ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף תהילים 78:27

BEHOLD, I WILL ‘MAMTIR’ (CAUSE TO RAIN) BREAD FROM HEAVEN FOR YOU. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that because the manna came down like rain from heaven, He said mamtir, [which is derived from the root matar (rain)]. But we find: ‘yamteir’ (He will cause to rain) coals, fire and brimstone;²⁹⁵Psalms 11:6. And the Eternal ‘himtir’ (caused to rain) upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire.²⁹⁶Genesis 19:24. [Brimstone and fire do not come down like rain, and yet Scripture uses the word matar with reference to them!] Perhaps in these cases they accompanied the rain of which the term “coming down” may properly be used. Onkelos’ opinion is that mamtir just means “cause to bring down,” for he translated: “behold, I will cause to bring down.” [However, it has no connection here with rain, as Ibn Ezra would have it.]
It is possible that the word mamtir can be associated with the expression ‘kamatarah’ (as a mark) for the arrow,²⁹⁷Lamentations 3:12. although they are of different roots.²⁹⁸For the word matarah (target) is of the root natar (keep), since a target is kept in sight and watched. Mamtir however is of the root matar (rain). Yet, as Ramban concludes, they have a common association, as is explained in the text. Scripture makes use of both terms when speaking of every form of “falling from above.” Thus it is called matarah (target) because they come down like arrows [on a target], and it says, ‘vayamteir’ (And He caused to rain) upon them flesh as the dust, and winged fowl as the sand of the seas.²⁹⁹Psalms 78:27. It may be that [Scripture does not use the term mamtir for every form of “falling from above,” but only] for the fowl of heaven. [Therefore, the term, vayamteir in the above — mentioned verse refers only to the winged fowl] because they came down upon them as the rain.

And why they began with meat and ended with fish, is because the term fish indicates more promiscuity in sexual matters than the term “meat,” since fish are more sexually unrestrained than the flesh of any living creature. Therefore, they said as a compromise, Who will feed us meat, meaning that they wanted to be permitted in sexual matters like other living flesh, although not to the extent of fish, for they did not ask for that much. Nevertheless, they said, We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt for free. Because while we were among the Egyptians who were immersed in sexual depravity, everything was permitted to us, even to be like fish, and now we wish we could at least be like other living flesh. This is the meaning of Who will feed us meat.
And it is plausible to understand that this is all quite literal, but their intention was to request meat which heats the body more and increases sexual desire. This is the meaning of the double expression they craved a craving — they craved something that would increase sexual desire. And although fish are cooling, they still increase bodily fluids and semen as well, and furthermore, one who eats fish adopts its nature of being sexually unrestrained. Fish have these two negative aspects, therefore they said as a compromise, Who will feed us meat which sustains desire, and we remember the fish which sustains even greater promiscuity. Nevertheless, they wished, If only we had meat as a compromise.
According to this interpretation, what Moses said, Where would I get meat… if all the fish of the sea can be understood literally, for they complained about these two things that assist in procreation. And God gave them quail, which heats the body even more and fulfills their request. And so it says in the Midrash (Tanchuma 16) that it is written (Psalms 78:27), He rained meat upon them like dust, and it is written elsewhere (Leviticus 18:6), No man shall approach any flesh of his flesh — referring to forbidden sexual relations, for this is what their souls desired.

We have been told in Yuma 76 that the disciples asked Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai why G’d did not simply provide a year’s supply of manna at one time? The Rabbi answered his students that G’d wanted to teach the Jewish people that they are dependent upon His goodwill every day of the year. If they would reflect on the fact that maybe on the morrow there would be no manna and they and their families would face starvation they would turn to their father in heaven in supplication. Another reason given why the manna descended only one day’s supply at a time was so that they would eat it while it was fresh. A third reason given is that by receiving only one day’s supply at a time they would be saved the trouble of carrying their food supply with them all the time.
The following folio (75) in the Talmud also relates that the manna displayed different properties for different categories of people. The righteous would eat it in the form of bread; the average Israelite would prepare it into cakes. The wicked would grind it in a mortar or other utensil described in Numbers 11,7-9 (compare our comments there). The righteous would find it at their doorsteps; the average Israelite would leave his tent and collect it a little further away; the wicked would have to leave camp to search for it and to collect it. This explains the various verses describing all this in Numbers chapter 11. When Assaph, a contemporary of these events, described the manna in Psalm 78,27, he describes things in a similar manner: “He rained it upon them like dust;” a reference to the righteous. “He made it fall upon inside his camp;” (a reference to the average Israelite); “around his dwelling place;” (this was a reference to the wicked).