(Exodus 15:27) "And they came to Eilim, and there (they found) twelve springs of water.": We are hereby apprised that it was (specially) favored above all other places. Know this to be so, for there were twelve springs there, which sufficed for (only) seventy palm trees; but when Israel came and sixty ten thousands encamped there, it sufficed for them (for one day) and twice and thrice over.
"and they encamped there by the waters": R. Elazar Hamodai says: When the Holy One Blessed be He created His world, He created twelve springs, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Jacob, and seventy date-palms, corresponding to the seventy elders. What is the intent of "and they encamped there by the water"? They preoccupied themselves there with the study of the (sections of the) Torah which had been given to them at Marah.
(Exodus 16:1) "And they journeyed from Eilim, and they came … on the fifteenth day of the second month of their going out from the land of Egypt": Why is "day" mentioned? We are hereby apprised that on that day Sabbath fell out, it having recurred from the six days of creation until the giving of Torah to Israel.
Variantly: "on the fifteenth day of the second month": Why is "day" mentioned? To know on which day the Torah was given to Israel. (Rosh Chodesh of the) Nissan on which Israel left Egypt fell out on the fifth day of the week. Nissan was a complete month (thirty days, so that Rosh Chodesh) Iyyar fell out on the Sabbath. Iyyar was a defective month (twenty-nine days, so that Rosh Chodesh) Sivan fell out on the first day of the week. And it is written (Numbers 33:3) "On the morrow of the Pesach, the children of Israel went out," and (here) "on the fifteenth day of the second month," and (Exodus 19:1) "On the third month of the exodus of the children of Israel, they came to the desert of Sinai," whence it is derived (that the sixth day of their encampment was on the third month (Sivan), on the sixth day of the month, on the eve of the Sabbath, (and the Torah was given the next day, Sabbath [viz. Shabbath 87b-88a]).
Variantly: "on the fifteenth day of the second month": Why is the day mentioned? To know on which day the manna descended for Israel. Israel ate from the wafer that they took out of Egypt for thirty-one days, viz. (Exodus 12:39) "And they baked the dough which they had taken out of Egypt, etc.", and (here) "on the fifteenth day of the second month of their going out from the land of Egypt." And what is written at its side (Ibid. 5)? "Behold, I shall rain down for you bread from heaven," (the wafer having sufficed for thirty-one days, from the fifteenth of Nissan until the sixteenth of Iyyar.) R. Shila says: It sufficed for sixty-one meals.
(Ibid. 2) "And the entire congregation of the children of Israel caviled against Moses and Aaron in the desert": R. Yehoshua says: Israel should have sought counsel from their leader (Moses) — "What shall we eat?" Instead, they caviled against Moses. R. Eliezer Hamodai says: Israel were accustomed to cavil against Moses. And not against Moses alone, but also against Aaron.
(Ibid. 3) "And the children of Israel said to them: Would that we had died by the hand of the L–rd, etc.": Would that we had died in the three days of darkness in Egypt. (Ibid.)
R. Elazar Hamodai says: Israel were servants to kings in Egypt. When they went out to market they could take bread, meat, fish, and all other things, and no one would stop them. They could go out to the field and take grapes, figs, and pomegranates, and no one would stop them.
R. Yossi Hamodai says: Know this to be so, for they were given kishuim last (i.e., as a last alternative), wherefore it is written "kishuim" last (viz. Numbers 11:5), in that they were hard ("kashim") on their stomachs.
"to kill this entire congregation by famine": R. Yehoshua b. Karcha says: There is no death worse than famine, viz. (Eichah 4:9) "Better the slain by the sword than the slain by famine!"
(שמות טו,כז) ["וַיָּבֹאוּ אֵילִמָה, וְשָׁם שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עֵינֹת מַיִם, וְשִׁבְעִים תְּמָרִים, וַיַּחֲנוּ שָׁם עַל הַמָּיִם."] "וַיָּבֹאוּ אֵילִמָה, וְשָׁם שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עֵינֹת מַיִם". מַגִּיד הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם מְהֻלָּל בְּמַיִם מִכָּל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת. תֵּדַע שֶׁכֵּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי הָיוּ שָׁם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מַבּוּעִין,*מַבּוּעִין: מעיינות. וְלֹא סָפְקוּ אֶלָּא לְשִׁבְעִים דְקָלִין.*סָפְקוּ: הספיקו. כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְשָׁרוּ עֲלֵיהֶן שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא בְנֵי אָדָם, וְסָפְקוּ לָהֶם וְלָנוּ וְשָׁנוּ וְשִׁלֵֹּשׁוּ!
(Exodus 15:27) "And they came to Eilim, and there (they found) twelve springs of water.": We are hereby apprised that it was (specially) favored above all other places. Know this to be so, for there were twelve springs there, which sufficed for (only) seventy palm trees; but when Israel came and sixty ten thousands encamped there, it sufficed for them (for one day) and twice and thrice over.
"וַיַּחֲנוּ שָׁם עַל הַמָּיִם." לְעוֹלָם אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹרִין אֶלָּא עַל הַמַּיִם. דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: מִיּוֹם שֶׁבָּרָא הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ, בָּרָא שָׁם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מַבּוּעִין, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי יַעֲקֹב, שִׁבְעִים דְקָלִין, כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים. וּמַה תִּלְמֹד לוֹמַר "וַיַּחֲנוּ שָׁם עַל הַמָּיִם"? אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹסְקִין בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶם בְּמָרָה.
"and they encamped there by the waters": R. Elazar Hamodai says: When the Holy One Blessed be He created His world, He created twelve springs, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Jacob, and seventy date-palms, corresponding to the seventy elders. What is the intent of "and they encamped there by the water"? They preoccupied themselves there with the study of the (sections of the) Torah which had been given to them at Marah.
(שמות טז,א) "וַיִּסְעוּ מֵאֵילִם, וַיָּבֹאוּ כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל מִדְבַּר סִין, אֲשֶׁר בֵּין אֵילִם וּבֵין סִינָי, בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי לְצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם." לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר "יוֹם"? מַגִּיד שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם אֵרְעָה לִהְיוֹת שַׁבָּת, שֶׁהִיא סְדוּרָה וּבָאָה מִיּוֹם שֶׁבָּרָא הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ, עַד שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לָהֶם תּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם בְּאִיָּר.
(Exodus 16:1) "And they journeyed from Eilim, and they came … on the fifteenth day of the second month of their going out from the land of Egypt": Why is "day" mentioned? We are hereby apprised that on that day Sabbath fell out, it having recurred from the six days of creation until the giving of Torah to Israel.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: "בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ". וְלָמָּה נֶאֱמַר "יוֹם"? לֵידַע בְּאֵיזֶה יוֹם נִתְּנָה תוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. נִיסָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ בוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, אֵרַע לִהְיוֹת בַּחֲמִשָּׁה בַּשַּׁבָּת. הִשְׁלִים נִיסָן, אֵרַע אִיָּר לִהְיוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת. חָסֵר אִיָּר, אֵרַע סִיָון לִהְיוֹת בְּאֶחָד בַּשַּׁבָּת. וְאוֹמֵר: (במדבר לג,ג) "מִמָּחֳרַת הַפֶּסַח יָצְאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיָד רָמָה".*בכתב יד מינכן: ממחרת השבת. וְאוֹמֵר: (שמות טז,א) "בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי לְצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם." וְאוֹמֵר: (שמות יט,א) "בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לְצֵאת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם". נִמְצֵאתָ אוֹמֵר, בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, בַּשִּׁשִּׁי בַחֹדֶשׁ, בַּשִּׁשִּׁי בַשַּׁבָּת.
Variantly: "on the fifteenth day of the second month": Why is "day" mentioned? To know on which day the Torah was given to Israel. (Rosh Chodesh of the) Nissan on which Israel left Egypt fell out on the fifth day of the week. Nissan was a complete month (thirty days, so that Rosh Chodesh) Iyyar fell out on the Sabbath. Iyyar was a defective month (twenty-nine days, so that Rosh Chodesh) Sivan fell out on the first day of the week. And it is written (Numbers 33:3) "On the morrow of the Pesach, the children of Israel went out," and (here) "on the fifteenth day of the second month," and (Exodus 19:1) "On the third month of the exodus of the children of Israel, they came to the desert of Sinai," whence it is derived (that the sixth day of their encampment was on the third month (Sivan), on the sixth day of the month, on the eve of the Sabbath, (and the Torah was given the next day, Sabbath [viz. Shabbath 87b-88a]).
דָּבָר אַחֵר: "בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ". לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר "יוֹם"? לֵידַע בְּאֵי זֶה יוֹם יָרַד הַמָּן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. חֲרָרָה שֶׁנָּטְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם,*חֲרָרָה: פיתה האפויה על גחלים. אָכְלוּ מִמֶּנָּה שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד יוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (שמות יב,לט) "וַיֹּאפוּ אֶת הַבָּצֵק אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם עֻגֹת מַצּוֹת, כִּי לֹא חָמֵץ, כִּי גֹרְשׁוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ, וְגַם צֵדָה לֹא עָשׂוּ לָהֶם." וְאוֹמֵר: (שמות טז,א) "לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי לְצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם." וּבְצִדּוֹ, מַה הוּא אוֹמֵר? (שמות טז,ד) "הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם". רַבִּי שִׁילָא אוֹמֵר: נִתְפַּרְנְסוּ מִמֶּנָּה שִׁשִּׁים וְאַחַת סְעוֹדוֹת.
Variantly: "on the fifteenth day of the second month": Why is the day mentioned? To know on which day the manna descended for Israel. Israel ate from the wafer that they took out of Egypt for thirty-one days, viz. (Exodus 12:39) "And they baked the dough which they had taken out of Egypt, etc.", and (here) "on the fifteenth day of the second month of their going out from the land of Egypt." And what is written at its side (Ibid. 5)? "Behold, I shall rain down for you bread from heaven," (the wafer having sufficed for thirty-one days, from the fifteenth of Nissan until the sixteenth of Iyyar.) R. Shila says: It sufficed for sixty-one meals.
(שמות טז,ב) "וַיִּלּוֹנוּ כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל מֹשֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן בַּמִּדְבָּר." רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: הָיָה לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִמָּלֵךְ בַּגָּדוֹל שֶׁבָּהֶם 'מַה נֹּאכַל?' אֶלָּא עָמְדוּ וְאָמְרוּ דִּבְרֵי תַּרְעֹמֶת עַל מֹשֶׁה. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: לְמוּדִין הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִהְיוֹת אוֹמְרִים דִּבְרֵי תַּרְעֹמֶת עַל מֹשֶׁה, וְלֹא עַל מֹשֶׁה בִּלְבַד אָמְרוּ, אֶלָּא אַף עַל אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר:
(Ibid. 2) "And the entire congregation of the children of Israel caviled against Moses and Aaron in the desert": R. Yehoshua says: Israel should have sought counsel from their leader (Moses) — "What shall we eat?" Instead, they caviled against Moses. R. Eliezer Hamodai says: Israel were accustomed to cavil against Moses. And not against Moses alone, but also against Aaron.
(שמות טז,ג) "וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: מִי יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ בְיַד יי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, בְּשִׁבְתֵּנוּ עַל סִיר הַבָּשָׂר, בְּאָכְלֵנוּ לֶחֶם לָשֹׂבַע? כִּי הוֹצֵאתֶם אֹתָנוּ אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה, לְהָמִית אֶת כָּל הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה בָּרָעָב." אָמְרוּ לָהֶם: לְוַי מַתְנוּ בִּשְׁלֹשֶׁת יְמֵי אֲפֵלָה שֶׁלְּמִצְרָיִם!
(Ibid. 3) "And the children of Israel said to them: Would that we had died by the hand of the L–rd, etc.": Would that we had died in the three days of darkness in Egypt. (Ibid.)
"בְּשִׁבְתֵּנוּ עַל סִיר הַבָּשָׂר". רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: וְכִי תְאֵבִים הָיוּ לֹאכַל בָּשָׂר? אֶלָּא בִדּוּ וְאָמְרוּ.
"when we sat over the flesh-pot": Israel lusted to eat.
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: עֲבָדִים הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַמְּלָכִים בְּמִצְרַיִם: יוֹצְאִין לַשּׁוּק, נוֹטְלִין פַּת וּבָשָׂר וְדָגִים, וְכָל דָּבָר, וְאֵין בִּרְיָה מוֹחָה בְיָדָם! יוֹצְאִין לַשָּׂדֶה, נוֹטְלִים עֲנָבִים וּתְאֵנִים וְרִמּוֹנִים וְכָל דָּבָר, וְאֵין בִּרְיָה מוֹחָה בְיָדָם!
R. Elazar Hamodai says: Israel were servants to kings in Egypt. When they went out to market they could take bread, meat, fish, and all other things, and no one would stop them. They could go out to the field and take grapes, figs, and pomegranates, and no one would stop them.
רַבִּי יוֹסֵה אוֹמֵר: תֵּדַע שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן לָהֶם אֶלָּא בָאַחֲרוֹנָה. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: (במדבר יא,ה) "אֵת הַקִּשֻּׁאִים", שֶׁהָיוּ קָשִׁים לִמְעֵיהֶם.
R. Yossi Hamodai says: Know this to be so, for they were given kishuim last (i.e., as a last alternative), wherefore it is written "kishuim" last (viz. Numbers 11:5), in that they were hard ("kashim") on their stomachs.
"כִּי הוֹצֵאתֶם אֹתָנוּ אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה", תֹּהוּ שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כְלוּם!
"that you have taken us out to this desert": They said to them: You have taken us out to this desert "in vain" — There is nothing in it.
"לְהָמִית אֶת כָּל הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה בָּרָעָב." רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: אֵין לָךְ מִיתָה קָשָׁה מִמִּיתַת רָעָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: (איכה ד,ט) "טוֹבִים הָיוּ חַלְלֵי חֶרֶב מֵחַלְלֵי רָעָב, שֶׁהֵם יָזֻבוּ מְדֻקָּרִים מִתְּנוּבֹת שָׂדָי."
"to kill this entire congregation by famine": R. Yehoshua b. Karcha says: There is no death worse than famine, viz. (Eichah 4:9) "Better the slain by the sword than the slain by famine!"
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: "בָּרָעָב", בָּא עָלֵינוּ רָעָב אַחַר רָעָב, דֶּבֶר אַחַר דֶּבֶר, חֹשֶׁךְ אַחַר חֹשֶׁךְ.
R. Elazar Hamodai says: (lit., "in the famine"): There has come upon us famine after famine, pestilence after pestilence, darkness after darkness.