Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 16

11God then spoke to Moses, saying,   יאוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר:
12“I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Speak to them and say, ‘In the late afternoon you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread to satiety, and then you will recognize that I am God, your God.’”   יבשָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶת־תְּלוּנֹּת֘ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ דַּבֵּ֨ר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר בֵּ֤ין הָֽעַרְבַּ֨יִם֙ תֹּֽאכְל֣וּ בָשָׂ֔ר וּבַבֹּ֖קֶר תִּשְׂבְּעוּ־לָ֑חֶם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם:
13In the late afternoon, quails came up and covered the camp. In the morning, there was a layer of dew around the camp.   יגוַיְהִ֣י בָעֶ֔רֶב וַתַּ֣עַל הַשְּׂלָ֔ו וַתְּכַ֖ס אֶת־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה וּבַבֹּ֗קֶר הָֽיְתָה֙ שִׁכְבַ֣ת הַטָּ֔ל סָבִ֖יב לַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
הַשְּׂלָו - Quails. A species of bird that is very fatty.   הַשְּׂלָו.  מִין עוֹף וְשָׁמֵן מְאֹד (יומא ע"ה):
הָֽיְתָה שִׁכְבַת הַטּל - There was a layer of dew - i.e., the dew lay on top of the manna. But in another place it says: “When the dew descended…the manna would descend upon it.” 1 We must then say that the dew fell on the ground and the manna fell on top of it, and then dew fell again on top of the manna such that it was as if enclosed in a box.   הָֽיְתָה שִׁכְבַת הַטּל.  הַטַּל שׁוֹכֵב עַל הַמָּן, וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר י"א) "וּבְרֶדֶת הַטַּל וְגוֹ'", הַטַּל יוֹרֵד עַל הָאָרֶץ, וְהַמָּן יוֹרֵד עָלָיו, וְחוֹזֵר וְיוֹרֵד טַל עָלָיו, הֲרֵי הוּא כְּמֻנָּח בְּקֻפְסָא (יומא שם):
14When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, over the surface of the desert, a thin substance that had been packed in the dew was exposed, as if the upper layer of dew had been peeled back. This substance had a thin crust on top and was as fine as the frost on the ground.   ידוַתַּ֖עַל שִׁכְבַ֣ת הַטָּ֑ל וְהִנֵּ֞ה עַל־פְּנֵ֤י הַמִּדְבָּר֙ דַּ֣ק מְחֻסְפָּ֔ס דַּ֥ק כַּכְּפֹ֖ר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
וַתַּעַל שִׁכְבַת הַטָּל וגו' - The layer of dew evaporated… When the sun shone, the dew above the manna rose toward the sun, as is the manner of dew to ascend toward the sun – for even if you fill an eggshell with dew, seal its opening, and leave it in the sun, it rises by itself in the air. But our rabbis 2 expounded these words to mean that the dew rose from the ground into the air and the manna came down from heaven, unlike the natural order of Creation, for here bread came from above and dew from below, i.e., rising in the ground moisture instead of condensing from the atmosphere; and when the layer of dew rose, the manna became revealed and they saw that “behold, over the surface of the desert….”   וַתַּעַל שִׁכְבַת הַטָּל וגו'.  כְּשֶׁהַחַמָּה זוֹרַחַת, עוֹלֶה הַטַּל שֶׁעַל הַמָּן לִקְרַאת הַחַמָּה, כְּדֶרֶךְ טַל עוֹלֶה לִקְרַאת הַחַמָּה; אַף אִם תְּמַלֵּא שְׁפוֹפֶרֶת שֶׁל בֵּיצָה טַל וְתִסְתֹּם אֶת פִּיהָ וְתַנִּיחָהּ בַחַמָּה הִיא עוֹלָה מֵאֵלֶיהָ בָּאֲוִיר. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ, שֶׁהַטַּל עוֹלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ בָּאֲוִיר, וְכַעֲלוֹת שִׁכְבַת הַטָּל נִתְגַלָּה הַמָּן וְרָאוּ והנה על פני המדבר וגו':
דַּק - (lit.) Thin - i.e., a thin object.   דַּק.  – דָּבָר דַּק:
מְחֻסְפָּס - means “uncovered,” but there is no other example of this word in Scripture. One may also explain מְחֻסְפָּס as related to חֲפִיסָה וּדְלֻסְקְמָא “a container and a satchel,” which we find in Mishnaic Hebrew; 3 i.e., when the manna was uncovered from the layer of dew above it, they saw that there had been something thin packed (מְחֻסְפָּס) within, between the two layers of dew. Onkelos translates מְחֻסְפָּס as מְקַלַּף “peeled,” understanding it as being related to מַחְשֹׂף הַלָּבָן “exposing the white.” 4   מְחֻסְפָּס.  מְגֻלֶּה, וְאֵין דּוֹמֶה לוֹ בַּמִּקְרָא. וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר מְחֻסְפָּס לְשׁוֹן חֲפִיסָה וּדְלוּסְקְמָא שֶׁבִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה, כְּשֶׁנִּתְגַּלָּה מִשִּׁכְבַת הַטָּל רָאוּ שֶׁהָיָה דָּבָר דַּק מְחֻסְפָּס בְּתוֹכוֹ בֵּין שְׁתֵּי שִׁכְבוֹת הַטָּל. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם "מְקַלַּף", לְשׁוֹן מַחְשֹׂף הַלָּבָן:
כַּכְּפֹר - כְּפוֹר means “jelede” in Old French (“frost”). The second דַק in the verse Onkelos translates as דַּעֲדַק כְּגִיר – “thin like gir stones.” This is a kind of black color, as is stated regarding substances used for “covering the blood”: הַגִּיר וְהַזַּרְנִיךְ “gir and orpiment.” 5 Onkelos’ translation of the entire phrase is: דַּעֲדַק כְּגִיר כִּגְלִידָא עַל אַרְעָא, i.e., it was thin like gir, and lying congealed, like ice, upon the ground; and this is the meaning of דַק כַּכְּפֹר: flat and thin, and solid like frost. דַק is “tenves” in Old French, meaning that it formed a thin crust on top of the ground. The word כְּגִיר that Onkelos has in his translation is an addition to the Hebrew text, and it has no corresponding word in the verse.   כַּכְּפֹר.  כְּפוֹר יילי"דא בְלַעַז, דַּעֲדַק כְּגִיר, "כְּאַבְנֵי גִר" (ישעיהו כ"ז), וְהוּא מִין צֶבַע שָׁחֹר, כִּדְאָמְרִינַן גַּבֵּי כִּסּוּי הַדָּם "הַגִּיר וְהַזַּרְנִיךְ" (חולין פ"ח). "דַעְדַק כְּגִיר כִּגְלִידָא עַל אַרְעָא" – דַּק הָיָה כְּגִיר וְשׁוֹכֵב מֻגְלָד כְּקֶרַח עַל הָאָרֶץ, וְכֵן פֵּרוּשׁוֹ: דַּק כַּכְּפֹר – שָׁטוּחַ, קָלוּשׁ וּמְחֻבָּר כִּגְלִיד. דַּק טינב"ש בְּלַעַז, שֶׁהָיָה מַגְלִיד גֶּלֶד דַּק מִלְמַעְלָה; "וּכְגִיר" שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס תּוֹסֶפֶת הוּא עַל לְשׁוֹן הָעִבְרִית וְאֵין לוֹ תֵבָה בַּפָּסוּק:
15The Israelites saw the substance and said to each other, “It is a provision of food [man],” for they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “That is the bread that God has given you to eat.   טווַיִּרְא֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ אִ֤ישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו֙ מָ֣ן ה֔וּא כִּ֛י לֹ֥א יָֽדְע֖וּ מַה־ה֑וּא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם ה֣וּא הַלֶּ֔חֶם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָֽה:
מָן הוּא - means: It is a preparation of food, as in: וַיְמַן לָהֶם הַמֶּלֶךְ “The king prepared food for them.” 6   מָן הוּא.  הֲכָנַת מָזוֹן הוּא, כְּמוֹ "וַיְמַן לָהֶם הַמֶּלֶךְ" (דניאל א'):
כִּי לֹא יָֽדְעוּ מַה־הוּא - For they did not know what it was - that they could call it by its name.   כִּי לֹא יָֽדְעוּ מַה־הוּא.  שֶׁיִּקְרָאוּהוּ בִשְׁמוֹ:
16This is what God has commanded: ‘Gather it according to what each man needs to eat: you must take an omer per head, according to the number of people each man has in his tent.’”   טזזֶ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה לִקְט֣וּ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ אִ֖ישׁ לְפִ֣י אָכְל֑וֹ עֹ֣מֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּ֗לֶת מִסְפַּר֙ נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אִ֛ישׁ לַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּאָֽהֳל֖וֹ תִּקָּֽחוּ:
עֹמֶר - Omer. The name of a volume measure.   עֹמֶר.  שֵׁם מִדָּה:
מִסְפַּר נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם - (lit.) The number of your souls - i.e., according to the number of souls that each man has in his tent, so you must take an omer for each head.   מִסְפַּר נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם.  כְּפִי מִנְיַן נְפָשׁוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְאִישׁ בְּאָהֳלוֹ תִּקְּחוּ עֹמֶר לְכָל גֻּלְגֹּלֶת:
17The Israelites did what Moses told them. They gathered it, but some took more and some less.   יזוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֖ן בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּלְקְט֔וּ הַמַּרְבֶּ֖ה וְהַמַּמְעִֽיט:
הַמַּרְבֶּה וְהַמַּמְעִֽיט - (lit.) The one who took more and the one who took less. There were those who gathered much and those who gathered little, but when they came home, each man measured what he had gathered by the omer-measure, and they found that he who had gathered much had no more than an omer per each head of those in his tent, and he who had gathered little did not find any less than an omer per head; and this was a great miracle that happened with the manna.   הַמַּרְבֶּה וְהַמַּמְעִֽיט.  יֵשׁ שֶׁלָּקְטוּ הַרְבֵּה וְיֵשׁ שֶׁלָּקְטוּ מְעַט, וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ לְבֵיתָם מָדְדוּ בָעֹמֶר אִישׁ אִישׁ מַה שֶּׁלָּקְטוּ, וּמָצְאוּ שֶׁהַמַּרְבֶּה לִלְקֹט לֹא הֶעְדִּיף עַל עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת אֲשֶׁר בְּאָהֳלוֹ, וְהַמַּמְעִיט לִלְקֹט לֹא מָצָא חָסֵר מֵעֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת; וְזֶהוּ נֵס גָּדוֹל שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בּוֹ:
18But when they measured it by the omer, they found that he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little was lacking nothing; each man had gathered as much as he needed to eat.   יחוַיָּמֹ֣דּוּ בָעֹ֔מֶר וְלֹ֤א הֶעְדִּיף֙ הַמַּרְבֶּ֔ה וְהַמַּמְעִ֖יט לֹ֣א הֶחְסִ֑יר אִ֥ישׁ לְפִֽי־אָכְל֖וֹ לָקָֽטוּ:
19Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it over until morning.”   יטוַיֹּ֥אמֶר משֶׁ֖ה אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֕ישׁ אַל־יוֹתֵ֥ר מִמֶּ֖נּוּ עַד־בֹּֽקֶר:
20But they did not listen to Moses, and some people left some of it over until morning, and it became maggoty, after having first become putrid. Moses became angry with them.   כוְלֹא־שָֽׁמְע֣וּ אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה וַיּוֹתִ֨רוּ אֲנָשִׁ֤ים מִמֶּ֨נּוּ֙ עַד־בֹּ֔קֶר וַיָּ֥רֻם תּֽוֹלָעִ֖ים וַיִּבְאַ֑שׁ וַיִּקְצֹ֥ף עֲלֵהֶ֖ם משֶֽׁה:
וַיּוֹתִרוּ אֲנָשִׁים - And some people left over. They were Dathan and Aviram.   וַיּוֹתִרוּ אֲנָשִׁים.  דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם:
וַיָּרֻם תּֽוֹלָעִים - This is of the same root as רִמָּה “maggot.”   וַיָּרֻם תּֽוֹלָעִים.  לְשׁוֹן רִמָּה:
וַיִּבְאַשׁ - (lit.) It became putrid. This is an inverted verse, for first it became putrid and only afterwards did it become maggoty, as it says: “and it did not become putrid, nor was it infested with maggots,” 7 and such is the way of all things that become maggoty.   וַיִּבְאַשׁ.  הֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא הָפוּךְ, שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה הִבְאִישׁ וּלְבַסּוֹף הִתְלִיעַ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְלֹא הִבְאִישׁ וְרִמָּה לֹא הָיְתָה בּוֹ", וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ כָּל הַמַּתְלִיעִים (מכילתא):
21They gathered it each morning, each man according to what he needed to eat, and when the sun grew hot, whatever remained would melt.   כאוַיִּלְקְט֤וּ אֹתוֹ֙ בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֔קֶר אִ֖ישׁ כְּפִ֣י אָכְל֑וֹ וְחַ֥ם הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ וְנָמָֽס:
וְחַם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְנָמָֽס - And when the sun grew hot it would melt - i.e., that which was left in the field, and it would become streams. Gazelles and deer would then drink from them, and when other nations hunted and ate these animals, they would taste in them the taste of the manna and thus realize how praiseworthy the Israelites were.   וְחַם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְנָמָֽס.  הַנִּשְׁאָר בַּשָּׂדֶה נַעֲשֶׂה נְחָלִים וְשׁוֹתִין מִמֶּנּוּ אַיָּלִים וּצְבָאִים, וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם צָדִין מֵהֶם וְטוֹעֲמִים בָּהֶם טַעַם מָן, וְיוֹדְעִים מַה שִּׁבְחָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
וְנָמָֽס - Onkelos’ translation of נָמָס is פָּשָׁר, related to פּוֹשְׁרִין “warm water” – i.e., through the heat of the sun it would become warm and melt; “destenprer” in Old French. Another example of this word we find in Tractate Sanhedrin, at the end of Chapter Arba Mitot. 8   וְנָמָֽס.  פָּשַׁר, לְשׁוֹן פּוֹשְׁרִים, עַל יְדֵי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מִתְחַמֵּם וּמַפְשִׁיר, דישטנ"פריר בְּלַעַז, וְדֻגְמָתוֹ בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין בְּסוֹף ד' מִיתוֹת:
22On the sixth day, they gathered a double portion of bread, two omers for each person. All the leaders of the community came and told Moses.   כבוַיְהִ֣י | בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁ֗י לָֽקְט֥וּ לֶ֨חֶם֙ מִשְׁנֶ֔ה שְׁנֵ֥י הָעֹ֖מֶר לָֽאֶחָ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ כָּל־נְשִׂיאֵ֣י הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וַיַּגִּ֖ידוּ לְמשֶֽׁה:
לָֽקְטוּ לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה - They gathered a double portion of bread - i.e., when they measured in their tents what they had gathered, they found it to be double – “two omers for each person.” But its aggadic explanation is: לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה signifies that the bread was different (מְשֻׁנֶּה) – on that day it was better than usual in its aroma and its taste.   לָֽקְטוּ לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה.  כְּשֶׁמָּדְדוּ אֶת לְקִיטָתָם בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם מָצְאוּ כִפְלַיִם, שְׁנֵי הָעֹמֶר לָאֶחָד. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה – מְשֻׁנֶּה, אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם נִשְׁתַּנָּה לְשֶׁבַח בְּרֵיחוֹ וְטַעְמוֹ (שם):
וַיַּגִּידוּ לְמשֶֽׁה - And told Moses. They asked him, “Why is today different from other days?” From here we may infer that Moses had not yet told them the passage concerning the Sabbath that he had been instructed to tell them: “On the sixth day they must prepare…,” 9 until they asked him this. He then said to them: “This is what God spoke about,” 10 i.e., what I was already instructed to tell you. Therefore Scripture considers him worthy of punishment, for God said to him: “How long will you refuse…,” 11 and did not except him from everyone being reproved.   וַיַּגִּידוּ לְמשֶֽׁה.  שְׁאָלוּהוּ מַה הַיּוֹם מִיּוֹמַיִם; וּמִכָּאן יֵשׁ לִלְמֹד שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא הִגִּיד לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה פָּרָשַׁת שַׁבָּת שֶׁנִּצְטַוָּה לוֹמַר לָהֶם וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי וְהֵכִינוּ וְגוֹ', עַד שֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ מַה זֹּאת, אָמַר לָהֶם הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' שֶׁנִּצְטַוֵּיתִי לוֹמַר לָכֶם, וְלְכָךְ עֲנָשׁוֹ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ עַד אָנָה מֵאַנְתֶּם, וְלֹא הוֹצִיאוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל:
23He said to them, “That is what God spoke about: tomorrow will be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath dedicated to God. Whatever you wish to bake, bake, and whatever you wish to cook, cook. Set aside for yourselves whatever is left over in safekeeping until morning.”   כגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם ה֚וּא אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שַׁבָּת֧וֹן שַׁבַּת־קֹ֛דֶשׁ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה מָחָ֑ר אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאפ֞וּ אֵפ֗וּ וְאֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבַשְּׁלוּ֙ בַּשֵּׁ֔לוּ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֹדֵ֔ף הַנִּ֧יחוּ לָכֶ֛ם לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת עַד־הַבֹּֽקֶר:
אֵת אֲשֶׁר תֹּאפוּ אֵפוּ - (lit.) What you will bake, bake - means: regarding that which you wish to bake in an oven, bake today everything that you need for two days; and regarding that which you need to cook of it in water, cook today. The term אֲפִיָה “baking” is applicable to bread, and the term בִּשּׁוּל “cooking” to a cooked dish.   אֵת אֲשֶׁר תֹּאפוּ אֵפוּ.  מַה שֶּׁאַתֶּם רוֹצִים לֶאֱפוֹת בַּתַּנּוּר, אֵפוּ הַיּוֹם הַכֹּל לִשְׁנֵי יָמִים, וּמַה שֶּׁאַתֶּם צְרִיכִים לְבַשֵּׁל מִמֶּנּוּ בַּמַּיִם, בַּשְּׁלוּ הַיּוֹם. לְשׁוֹן אֲפִיָּה נוֹפֵל בְּלֶחֶם וּלְשׁוֹן בִּשּׁוּל בְּתַבְשִׁיל:
לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת - means “for safekeeping.”   לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת.  לִגְנִיזָה:
24They set it aside until morning, as Moses had commanded, and it did not become putrid, nor was it infested with maggots.   כדוַיַּנִּ֤יחוּ אֹתוֹ֙ עַד־הַבֹּ֔קֶר כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה משֶׁ֑ה וְלֹ֣א הִבְאִ֔ישׁ וְרִמָּ֖ה לֹא־הָ֥יְתָה בּֽוֹ:
25Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath unto God. Today you will not find it in the field.   כהוַיֹּ֤אמֶר משֶׁה֙ אִכְלֻ֣הוּ הַיּ֔וֹם כִּֽי־שַׁבָּ֥ת הַיּ֖וֹם לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה הַיּ֕וֹם לֹ֥א תִמְצָאֻ֖הוּ בַּשָּׂדֶֽה:
וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אִכְלֻהוּ הַיּוֹם וגו' - Moses said, “Eat it today….”… In the morning, when they would usually go out and gather the manna, they came to ask Moses, “Should we go out or not?” He answered them, “Eat whatever you have prepared.” Toward evening they came back to him and asked him again, “Should we go out?” He answered them: “Today is the Sabbath.” He saw they were worried that perhaps the manna had stopped and would no longer fall, so he said to them: “Today you will not find it”; what do we infer from Scripture saying again “today”? Today you will not find it, but tomorrow you will find it.   וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אִכְלֻהוּ הַיּוֹם וגו'.  שַׁחֲרִית שֶׁהָיוּ רְגִילִין לָצֵאת וְלִלְקֹט בָּאוּ לִשְׁאֹל: "אִם נֵצֵא אִם לָאו", אָמַר לָהֶם אֶת שֶׁבְּיֶדְכֶם אִכְלוּ, לָעֶרֶב חָזְרוּ לְפָנָיו וּשְׁאָלוּהוּ מַהוּ לָצֵאת? אָמַר לָהֶם שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם, רָאָה אוֹתָם דּוֹאֲגִים שֶׁמָּא פָסַק הַמָּן וְלֹא יֵרֵד עוֹד, אָמַר לָהֶם הַיּוֹם לֹא תִמְצָאוּהוּ, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר הַיּוֹם? הַיּוֹם לֹא תִמְצָאוּהוּ אֲבָל מָחָר תִּמְצָאוּהוּ:
26Six days you must gather it, on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”   כושֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים תִּלְקְטֻ֑הוּ וּבַיּ֧וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֛י שַׁבָּ֖ת לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־בּֽוֹ:
וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת - On the seventh day, the Sabbath - i.e., it is the Sabbath – the manna לֹא יִהְיֶה בּוֹ (lit.) “will not be on that day.” This verse is stated here only to include Yom Kippur and other festivals, implying that the manna would not fall on these days, either.   וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת.  שַׁבָּת הוּא, הַמָּן לא יהיה בו; וְלֹא בָא הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא לְרַבּוֹת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וְיָמִים טוֹבִים:
27On the seventh day, some of the people did go out to gather, but they found nothing.   כזוַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י יָֽצְא֥וּ מִן־הָעָ֖ם לִלְקֹ֑ט וְלֹ֖א מָצָֽאוּ:
28God told Moses, “How long will you refuse to observe My commandments and My teachings?   כחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה עַד־אָ֨נָה֙ מֵֽאַנְתֶּ֔ם לִשְׁמֹ֥ר מִצְו‍ֹתַ֖י וְתֽוֹרֹתָֽי:
עַד־אָנָה מֵֽאַנְתֶּם - How long will you refuse. The fact that Moses is included here in God’s reprimand may be explained by a proverb used among common people: “Together with the thorns, the cabbage is stricken”; because of the wicked, the decent are also criticized.   עַד־אָנָה מֵֽאַנְתֶּם.  מְשַׁל הֶדְיוֹט הוּא "בַּהֲדֵי הוּצָא לָקֵי כְרַבָּא" – עַל יְדֵי הָרְשָׁעִים מִתְגַּנִּין הַכְּשֵׁרִין:
29Look: God has given you the Sabbath, and that is why on the sixth day He gives you food for two days. Every man must remain where he is: no man may leave his place on the seventh day.”   כטרְא֗וּ כִּֽי־יְהֹוָה֘ נָתַ֣ן לָכֶ֣ם הַשַּׁבָּת֒ עַל־כֵּ֠ן ה֣וּא נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֛ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁ֖י לֶ֣חֶם יוֹמָ֑יִם שְׁב֣וּ | אִ֣ישׁ תַּחְתָּ֗יו אַל־יֵ֥צֵא אִ֛ישׁ מִמְּקֹמ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי:
רְאוּ - Look - with your own eyes that it is God Himself in His Divine glory who is ordering you to observe the Sabbath, for a miracle occurs on the day preceding each Sabbath that He gives you bread for two days.   רְאוּ.  בְּעֵינֵיכֶם כִּי ה' בִּכְבוֹדוֹ מַזְהִיר אֶתְכֶם עַל הַשַּׁבָּת, שֶׁהֲרֵי נֵס נַעֲשֶׂה בְּכָל עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לָתֵת לָכֶם לֶחֶם יוֹמַיִם:
שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו - (lit.) Each man, stay beneath himself. From here our sages based the principle that one who went outside the city limits on the Sabbath may move four cubits: three cubits for the measure of his body and another cubit to extend his arms and feet.   שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו.  מִכָּאן סָמְכוּ חֲכָמִים ד' אַמּוֹת לַיּוֹצֵא חוּץ לַתְּחוּם (ערובין נ"א):
אַל־יֵצֵא אִישׁ מִמְּקֹמוֹ - No man may leave his place. This refers to the 2000-cubit limit of walking outside a city on the Sabbath. However, this law is not stated here explicitly, for the law of the Sabbath limits is only inferred by those expounding Scripture, and Scripture’s primary intent is referring to those gathering the manna.   אַל־יֵצֵא אִישׁ מִמְּקֹמוֹ.  אֵלּוּ אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה שֶׁל תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת (מכילתא), וְלֹא בִמְפֹרָשׁ – שֶׁאֵין תְּחוּמִין אֶלָּא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים – וְעִקָּרוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא עַל לוֹקְטֵי הַמָּן נֶאֱמַר:
30So the people rested on the seventh day.   לוַיִשְׁבְּת֥וּ הָעָ֖ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִעִֽי:
31The House of Israel called the food manna. It was like coriander seed, but was white, and it tasted like pastry fried in honey.   לאוַיִּקְרְא֧וּ בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ מָ֑ן וְה֗וּא כְּזֶ֤רַע גַּד֙ לָבָ֔ן וְטַעְמ֖וֹ כְּצַפִּיחִ֥ת בִּדְבָֽשׁ:
וְהוּא כְּזֶרַע גַּד לָבָן - It was like coriander seed, white. גַּד is a plant named “coliyandre” in Old French (“coriander”), and its seed is round but not white. The manna, however, was white, and it is compared to coriander seed only with respect to being round. The verse thus means: “it was like coriander seed, and it was white.”   וְהוּא כְּזֶרַע גַּד לָבָן.  עֵשֶׂב שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ קול"יינדר, וְזֶרַע שֶׁלּוֹ עָגֹל וְאֵינוֹ לָבָן, וְהַמָּן הָיָה לָבָן, וְאֵינוֹ נִמְשָׁל לְזֶרַע גַּד אֶלָּא לְעִנְיַן הָעִגּוּל, כְּזֶרַע גַּד הָיָה – וְהוּא לָבָן:
כְּצַפִּיחִת - צַפִּיחִת is a type of dough fried in honey, which is called אִסְקְרִיטִין in Mishnaic Hebrew, 12 and this is also how Onkelos translates it.   כְּצַפִּיחִת.  בָּצֵק שֶׁמְּטַגְּנִין אוֹתוֹ בִּדְבַשׁ, וְקוֹרִין לוֹ אִסְקְרִיטִין בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה (פסחים ל"ז), וְהוּא תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס:
32Moses said, “This is what God has commanded: ‘An omer-ful of it is to be preserved for safekeeping throughout your generations, so that they will see the bread that I fed you in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.’”   לבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר משֶׁ֗ה זֶ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה מְלֹ֤א הָעֹ֨מֶר֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן | יִרְא֣וּ אֶת־הַלֶּ֗חֶם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶֽאֱכַ֤לְתִּי אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּהֽוֹצִיאִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת - means “for safekeeping.”   לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת.  לִגְנִיזָה:
לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם - Throughout your generations - This refers to the time of the prophet Jeremiah – when Jeremiah was rebuking the Jewish people, saying, “Why are you not occupied in studying the Torah?” and they replied, “Should we neglect our work and engage in studying the Torah? From where shall we earn a living?” he brought out for them the urn of manna and said to them: “You, this generation! See the word of God” 13 – it does not say “hear,” but “see” – “with this your forefathers were provided for. The Omnipresent has many means with which to provide food for those who fear Him.”   לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם.  בִּימֵי יִרְמְיָהוּ; כְּשֶׁהָיָה יִרְמְיָהוּ מוֹכִיחָם לָמָּה אֵין אַתֶּם עוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה? וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים נַנִּיחַ מְלַאכְתֵּנוּ וְנַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, מֵהֵיכָן נִתְפַּרְנֵס? הוֹצִיא לָהֶם צִנְצֶנֶת הַמָּן אָמַר לָהֶם אַתֶּם רְאוּ דְּבַר ה', שִׁמְעוּ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא רְאוּ, בָּזֶה נִתְפַּרְנְסוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, הַרְבֵּה שְׁלוּחִין יֵשׁ לוֹ לַמָּקוֹם לְהָכִין מָזוֹן לִירֵאָיו:
33Moses said to Aaron, “Take an urn and put in it an omer-ful of manna, and place it before God for safekeeping throughout your generations.”   לגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֜ה אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן קַ֚ח צִנְצֶ֣נֶת אַחַ֔ת וְתֶן־שָׁ֥מָּה מְלֹֽא־הָעֹ֖מֶר מָ֑ן וְהַנַּ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
צִנְצֶנֶת - is an earthenware urn, as Targum Yerushalmi translates it.   צִנְצֶנֶת.  צְלוֹחִית שֶׁל חֶרֶס, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
וְהַנַּח אותו לִפְנֵי ה' - And place it before God - i.e., before the Ark. It must be, therefore, that this verse was not said until after the Tent of Meeting was built and the Ark was placed there, but it is written here in the passage about the manna to complete the account.   וְהַנַּח אותו לִפְנֵי ה'.  לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן; וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר מִקְרָא זֶה עַד שֶׁנִּבְנָה אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּכְתַּב כָּאן בְּפָרָשַׁת הַמָּן:
34As God had commanded Moses, Aaron placed it before the Ark of Testimony for safekeeping.   לדכַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה וַיַּנִּיחֵ֧הוּ אַֽהֲרֹ֛ן לִפְנֵ֥י הָֽעֵדֻ֖ת לְמִשְׁמָֽרֶת:
35The Israelites ate the manna for 40 years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the edge of Canaan.   להוּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָֽכְל֤וּ אֶת־הַמָּן֙ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה עַד־בֹּאָ֖ם אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ נוֹשָׁ֑בֶת אֶת־הַמָּן֙ אָֽכְל֔וּ עַד־בֹּאָ֕ם אֶל־קְצֵ֖ה אֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן:
אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה - For 40 years. But are not 30 days missing from this period? For the manna first came down for them on the 15th of Iyar, and on the 15th of Nisan 40 years later it stopped, as it says: “The manna ran out on the day following the first day of Passover.” 14 However, this tells us that in the matzah cakes which Israel had brought out with them from Egypt they savored the taste of manna.   אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה.  וַהֲלֹא חָסֵר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם הֵם? שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּט"ו בְּאִיָּר יָרַד לָהֶם הַמָּן תְּחִלָּה וּבְט"ו בְּנִיסָן פָּסַק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיִּשְׁבֹּת הַמָּן מִמָּחֳרָת" (יהושע ה')? אֶלָּא מַגִּיד, שֶׁהָעֻגּוֹת שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם טָעֲמוּ בָהֶם טַעַם מָן (קידושין ל"ח):
אֶל־אֶרֶץ נוֹשָׁבֶת - To an inhabited land - i.e., after they crossed the Jordan, for only that land which is on the other, western side of the Jordan was settled (מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת) and good, as it says: “Please let me cross over and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan.” 15 Onkelos’ translation of נוֹשָׁבֶת is יָתֵבְתָּא, also meaning to indicate the sense of מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת “settled.”   אֶל־אֶרֶץ נוֹשָׁבֶת.  לְאַחַר שֶׁעָבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן (שֶׁאוֹתָהּ שֶׁבְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת וְטוֹבָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֶעְבְּרָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן", וְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁל נוֹשָׁבֶת "יָתְבָתָא", רָצָה לוֹמַר — מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת):
אֶל־קְצֵה אֶרֶץ כְּנָֽעַן - To the edge of Canaan - i.e., at the beginning of the border, before they crossed the Jordan, i.e., the plains of Moab. Consequently, this phrase and the previous seem to contradict each other. However, the answer is that in the plains of Moab, when Moses died on the seventh of Adar, the manna stopped falling, but they had enough food from the manna they had gathered on that day until they brought the omer offering on the 16th of Nisan after they had crossed the Jordan, as it says: “They ate of the produce of the land from the day after the first day of Passover.” 16   אֶל־קְצֵה אֶרֶץ כְּנָֽעַן.  בִּתְחִלַּת הַגְּבוּל קֹדֶם שֶׁעָבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן, וְהוּא עַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב. נִמְצְאוּ מַכְחִישִׁין זֶה אֶת זֶה? אֶלָּא בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב כְּשֶׁמֵּת מֹשֶׁה בְּז' בַּאֲדָר פָּסַק הַמָּן מִלֵּירֵד, וְנִסְתַּפְּקוּ מִמָּן שֶׁלָּקְטוּ בוֹ בַיּוֹם עַד שֶׁהִקְרִיבוּ הָעֹמֶר בְּשִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר בְּנִיסָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיֹּאכְלוּ מֵעֲבוּר הָאָרֶץ מִמָּחֳרַת הַפֶּסַח" (יהושע ה'):
36An omer is a tenth of an ephah.   לווְהָעֹ֕מֶר עֲשִׂרִ֥ית הָֽאֵיפָ֖ה הֽוּא:
עֲשִׂרִית הָֽאֵיפָה - A tenth of an ephah. An ephah measure is three se’ah; a se’ah is six kav; a kav is four log; and a log is the measure of six eggs. Thus, a tenth of an ephah is the equivalent of 43 and 1/5 eggs, which is the measure of flour required for fulfilling the mitzvah of challah and for grain-offerings.   עֲשִׂרִית הָֽאֵיפָה.  הָאֵיפָה שָׁלֹשׁ סְאִין וְהַסְּאָה ו' קַבִּין וְהַקַּב ד' לֻגִּין וְהַלֹּג ו' בֵּיצִים, נִמְצָא עֲשִׂירִית הָאֵיפָה מ"ג בֵּיצִים וְחֹמֶשׁ בֵּיצָה, וְהוּא שִׁעוּר לַחַלָּה וְלַמְּנָחוֹת: