Man, What a Meal! The Wonders of the Holy Tongue for Beshalach (a tad late)

 

[The manna that our forefathers ate in the desert is mentioned, for the first time, in this week's parashah]: Exodus 16:15 - “The Jewish nation saw it and they said to one another, ?? ???, because they didn’t know what it is”.[1]

 

[Some say that ?? means “what” in the Egyptian language; for example [2]]: Rashbam: "'They said to one another ?? ??? – because they didn’t know what it was’ [and ?? means what]. Donash interprets this way as well. The end of the verse confirms this explanation, as the end of the verse states, '…because they didn’t know what it was.' I claim that ?? means “what” in Egyptian.”[3]

 

[Rabbeinu Yona ben Janach interprets the word slightly differently, explaining that the root of ?? is ???, species. They called it ??, species, because they didn’t know which species it was, to call it by name]: Riba”g (entry ???): It is correct in my eyes to explain that they called the manna ?? because they saw something they didn’t recognize and they didn’t know what it should be called. They said '?? ???' - in other words ??? ???, it is a species, only they didn’t know which one. 

 

[Rabbeinu b'Chaya translates ?? as ??? – a (food portion)/gift from heaven]: Rabbeinu b'Chaya: ?? ??? is from the word ???, food portion, as in, ????? ????? ????????, a double portion (I Samuel 1:5). And ???????? ????? ???????, It was a gift for Moses (Leviticus 8:29). The Torah explains, 'They didn’t know what it is' therefore they called it a gift from heaven. [4]

 

[Rabbi S. R. Hirsch adds that ??? means a fixed portion, similar to the verse, ???????? ????????, to count our days…. (Psalms 90:12)]: Rabbi S. R. Hirsch: "?? ??? from the root ???, setting a certain quota for a specific measurement, similar to the words ???, ???, and ??: A fixed portion for each person."[5]

 

[Ibn Ezra translates ?? as something prepared – ?????/??????. The food fell from heaven, prepared, ready to eat][6]: Ibn Ezra: ?? ??? – as in ??? ??????????, prepared to protect him (Psalms 61:8), and as in??????? ?' ???? ???????, Hashem prepared a large fish (Jonah 2:1) - similar to the word ????, prepared."[7] [Midrash Sechel Tov also translates ?? to mean prepared]: Sechel Tov (Buber, Exodus 16:15): "'The Jewish nation saw it and said to one another ?? ???, it is food prepared for us. A similar usage is: ??????? ?' ???? ???????, Hashem prepared a large fish (Jonah 2:1). And: ??????? ?????????? ?????????, Hashem prepared a worm" (ibid 4:7). The root of the word is the letters ?' ?'. [Ari Z”L also agrees that the meaning is preparation, but he explains the verse allegorically, referring to marriage]: Sefer HaLikutim, Ari Z”L (Ekev 8): He afflicted you and made you hungry and He gave you the ?? (Deuteronomy 8:3). This means he prepared a wife for you, as in the verse ??????? ????? ?????????, The king prepared food for them (Daniel 1:5).[8]

 

[A concept closely interrelated with ????, prepared, is ?????, protection; for something to be ready and prepared, it must be protected and safe. This brings us to the word ?????, an officer or clerk; one appointed to ensure that a given matter or object in his charge will be safe, functional and ready. Examples of ????? (and the similar term ????) are found in Scripture, such as]: 1. I Chron. 9:29 - ??????? ????????? ??? ????????? , some were appointed over the utensils. Metz. Tzion Dan. 1:11 - ??? ??? - ??? ?????, ???: ???? ?????? ?? ?????, the import of ??? ??? is like ??? ?????, appointed, as in 'some were appointed over the utensils' (I Chron. 9:29). 2. Jeremiah 37:13 - ?????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ???????????, There was a guard there. His name was Yiriyah. Rashi: ??? ??????, ????? ????? ??? ??? ???, an [officer] appointed to guard that no one leaves. Nehemiah 11:14 - ???????? ???????? ???????????, The officer over them was Zavdiel. Rashi: ???? – ?????, an appointed officer. 

 

[Support for this meaning of safety/guardedness can be gleaned from the Zohar (2:47b-48a), which quotes the same verses cited by the commentators listed above]: ??????? ?' ???? ???????, Hashem prepared a large fish (Jonah 2:1); ??????? ????? ?????????, The king prepared food for them (Daniel 1:5)… the fish was appointed to guard Jonah from the other fish – by securing Jonah in its innards.

 

[In contrast to the commentaries of Ibn Ezra mentioned above (that ?? means prepared/ready), Rashi (and others) add that ?? means prepared food]: Rashi - "?? ??? – it is prepared food, as in: ??????? ????? ?????????... ?????? ???? ?????????, the king prepared food for them" (Daniel 1:5). [Similarly, Machberet Menachem[9], combines under a single entry[10] verses referring to the manna on the one hand[11] and others verses which discuss preparation on the other hand[12]. However, it remains unclear whether in Menachem's view ?? means prepared foods (per Rashi); portions and gifts (per Rabbeinu b'Chaya and RSRH); or simply preparedness (per Ibn Ezra)].

 

[Rashi's approach, that ?? means prepared foods, seems clearly to be based on the Gemara (Succah 39b) which states]: "How do we know that ?? means food? Because Scripture states: ??????? ????? ?????????, the king prepared food for them (Daniel 1:5)."[13] [However, in Rashi’s commentary on Daniel, he writes simply]: ???? - ???? ?????, "???? means prepared." [Note the omission of the word “foods”'[14] – implying that Rashi too agrees that the core meaning of ???? is indeed preparedness alone. Also, even in his commentary on the Talmud (Succah 39b) that teaches that ?? means food, Rashi writes]: ????? ????? ????? ???, "The (proof-text) verse is referring to a meal." [Thus, It appears that ?? doesn’t intrinsically mean food, unless it’s implied in the context of the verse.] 

 

[Furthermore, although the Talmud tells us that ???? means food, this doesn’t necessarily indicate that this is the exclusive meaning, just as other words explained as denoting food in the Talmud do not exclude additional meanings, as can be seen in the following examples]: 1. Regarding the word ??, the Talmud (Beitza 16a) says: "How do we know that ?? means food? Because Scripture states:????????? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ????????, They ate their portions [of food] that Pharaoh gave them… (Genesis 47:22)."[15]

[Similarly, in Sanhedrin 108b]: 2. "How do we know that ??? means food? Because Scripture states: ???????????? ????? ??????, Sustain me with bread… (Proverbs 30:8)."

 

[??? and ?? undeniably have other definitions, in addition to food. The Talmud is therefore teaching us that one of the imports of these words respectively is food. Likewise in our case, although the Talmud states that ???? means food, this by no means is necessarily meant to exclude other definitions.]

 

[Therefore, we may conclude that Rashi indeed agrees with Ibn Ezra, namely that the primary meaning of ?? is preparedness. But it can also be translated to 'prepared foods' as a borrowed expression - when this meaning fits the Scriptural context.] 

 

[In summary, we've seen the following translations of ??: 1. a portion of food/a gift; 2. a set, fixed amount; 3. prepared/ready; 4. to guard, to protect. We note that there are many other words with the letters '??' as part of their root which seem to share similar definitions to the four major interpretations outlined here for ??. The words of this genre we will examine are: [16]1. ???? 2. ????? 3. ????? 4. ?????/???? 5. ??? 6. ??? 7. ???? 8. ????? 9. ?????]. 

 

1.                                     Yamin ????, right [hand]. As the right hand is usually the stronger one, the word often connotes readiness/preparedness, as in the following examples: 1) Isaiah 63:12 -???????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?????????????, Who gave His glorious hand to Moses's right? Rashi: Whenever Moses needed G-d's help, G-d's right hand was ready/prepared at his right side. 2) Ecclesiastes 10:2 - ??? ????? ????????? the wise man's heart is to his right. Rashi: His wisdom is prepared for him to direct him on the path that is good for him. 3) Proverbs 27:16 - ??????? ????????? ????? ????? ???????? ????????, to hide her is like hiding the wind. And the oil of his right side will call. Ibn Ezra: The right hand is prepared for everything, therefore it states 'the oil of his right side…'" 4) Exodus 13:16 - ??????? ?????? ??? ???????; It will be for a sign on your hand. Chizkuni: "The right hand is prepared for everything…" 5) Malbim (Leviticus ???? ?): "???? means prepared, as in ???? ?' ??, Hashem prepared a fish… [and] ??? ??? ?? ?????? who prepared your foods (Daniel 1:10).

2.                                     Meyuman ?????, literally: rightmost; figuratively: prepared/accustomed, as in: 1) Chulin 91a - "????" - ??????? ?????. Rabbeinu Gershom: “the thigh” - This means the rightmost thigh. 2) Midrash Tehillim 16:8 [Buber] - ???? ????????? ???? ???????. ???? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ????; it never leaves my right side (Ps. 16:8). This tells us that David was accustomed to studying Torah. 3) Zvachim 53a -????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ??????, He dips his ?????? right finger, into the blood that is in the utensil; Rashi: "The finger that’s accustomed to working…" 4) Ecclesiastes 10:2 - ??? ????? ????????? ????? ??????? ???????????, The wise man's heart is to his right, and the fool’s is to his left. Rashi: "His wisdom is prepared for him, to direct him on the path that is good for him." 5) Psalms 45:5 - ????????? ????????? ?????????, Your right arm should direct You to awesomeness. Rashi: "Your right hand should wage awesome wars… ???? ??????? ?????, the right hand that is skilled in warfare."[17]

3.                                     Mezuman ?????, prepared, fixed times. [18] Examples: 1) Ezra 10:14 - ????? ????????? ???????????, to come at fixed times. Metzudas Tzion: ??????? –???? ???????, prepared and permanent,[19] as in: ?????????? ???????????, established times (Nehemiah 13:31). 2) Aruch Hashalem (entry ???): "????? means to be prepared at a scheduled time. It’s derived from the word ???."[20]

4.                                     Memune/manui ?????/????, a clerk or a supervisor, ensuring safeguardedness/readiness. Example: Daniel 1:11 - ?????????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????????????. Ibn Ezra: "The translation of ?????? ?????? is appointed. In the language of the scholars ?????, someone appointed to be in charge."

5.                                     Taman ???, hidden/safeguarded/protected. An illustration of this meaning is found in the Midrash: Psikta Zutrasa (Lekech Tov), Ex. 22:6 - ??? ????? ???? ??? ?????, ??? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ????? ????, Money is only safeguarded when [buried] in the ground. But if someone gave him [money] on Friday before Shabbos, when there was no time to hide it, he is exempt. And again in Rashi: Ex. 33:21 - ?????? ?????? ?????? Behold, I have a place…. Rashi - "A hiding place prepared [for hiding something] (???? ??????) to be safe from dangers."

6.                                     Cheman ???, treasure/hiding. This is related to ??, prepared, since when something isn't safe, it isn't ready/prepared. 1) Ez. 11:43 - ????????????? ???????? ??????????, treasuries of gold and silver. Radak (entry ???) explains that ??? is equivalent to ???. 2) Bartenura Maasros 4:1 - ?????????? ??????????, safekeeping produce in the ground is equivalent to "?????? ?????", to bury produce, so it will ripen.[21] 3) Onkelus Deuteronomy 19:11 - renders??????? ???  (He [hid and] ambushed him[22]) as ?????? ???.[23]

7.                                     Siman ????, this is an Aramaic word, the Targum of ?????, treasure. Again, it is related to ?????, for a treasure requires safeguarding as a prerequisite to readiness. Examples: 1) Genesis 43:23 - ?????????? ???????? ???????? ????? ????? ???????? ??????????????????, Your G-d and the G-d of your fathers gave you a treasure in your bags. Onkelus - ??? ???? ???? ?????????, He gave you a ????, treasure, in your bags. 2) Deuteronomy 33:19 - ???? ?????? ??????? ???????? ?????????? ???????? ????, They will be nourished by the wealth of the sea, and from the treasures concealed in the sand. Onkelos - ????? ?????? ????, treasures concealed in the sand. 3) Isaiah 45:3 -?????????? ???? ????????? ??????? ??????????? ???????????, I will give you treasures of darkness and concealed wealth). Targum Yonatan - ???????? ???? ????????? ?????????? ???????? ???????????.

8.                                     Argaman ?????, purple colored wool (Shir HaShirim 3:1). As is their wont, Chazal divide this five lettered term into two words, ??? ??. Num. Rabba 12:4 - "Hakadosh Baruch Hu created [the sun, which is represented by ?????] to weave ??, food, for creation. ?? is fruits and bread, as it says ???? ??? ????, the king gave them food…"(Daniel 1:5). Mahrza”v explains - "Produce grows in a pattern similar to a woven cloth, with threads weaving under and over each other."

9.                                     Imun ?????, dependability, trustworthiness. Hashem sent the manna in fixed, measured portions for each individual (as RSRH explained), and the manna fell every day without fail. This is similar to Moshe's hands spread out in prayer, as we find in this week's portion: Exodus 17:12 - ??????? ?????? ???????? ??? ???? ??????????, his hands were trustworthy until sunset. Ramban explains that ????? in this verse means ???????, ???? ?????, reliable, firm, and strong. These are his words: "The explanation of ???? ???? ?????, that his hands were firm and held high, as in ????????? ??? ????????????? ?????? ???? ?????????, the singers were trustworthy each day (Nehemiah 11:23) and as in ????????? ????????? ???????, we make a pact of faith (Ibid 10:1) an everlasting covenant. And it is written ???????? ??????????? ????????? ???????, I will place him like a nail in a trustworthy place (Isaiah 22:23)."

 

While the daily appearance of the physical manna ceased when the Jewish people entered the Land of Israel, the lessons of the manna remain forever. We must know that every crumb that comes our way was addressed to us specifically. The Holy One, Blessed is He appoints for each person the portion he needs. The portions are fixed, prepared, and guarded: we only need to ask for it, and Hashem will give it to us, as Scripture states: Ps. 81:11 - I am Hashem your G-d who took you out of Egypt, open your mouths [to request] and I will fill them; Radak: I am Hashem your G-d. Recognize My existence. Remember the goodness that I did for you when I took you out of Egypt. Open your mouths to ask, and if you listen to Me, I will fulfill all your desires.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] [??????? ???? ???? ????? ????? ???? ???? ???? ???? (?' ????? ????????: ??' ??:??, ??, ??, ?? [2x]. ???? ?' ????? ??? ??? ???????: ???????: ??' ??:?, ?, ?. ???: ??' ?:?, ??)].

[2] [Others comment similarly]: Hadar Zkeinim: "In Egyptian, ?? is like ??, “what” in Hebrew. R"Y Bchor Shor: "?? ???…I think that ?? is Egyptian for ??, “what” in Hebrew. They asked each other ?? ???, 'What is it’ because they didn’t know what it was.” Chizkuni: "?? ??? – ?? in Egyptian is like ?? in Hebrew.

[3] [??? ??????? ????? "????", ????? ?"???" ??????]: ?' ???? ?????? - ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???. ???? ???? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??????' ???. ????? ????? (????? ??' ????) ??? "?? ???", ?????: ???? ???, ??? ??? ???? ?? ???.

[4] [Later in the chapter (Exodus 16:31), R. S. R. Hirsch comments in a similar vein]: "'The Jewish people called it ?? – a ???, a gift given from Hashem's hand."

[5] [??????"?, ????? ??????, ??? '????'/'????']: ???? ?????? ??' ??:?? - ?? ???... ???? ???? ??"? ???? ???? ?????? ???: ???????????? ??????? ?????? (???? ??:??), ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? (??' ??:??) - ???? ???"? ?????? ????. ????: ?????? ???? ???????????? (??' ?:??), ????????? ??? ????????? (??"? ?:??) - ???? ???? ?????? ????? ?????. ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ???, ??? ???? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????, ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??????, ??"? ??? ?????: ???? ??? ??????? ??? ????, ????? ?? ???? ?? ????... ???? ?????? ??? ?? ???... ????? ??? ???? ???.

[6] [?? ???? ?? ?' ???? ????? ???]: ?' ???? ??' ?:?? - ??? ????... "??" ?"? ?????? ??? ??? ????? ??? ???.

[7] [?? ?"????? ????". ??"????? ?????"]: ??"? ??' ??:?? - ??? ??? – ?????: ?????? ?????? ??? ??????????? (??' ?:?).

[8] [???????? ??????, ???? ???"? ????? ??? ????? ??????/?????? ?? "??" ?????? ???/???]: ???"? ??' ??:??-?? - ?????????? ???????? ??? – '??' ????? ???? ????, ????? ??? ????? ????? ???, ???? ???? ??? ?'.

[9] [Quoted hundreds of times by Rashi in his commentaries to the Tanach and Talmud].

[10] [???? '??'; ????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ??????].

[11] [I. e.]: 1. They called it “man” because they didn’t know what it was (Exodus 16:15)., The Jewish nation called it “man” (ibid. 16:31).

[12] [Namely]: 1. Hashem prepared a large fish (Jonah 2:1). 2. Who prepared your foods (Daniel 1:10).

[13] [??? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??"?]: ???? ?:??,?-??,? – ??????? ?' ???? ??????? (???? ?:?). ???? ???"?: ??????? ????? ????????? ?????? (??' ?:?), ?????? ??? ??????????? (??' ?:?) – [???? ???? ????? ???]. ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ??? [??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ????]: ???? ?' ?? ???? ???, ???? ??? ??? ????? ??? [???? ???? ???? ?' ???!].

[14] [??? ????????? ????? ?? ???? '???']: ???? ?:? - ??????? ?' ???????? ?????????; ??"? - ???? - ???? ?????. ??' ?:? - ?????? ?????? ??? ???????????; ??"? - ??? ??? - ??? ????? ?????.

[15] [?? ?????? ???"? ???? ??]: ??' ??:?? - ??????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ?????????? ????????; ??"? - ???? - ???? ?????? ????????, ??? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ?????: ?????? ?????? ??? ??????????? ????? (????? ?:?). [???? ??"? (??? ???? ????? ??????? ??) ?????? ?? ??? ?"? ????? ??????, ????? ??"? ??]: ??"? - ???? - ???? ???? ?"? ????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ??????.

[16] [???? "?????" ???? ????? ???, ??? ????? ???? ??' ????? ????? ?????, ????? ????? ?? '???'. ?? ??? ?"??? ????" (????? ????? ?????? ????), ?? 121]: ????? ??? ???? ?????, ?? ????? ????? ?? ?????. [??? ??? ?? ?"???? ????" (???? ?????), ?? ???. ???? ?? ?????? - ??????? ??:(?), ???? ??].

[17] [??"? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?????? "??" ?? ????? ???????? ????? ????? "?????" ?"????", ????]: ???? ??: - ?????? ???????? ??????? ????????? ???????? ??????? (??' ??:??). ???: ????? - ????? ??????; ??"? - ????? - ???? ???? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?? ?????. ??? ??? (????) ?????? ??:?? - ??????? ?????? ??????? (??' ??:??). ??????: ???????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ?????? (?? ??:?), ?????? ????. ??? ??? (????) ?????? ??:? - ???? ?????... ????? - ????? ??????. ???? ???? (????) ????? ??? ?? - ???? ??? ?? ?????? – ?? ?????.

[18] [?????? ??"? ????? ????? ??????? ?????: 1. ????/????? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??, ???]: ??? ?: (?? ????? ??????) - ?????? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ????? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ??? ?? ????? ????? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ????. [????? ???? ?? ??: 2. ???? ????? –??? ????? ??? ?? ???? ????, ??????]: ????? ??. - ????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ??; ??"? - ?????? ?????? - ???? ???? ????, ????? ?? ??? ????.

[19] [??? ?????? ??????? ?? "??????"]: ??' ??:?? - ??????? ???????? ??????? ?????????????; ?"? - ??????? ?????????.

[20] [????? ?' ??????? ?? ???? '??', ????? ?? ??? ?????? ???, ??? ?????? ??????? ?????, ?????? ???? "???"]: ??' ??:?? – ????????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????????????; ?"? - ????? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??????; ??"? - ??? ??? – ????? ??? ???? ?????. ?????? ??. - ??? – ??????; ??"? - ?????? ?? - ???????? ?????? ?????? ?????.

[21] [???? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? '????' ?"? ???????????, ????? ??"?, ???? ???? ?????]: ????? ??:?? – ????????? ??????? ????? ???????? ??????????; ??"? ?? ???? ?? – ????? ?????... ??? ??? ?????? ???.

[22] [??????]: ???? ?:? - ??????? ?????????? ?????? ???????????; ??"? - ??? ????? - ????? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ????.

[23] [??? ?????]: ???' ??. - ????? ?? ???? ????? ???; ??"? - ????? - ?????, ???: ??????? ??? (??' ??) - ??????.

Yehoshua Steinberg

Complacency is tantamount to complicity;

Serenity is prerequisite to accomplishment.

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