the quail were given to them], is not like a comment upon the expression, then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal. Instead, the Rabbis said it [as an explanation of the fact] that He apportioned their sustenance twice a day and did not distribute all of it in the morning. Thus the Rabbis said in the Mechilta:325Mechilta on Verse 8. “And Moses said: ‘This shall be, when the Eternal shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full.’ From here, you learn that He gave them the quail with ‘a dark countenance.’ The manna, however, which they were justified in requesting, He gave them with ‘a bright countenance.’” That is to say, in the morning.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that the expression, and in the morning, etc., [beginning in Verse 7], is a continuation of the previous verse. [It constitutes Moses’ answer to] what the Israelites had said, for ye have brought us forth326Verse 3. from Egypt. Moses replied: “G-d will now show two signs for you so that you may know that it was He Who brought you out from there. One, [the quail] will come in the evening of this day, and the other, [the manna] will come tomorrow in the morning.” And, [continued Ibn Ezra], it would have been proper for Scripture to say: “At even, and in the morning, then ye shall know that the Eternal hath brought you out from the land of Egypt.” The expression in the morning is not connected with then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal, since they saw the Glory [later] on that day [and not in the following morning].327To grasp the boldness of Ibn Ezra’s explanation, one must note the following sequence of language in the two verses: (6) And Moses and Aaron said… At even, then ye shall know that the Eternal hath brought you out from the land of Egypt. (7) And in the morning, then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal. According to Ibn Ezra’s interpretation, the expression of Verse 7, and in the morning, is to be understood together with at even (of Verse 6), thus: “at even and in the morning, then ye shall know that the Eternal hath brought you out from the land of Egypt.” The phrase, and in the morning, cannot be connected with then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal, for as narrated in Verses 9-10, the Glory of the Eternal appeared that very same day, and not in the following morning. Ramban will further refute this explanation of Ibn Ezra on the basis of the fact that after all, the verses are not written in the way Ibn Ezra would transpose them. His own exposition will then follow. But this interpretation too does not appear to be correct.328See end of above Note.
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the wonder inherent in the manna was extremely great, whereas He brought the quail in from the sea by a wind which came from Him.329Numbers 11:31. The manna, however, was created for them now; [it was] a new creation in heaven, similar to the process of [the original] Creation. This is the intent of what the Rabbis have said with respect to the manna, i.e., that it was created on the sixth day of creation between sundown and nightfall.330Aboth 5:6. This is why Scripture said: “By the sign He will perform for you on the coming night, you will know that He brought you out from the land of Egypt, since He prepared a table in the wilderness for you.331See Psalms 78:19. But by the great wonder He will do for you in the morning, you will see the Glory of His kingdom, for what god is there in heaven or on earth that can do according to His works and according to His mighty acts?”332Deuteronomy 3:24. By the great and marvellous things that G-d does, He shows His Glory, similar to that which is written, I will gather all nations, and all tongues, and they shall come, and shall see My Glory.333Isaiah 66:18. It is further written [there], and they shall declare My Glory,334Ibid., Verse 19. and there are many other verses similar to this effect. So also is the opinion of Onkelos who rendered [the verse here]: “and you will see the Glory of G-d.” He did not translate it, “and [the Glory of G-d] will be made manifest.”335Had Onkelos translated “and the Glory of G-d will be made manifest,” it would have comprised Onkelos’ effort to remove any implication of G-d’s corporeality. But now that he translated, “and you will see the Glory of G-d,” his reference is to the great and wonderful deed G-d will do for them through the manna.
Know that the subject of the manna involves a great matter.336“Matter.” In the Ricanti quoting Ramban: “secret.” Our rabbis have alluded to it in Tractate Yoma:337Yoma 75b. “Man did eat bread of ‘abirim’ (the mighty),338Psalms 78:25. A reference to the manna which the Israelites ate in the wilderness. The question arises about the meaning of the word abirim. i.e., bread which the ministering angels eat! These are the words of Rabbi Akiba. Rabbi Yishmael said to him, ‘You have made a mistake. Do the ministering angels indeed eat bread? Has it not been said [by Moses], I did neither eat bread nor drink water?339Deuteronomy 9:9. Rather, the bread of ‘abirim’ means bread which was absorbed in the eivarim (limbs).’”340See Vol. I, p. 76, on the fruits of the Garden of Eden.
The purport of Rabbi Akiba’s words is that the existence of the ministering angels is sustained by the Divine Glory. And so the Rabbis interpreted:341Shemoth Rabbah 32:4. “And Thou ‘m’chayeh’ (preservest) them all342Nehemiah 9:6. [means] He gives food (‘michyah’) to you all.” It is with reference to this that it is said, And the light is sweet,343Ecclesiastes 11:7. since through the Light, they perceive good discernment. Now the manna was a product of that Higher Light which became tangible by the will of its Creator, blessed be He, and thus [according to Rabbi Akiba], both the people who ate the manna and the ministering angels were sustained by the same substance. But Rabbi Yishmael criticized him, since the existence of the ministering angels is not dependent upon something tangible evolving from the Light. Their existence is by means of the Higher Light itself.
It was for this reason, [i.e., the heavenly origin of the manna], that the Israelites found in the manna every flavor they desired. The rational power of the soul causes it to cleave to the higher worlds, thus finding restful life and obtaining His favor.344See Proverbs 8:35.
And thus the Rabbis have said in the Mechilta:345Mechilta on Verse 25: Today ye shall not find it in the field. This teaching is that of Rabbi Eleazar Chisma. Ramban will later refer to it by name. “Today, [i.e., in this world], you will not find it, but you will find it in the World to Come.” This text [of the Mechilta] can support two explanations. We may say that among those [inheriting eternal life] in the World to Come,346Ramban clearly uses the concept of olam haba (the World to Come) as referring to the life after the resurrection. It is the life to be in the far hereafter, as distinguished from the olam haneshamoth (the World of the Souls), which is the life in the hereafter immediately following the demise of the body. In olam haba, body and soul will be reunited, and the manner of how the body will sustain itself is here alluded to by Ramban. See also Note 12 in Seder Va’eira. An exhaustive discussion of this whole subject is found in Ramban’s Torath Ha’adam, (Kithvei Haramban, Vol. 2, pp. 283-311). there will be some who have not achieved that high status of sustaining themselves steadily by the Divine Glory. Their existence will be made possible by something tangible evolving from that Glory, like the status of the generation of the wilderness who attained [the beholding of] the Divine Glory at the Red Sea, just as the Rabbis have said:347Mechilta 15:2. “A maidservant saw at the sea what the prophet Ezekiel348Reference is to Ezekiel, Chapter 1. In our Mechilta it states, “Isaiah and Ezekiel.” See Isaiah 6:1-6. Rashi (above. 15:2) just has: “prophets.” never saw.” From that time onward, their souls were elevated to be able to exist by the product [of the Divine Glory], which was the manna.
A more correct interpretation is that in the word today — [Verse 25: ‘Today’ ye shall not find it in the field] — Scripture is alluding according to the words of Rabbi Eleazar Chisma,349See above, Note 345. that those [inheriting eternal life in] the World to Come346Ramban clearly uses the concept of olam haba (the World to Come) as referring to the life after the resurrection. It is the life to be in the far hereafter, as distinguished from the olam haneshamoth (the World of the Souls), which is the life in the hereafter immediately following the demise of the body. In olam haba, body and soul will be reunited, and the manner of how the body will sustain itself is here alluded to by Ramban. See also Note 12 in Seder Va’eira. An exhaustive discussion of this whole subject is found in Ramban’s Torath Ha’adam, (Kithvei Haramban, Vol. 2, pp. 283-311). will exist by the substance of the manna which is the Higher Glory, just as the Rabbis have said:350Berachoth 17a. “[In the World to Come] there will be neither eating nor drinking. Rather, the righteous [of the World to Come] will sit with their crowns on their heads and enjoy the Divine Glory.” [This means] that those [inheriting] the World to Come will exist by their enjoyment of the Divine Glory, which will cleave to the crowns upon their heads. “The crown” is the attribute so named by Scripture when it says, In that day shall the Eternal of hosts be for a crown of Glory.351Isaiah 28:5. And it is with reference to it that it is said, Even upon the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him.352Song of Songs 3:11. Thus [the verses] allude to the manner in which the righteous inheriting the World to Come will be sustained, the hint being to the substance of the manna.
Now Scripture says, And He commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; and He caused manna to rain upon them for food, and gave them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat the bread of the mighty,353Psalms 78:23-25. and it further says, And He gave them in plenty the bread of heaven.354Ibid., 105:40. From this, it appears that this “corn” is in heaven, and He caused it to come down for them by opening its doors. The intent thereof is, as I have explained, that the [Higher] Light was made tangible [and assumed the form of the manna], for it is of the Higher Light that Scripture speaks in this language, [such as]: the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of G-d.355Ezekiel 1:1. It may be that the manna was already existing in the heavens [in the form in which it came down], just as the Rabbis have said330Aboth 5:6. that it was created on the sixth day of creation between sundown and nightfall.
But it is not correct to interpret the expression, and in the morning, then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal as applying to the gift of the manna because He gave it to them early in the morning. What Glory of the Eternal is made manifest in this? Moreover, how does it logically connect with the phrase following it, for that He hath heard your murmurings? And this Midrash of our Rabbis, [which Rashi mentions, i.e., that there was a difference in the ways the manna and the quail were given to them], is not like a comment upon the expression, then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal. Instead, the Rabbis said it [as an explanation of the fact] that He apportioned their sustenance twice a day and did not distribute all of it in the morning. Thus the Rabbis said in the Mechilta:325Mechilta on Verse 8. “And Moses said: ‘This shall be, when the Eternal shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full.’ From here, you learn that He gave them the quail with ‘a dark countenance.’ The manna, however, which they were justified in requesting, He gave them with ‘a bright countenance.’” That is to say, in the morning.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that the expression, and in the morning, etc., [beginning in Verse 7], is a continuation of the previous verse. [It constitutes Moses’ answer to] what the Israelites had said, for ye have brought us forth326Verse 3. from Egypt. Moses replied: “G-d will now show two signs for you so that you may know that it was He Who brought you out from there. One, [the quail] will come in the evening of this day, and the other, [the manna] will come tomorrow in the morning.” And, [continued Ibn Ezra], it would have been proper for Scripture to say: “At even, and in the morning, then ye shall know that the Eternal hath brought you out from the land of Egypt.” The expression in the morning is not connected with then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal, since they saw the Glory [later] on that day [and not in the following morning].327To grasp the boldness of Ibn Ezra’s explanation, one must note the following sequence of language in the two verses: (6) And Moses and Aaron said… At even, then ye shall know that the Eternal hath brought you out from the land of Egypt. (7) And in the morning, then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal. According to Ibn Ezra’s interpretation, the expression of Verse 7, and in the morning, is to be understood together with at even (of Verse 6), thus: “at even and in the morning, then ye shall know that the Eternal hath brought you out from the land of Egypt.” The phrase, and in the morning, cannot be connected with then ye shall see the Glory of the Eternal, for as narrated in Verses 9-10, the Glory of the Eternal appeared that very same day, and not in the following morning. Ramban will further refute this explanation of Ibn Ezra on the basis of the fact that after all, the verses are not written in the way Ibn Ezra would transpose them. His own exposition will then follow. But this interpretation too does not appear to be correct.328See end of above Note.
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the wonder inherent in the manna was extremely great, whereas He brought the quail in from the sea by a wind which came from Him.329Numbers 11:31. The manna, however, was created for them now; [it was] a new creation in heaven, similar to the process of [the original] Creation. This is the intent of what the Rabbis have said with respect to the manna, i.e., that it was created on the sixth day of creation between sundown and nightfall.330Aboth 5:6. This is why Scripture said: “By the sign He will perform for you on the coming night, you will know that He brought you out from the land of Egypt, since He prepared a table in the wilderness for you.331See Psalms 78:19. But by the great wonder He will do for you in the morning, you will see the Glory of His kingdom, for what god is there in heaven or on earth that can do according to His works and according to His mighty acts?”332Deuteronomy 3:24. By the great and marvellous things that G-d does, He shows His Glory, similar to that which is written, I will gather all nations, and all tongues, and they shall come, and shall see My Glory.333Isaiah 66:18. It is further written [there], and they shall declare My Glory,334Ibid., Verse 19. and there are many other verses similar to this effect. So also is the opinion of Onkelos who rendered [the verse here]: “and you will see the Glory of G-d.” He did not translate it, “and [the Glory of G-d] will be made manifest.”335Had Onkelos translated “and the Glory of G-d will be made manifest,” it would have comprised Onkelos’ effort to remove any implication of G-d’s corporeality. But now that he translated, “and you will see the Glory of G-d,” his reference is to the great and wonderful deed G-d will do for them through the manna.
Know that the subject of the manna involves a great matter.336“Matter.” In the Ricanti quoting Ramban: “secret.” Our rabbis have alluded to it in Tractate Yoma:337Yoma 75b. “Man did eat bread of ‘abirim’ (the mighty),338Psalms 78:25. A reference to the manna which the Israelites ate in the wilderness. The question arises about the meaning of the word abirim. i.e., bread which the ministering angels eat! These are the words of Rabbi Akiba. Rabbi Yishmael said to him, ‘You have made a mistake. Do the ministering angels indeed eat bread? Has it not been said [by Moses], I did neither eat bread nor drink water?339Deuteronomy 9:9. Rather, the bread of ‘abirim’ means bread which was absorbed in the eivarim (limbs).’”340See Vol. I, p. 76, on the fruits of the Garden of Eden.
The purport of Rabbi Akiba’s words is that the existence of the ministering angels is sustained by the Divine Glory. And so the Rabbis interpreted:341Shemoth Rabbah 32:4. “And Thou ‘m’chayeh’ (preservest) them all342Nehemiah 9:6. [means] He gives food (‘michyah’) to you all.” It is with reference to this that it is said, And the light is sweet,343Ecclesiastes 11:7. since through the Light, they perceive good discernment. Now the manna was a product of that Higher Light which became tangible by the will of its Creator, blessed be He, and thus [according to Rabbi Akiba], both the people who ate the manna and the ministering angels were sustained by the same substance. But Rabbi Yishmael criticized him, since the existence of the ministering angels is not dependent upon something tangible evolving from the Light. Their existence is by means of the Higher Light itself.
It was for this reason, [i.e., the heavenly origin of the manna], that the Israelites found in the manna every flavor they desired. The rational power of the soul causes it to cleave to the higher worlds, thus finding restful life and obtaining His favor.344See Proverbs 8:35.
And thus the Rabbis have said in the Mechilta:345Mechilta on Verse 25: Today ye shall not find it in the field. This teaching is that of Rabbi Eleazar Chisma. Ramban will later refer to it by name. “Today, [i.e., in this world], you will not find it, but you will find it in the World to Come.” This text [of the Mechilta] can support two explanations. We may say that among those [inheriting eternal life] in the World to Come,346Ramban clearly uses the concept of olam haba (the World to Come) as referring to the life after the resurrection. It is the life to be in the far hereafter, as distinguished from the olam haneshamoth (the World of the Souls), which is the life in the hereafter immediately following the demise of the body. In olam haba, body and soul will be reunited, and the manner of how the body will sustain itself is here alluded to by Ramban. See also Note 12 in Seder Va’eira. An exhaustive discussion of this whole subject is found in Ramban’s Torath Ha’adam, (Kithvei Haramban, Vol. 2, pp. 283-311). there will be some who have not achieved that high status of sustaining themselves steadily by the Divine Glory. Their existence will be made possible by something tangible evolving from that Glory, like the status of the generation of the wilderness who attained [the beholding of] the Divine Glory at the Red Sea, just as the Rabbis have said:347Mechilta 15:2. “A maidservant saw at the sea what the prophet Ezekiel348Reference is to Ezekiel, Chapter 1. In our Mechilta it states, “Isaiah and Ezekiel.” See Isaiah 6:1-6. Rashi (above. 15:2) just has: “prophets.” never saw.” From that time onward, their souls were elevated to be able to exist by the product [of the Divine Glory], which was the manna.
A more correct interpretation is that in the word today — [Verse 25: ‘Today’ ye shall not find it in the field] — Scripture is alluding according to the words of Rabbi Eleazar Chisma,349See above, Note 345. that those [inheriting eternal life in] the World to Come346Ramban clearly uses the concept of olam haba (the World to Come) as referring to the life after the resurrection. It is the life to be in the far hereafter, as distinguished from the olam haneshamoth (the World of the Souls), which is the life in the hereafter immediately following the demise of the body. In olam haba, body and soul will be reunited, and the manner of how the body will sustain itself is here alluded to by Ramban. See also Note 12 in Seder Va’eira. An exhaustive discussion of this whole subject is found in Ramban’s Torath Ha’adam, (Kithvei Haramban, Vol. 2, pp. 283-311). will exist by the substance of the manna which is the Higher Glory, just as the Rabbis have said:350Berachoth 17a. “[In the World to Come] there will be neither eating nor drinking. Rather, the righteous [of the World to Come] will sit with their crowns on their heads and enjoy the Divine Glory.” [This means] that those [inheriting] the World to Come will exist by their enjoyment of the Divine Glory, which will cleave to the crowns upon their heads. “The crown” is the attribute so named by Scripture when it says, In that day shall the Eternal of hosts be for a crown of Glory.351Isaiah 28:5. And it is with reference to it that it is said, Even upon the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him.352Song of Songs 3:11. Thus [the verses] allude to the manner in which the righteous inheriting the World to Come will be sustained, the hint being to the substance of the manna.
Now Scripture says, And He commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; and He caused manna to rain upon them for food, and gave them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat the bread of the mighty,353Psalms 78:23-25. and it further says, And He gave them in plenty the bread of heaven.354Ibid., 105:40. From this, it appears that this “corn” is in heaven, and He caused it to come down for them by opening its doors. The intent thereof is, as I have explained, that the [Higher] Light was made tangible [and assumed the form of the manna], for it is of the Higher Light that Scripture speaks in this language, [such as]: the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of G-d.355Ezekiel 1:1. It may be that the manna was already existing in the heavens [in the form in which it came down], just as the Rabbis have said330Aboth 5:6. that it was created on the sixth day of creation between sundown and nightfall.