| 1They moved on from Eilim. The entire community of the Israelites came to the Sin Desert, which is between Eilim and Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month after they had left Egypt. |
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אוַיִּסְעוּ֙ מֵֽאֵילִ֔ם וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֤ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־מִדְבַּר־סִ֔ין אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽין־אֵילִ֖ם וּבֵ֣ין סִינָ֑י בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֥ר יוֹם֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י לְצֵאתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם - On the 15th day. The date of this encampment is stated explicitly, because on that day the bread that they had brought out with them from Egypt was used up and they therefore required the manna. This comes to teach us that they ate 61 meals from what remained of the dough they baked in Egypt – and the manna fell for them on the sixteenth of Iyar, which was the first day of the week, as is stated in Tractate Shabbat. |
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בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם.
נִתְפָּרֵשׁ הַיּוֹם שֶׁל חֲנָיָה זוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁבּוֹ בַיּוֹם כָּלְתָה הַחֲרָרָה שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְהֻצְרְכוּ לַמָּן, לְלַמְּדֵנוּ, שֶׁאָכְלוּ מִשְּׁיָרֵי הַבָּצֵק שִׁשִּׁים וְאַחַת סְעוּדוֹת וְיָרַד לָהֶם מָן בְּשִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּאִיָּר, וְיוֹם א' בְּשַׁבָּת הָיָה כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת (פ"ז):
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| 2The entire community of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the desert. |
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בוַיִּלּ֜וֹנוּ (כתיב וילינו) כָּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל עַל־משֶׁ֥ה וְעַל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן בַּמִּדְבָּֽר: |
| וילונו - They complained - because their bread had finished. |
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וילונו.
לְפִי שֶׁכָּלָה הַלֶּחֶם:
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| 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died at the hand of God in Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread! But you have taken us out to this desert, to starve this entire assembly to death!” |
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גוַיֹּֽאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִֽי־יִתֵּ֨ן מוּתֵ֤נוּ בְיַד־יְהֹוָה֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּ֨נוּ֙ עַל־סִ֣יר הַבָּשָׂ֔ר בְּאָכְלֵ֥נוּ לֶ֖חֶם לָשׂ֑בַע כִּי־הֽוֹצֵאתֶ֤ם אֹתָ֨נוּ֙ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְהָמִ֛ית אֶת־כָּל־הַקָּהָ֥ל הַזֶּ֖ה בָּֽרָעָֽב: |
| מִֽי־יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ - מוּתֵנוּ means: “that we die.” It is not a noun like מוֹתֵנוּ “our death,” but an infinitive like עֲשׂוֹתֵנוּ, חֲנוֹתֵנוּ, שׁוּבֵנוּ, which mean, respectively: “that we do”; “that we encamp.”; “that we return” Here, too, מוּתֵנוּ means “that we die.” Similarly, Onkelos translates this phrase as לְוַי דְּמִיתְנָא, the same as the Hebrew לוּ מַתְנוּ, meaning: “if only we would have died.” |
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מִֽי־יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ.
שֶׁנָּמוּת; וְאֵינוֹ שֵׁם דָּבָר כְּמוֹ מִיתָתֵנוּ, אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ עֲשׂוֹתֵנוּ חֲנוֹתֵנוּ שׁוּבֵנוּ, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֲנַחְנוּ, לַחֲנוֹת אֲנַחְנוּ, לָמוּת אֲנַחְנוּ. תַּרְגּוּמוֹ לְוַי דְּמִיתְנָא, "לוּ מַתְנוּ" (במדבר יד, ב) — הַלְוַאי וְהָיִינוּ מֵתִים:
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| 4God said to Moses, “I am going to rain down bread for you from the sky. The people will go out and gather each day’s portion on that day. This way, I will test them as to whether or not they will follow My teaching. |
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דוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה הִֽנְנִ֨י מַמְטִ֥יר לָכֶ֛ם לֶ֖חֶם מִן־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְיָצָ֨א הָעָ֤ם וְלָֽקְטוּ֙ דְּבַר־י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ לְמַ֧עַן אֲנַסֶּ֛נּוּ הֲיֵלֵ֥ךְ בְּתֽוֹרָתִ֖י אִם־לֹֽא: |
| דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ - Each day’s portion on that day - i.e., what is needed for each day’s food they must gather on that day, but they may not gather today for tomorrow’s needs. |
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דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ.
צֹרֶךְ אֲכִילַת יוֹם יִלְקְטוּ בְּיוֹמוֹ וְלֹא הַיּוֹם לְצֹרֶךְ מָחָר (מכילתא):
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| לְמַעַן אֲנַסֶּנּוּ הֲיֵלֵךְ בְּתֽוֹרָתִי - This way I will test them as to whether they will follow My teaching - i.e., if they will follow My commands associated with the manna: that they not leave any of it over until the next day, and that they not go out on the Sabbath to gather it. |
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לְמַעַן אֲנַסֶּנּוּ הֲיֵלֵךְ בְּתֽוֹרָתִי.
אִם יִשְׁמְרוּ מִצְווֹת הַתְּלוּיוֹת בּוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יוֹתִירוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא יֵצְאוּ בַּשַּׁבָּת לִלְקֹט:
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| 5On the sixth day, they must prepare what they bring in, and it will miraculously be twice as much as they gather each day.” |
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הוְהָיָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔י וְהֵכִ֖ינוּ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־יָבִ֑יאוּ וְהָיָ֣ה מִשְׁנֶ֔ה עַ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יִלְקְט֖וּ י֥וֹם | יֽוֹם: |
| וְהָיָה מִשְׁנֶה - And it will be twice as much - i.e., for today and tomorrow. |
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וְהָיָה מִשְׁנֶה.
לַיּוֹם וְלַמָּחֳרָת:
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| מִשְׁנֶה - Twice as much - as what they were usually gathering on each day of the other days of the week. I say that the words “what they bring in, and it will be twice as much” imply that after they will bring it in they will discover it to measure double what they were gathering and measuring each day; and this is also the meaning of: “they gathered a double portion of bread,” that once it was gathered it was discovered to be double the amount of bread; and this, too, is the meaning of: “that is why on the sixth day He gives you food for two days,” that He gives you blessing – in Old French: “foyson” (“abundance”) – in your house to fill the omer-measure twice, as food for two days. |
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מִשְׁנֶה.
עַל שֶׁהָיוּ רְגִילִים לִלְקֹט יוֹם יוֹם שֶׁל שְׁאָר יְמוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעַ; אוֹמֵר אֲנִי "אֲשֶׁר יָבִיאוּ וְהָיָה מִשְׁנֶה" – לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּבִיאוּ, יִמְצְאוּ מִשְׁנֶה בַּמְּדִידָה עַל אֲשֶׁר יִלְקְטוּ וְיָמֹדּוּ יוֹם יוֹם, וְזֶהוּ לָקְטוּ לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה – בִּלְקִיטָתוֹ הָיָה נִמְצָא לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה. וְזֶהוּ עַל כֵּן הוּא נוֹתֵן לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי לֶחֶם יוֹמָיִם – נוֹתֵן לָכֶם בְּרָכָה, פוי"שן, בַּבַּיִת לְמַלֹּאת הָעֹמֶר פַּעֲמַיִם לְלֶחֶם יוֹמַיִם:
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| 6Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the late afternoon, you will recognize that it is God who took you out of Egypt. |
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ווַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ וְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֶל־כָּל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עֶ֕רֶב וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֧י יְהֹוָ֛ה הוֹצִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם: |
| עֶרֶב - is the same as לָעֶרֶב – in the evening. |
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עֶרֶב.
כְּמוֹ לָעֶרֶב:
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| וִֽידַעְתֶּם כִּי ה' הוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם - You will recognize that it is God who took you out of Egypt. Since you said to us: “but you have taken us out,” you will now know that it is not we who took you out, but it is God who took you out, for He will bring the flight of quails for you. |
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וִֽידַעְתֶּם כִּי ה' הוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם.
לְפִי שֶׁאֲמַרְתֶּם לָנוּ כִּי הוֹצֵאתֶם אוֹתָנוּ, תֵּדְעוּ כִּי לֹא אֲנַחְנוּ הַמּוֹצִיאִים אֶלָּא ה' הוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם שֶׁיָּגִיז לָכֶם אֶת הַשְּׂלָו:
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| 7In the morning, you will see the glory of God, which He will reveal to you despite having heard your complaints against God. For what are we, that you should incite others to complain against us?” |
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זוּבֹ֗קֶר וּרְאִיתֶם֙ אֶת־כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּשָׁמְע֥וֹ אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְנַ֣חְנוּ מָ֔ה כִּ֥י תַלִּ֖ינוּ (כתיב תלונו) עָלֵֽינוּ: |
| וּבֹקֶר וּרְאִיתֶם - And in the morning you will see [the glory of God]. This is not referring to that revelation of God’s glory of which it says: “they beheld the glory of God in a cloud.” Rather, this is what in effect Moses said to them: In the evening, you will realize that God has the ability to provide what you crave, for He will give you meat. However, He will not give it to you with a “shining countenance,” for you asked for it improperly, i.e., as an impudent complaint, and out of a “full stomach.” But as for bread, for which you asked out of necessity, expressing your faith that God can provide for you – when it comes down in the morning, you will see the glory of the light of His countenance, for He will have it come down for you in a loving manner – in the morning, when there is enough time to prepare it, and protected with a layer of dew above and a layer of dew below, as if it were enclosed in a box. |
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וּבֹקֶר וּרְאִיתֶם.
לֹא עַל הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהִנֵּה כְּבוֹד ה' נִרְאָה בֶּעָנָן" נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר לָהֶם, עֶרֶב וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי הַיְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לִתֵּן תַּאֲוַתְכֶם, וּבָשָׂר יִתֵּן, אַךְ לֹא בְּפָנִים מְאִירוֹת יִתְּנֶנָּה לָכֶם, כִּי שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֹגֶן שְׁאַלְתֶּם אוֹתוֹ וּמִכָּרֵס מְלֵאָה, וְהַלֶּחֶם שֶׁשְּׁאַלְתֶּם לְצֹרֶךְ, בִּירִידָתוֹ לַבֹּקֶר תִּרְאוּ אֶת כְּבוֹד אוֹר פָּנָיו – שֶׁיּוֹרִידֵהוּ לָכֶם דֶּרֶךְ חִבָּה, בַּבֹּקֶר, שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁעוֹת לַהֲכִינוֹ וְטַל מִלְמַעְלָה וְטַל מִלְּמַטָּה, כְּמֻנָּח בְּקֻפְסָא (יומא ע"ה):
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| אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶם עַל־ה' - means here the same as תְּלֻנֹּתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר עַל ה׳ – Your complaints, which are against God. |
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אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶם עַל־ה'.
כְּמוֹ אֲשֶׁר עַל ה':
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| וְנַחְנוּ מָה - For what are we - i.e., of what importance are we. |
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וְנַחְנוּ מָה.
מָה אֲנַחְנוּ חֲשׁוּבִין?
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| כִּי תלינו עָלֵֽינוּ - means: “that you make everyone complain against us” – your sons, your wives, your daughters, and the mixed multitude. I must perforce explain תַּלִּינוּ as a hif’il (causative) form, because of the dagesh it has in the ל and its vocalization – for if it were without a dagesh (תָּלִינוּ), I would explain it as a kal (simple) form, as in וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל מֹשֶׁה “and the people complained against Moses”; or if it did have a dagesh but it did not have a י, being read as תִּלּוֹנוּ, I would explain it as meaning תִּתְלוֹנְנוּ “you bring yourself to complain.” Now, however, that it is read as תַּלִּינוּ, its meaning is “you cause others to complain,” just as is written about the spies: וַיַּלִּינוּ עָלָיו אֶת כָּל הָעֵדָה “and they caused the entire community to complain against Moses.” |
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כִּי תלינו עָלֵֽינוּ.
שֶׁתַּרְעִימוּ עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַכֹּל, וְאֶת בְּנֵיכֶם וּנְשֵׁיכֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיכֶם וְעֵרֶב רַב. וְעַל כָּרְחִי אֲנִי זָקוּק לְפָרֵשׁ תַּלִּינוּ בִּלְשׁוֹן תַּפְעִילוּ מִפְּנֵי דַּגְשׁוּתוֹ וּקְרִיָּתוֹ, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה רָפֶה, הָיִיתִי מְפָרְשׁוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן תִּפְעֲלוּ, כְּמוֹ "וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל מֹשֶׁה" (שמות י"ז), אוֹ אִם הָיָה דָגוּשׁ וְאֵין בּוֹ יוֹ"ד וְנִקְרָא תִלּוֹנוּ, הָיִיתִי מְפָרְשׁוֹ לְשׁוֹן תִּתְלוֹנְנוּ, עַכְשָׁיו הוּא מַשְׁמַע תַּלִּינוּ אֶת אֲחֵרִים, כְּמוֹ בַּמְּרַגְּלִים "וַיַּלִּינוּ עָלָיו אֶת כָּל הָעֵדָה" (במדבר י"ד):
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| 8Moses said, “You will see the glory of God when God gives you meat to eat in the late afternoon and bread to satiety in the morning, despite God having heard your complaints that you incite others to complain against Him. For what are we? Your complaints are not against us, but against God!” |
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חוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה בְּתֵ֣ת יְהֹוָה֩ לָכֶ֨ם בָּעֶ֜רֶב בָּשָׂ֣ר לֶֽאֱכֹ֗ל וְלֶ֤חֶם בַּבֹּ֨קֶר֙ לִשְׂבֹּ֔עַ בִּשְׁמֹ֤עַ יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־תְּלֻנֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם מַלִּינִ֖ם עָלָ֑יו וְנַ֣חְנוּ מָ֔ה לֹֽא־עָלֵ֥ינוּ תְלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶ֖ם כִּ֥י עַל־יְהֹוָֽה: |
| בָּשָׂר לֶֽאֱכֹל - Meat to eat - but not “to satiety” as is stated regarding bread. Although both bread and meat were in fact provided in abundance, the Torah here teaches us proper conduct, that one should not eat meat to satiety. And why did God see fit to bring down bread in the morning and meat in the evening? Because for bread their request was appropriate, since a person cannot subsist without bread, but their request for meat was inappropriate, for they possessed many animals, and furthermore, they could survive without meat; He therefore gave it to them when it is difficult to prepare, i.e., in an inconvenient manner. |
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בָּשָׂר לֶֽאֱכֹל.
וְלֹא לִשְׂבֹּעַ; לִמְּדָה תוֹרָה דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁאֵין אוֹכְלִין בָּשָׂר לָשֹׂבַע. וּמָה רָאָה לְהוֹרִיד לֶחֶם בַּבֹּקֶר וּבָשָׂר בָּעֶרֶב? לְפִי שֶׁהַלֶּחֶם שָׁאֲלוּ כַּהֹגֶן, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לָאָדָם בְּלֹא לֶחֶם, אֲבָל בָּשָׂר שָׁאֲלוּ שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֹגֶן, שֶׁהַרְבֵּה בְהֵמוֹת הָיוּ לָהֶם, וְעוֹד שֶׁהָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם בְּלֹא בָשָׂר, לְפִיכָךְ נָתַן לָהֶם בִּשְׁעַת טֹרַח שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֹגֶן (יומא ע"ה):
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| אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם מַלִּינִם עָלָיו - That you incite to complain against Him - the other people who hear you complaining. |
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אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם מַלִּינִם עָלָיו.
אֶת הָאֲחֵרִים הַשּׁוֹמְעִים אֶתְכֶם מִתְלוֹנְנִים:
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| 9Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the entire community of the Israelites, ‘Draw near before God, for He has heard your complaints.’” |
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טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֱמֹ֗ר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל קִרְב֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע אֵ֖ת תְּלֻנֹּֽתֵיכֶֽם: |
| קִרְבוּ - Draw near - to the place where the cloud would descend. |
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קִרְבוּ.
לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֶעָנָן יֵרֵד:
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| 10When Aaron spoke to the entire community of the Israelites and they turned toward the desert, they beheld the glory of God in a cloud. |
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יוַיְהִ֗י כְּדַבֵּ֤ר אַֽהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּפְנ֖וּ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְהִנֵּה֙ כְּב֣וֹד יְהֹוָ֔ה נִרְאָ֖ה בֶּֽעָנָֽן: |
