Epilogue to the Manna Story/1/en
Epilogue to the Manna Story
Introduction
The bulk of Shemot 16 recounts the first week of the miracle of the manna, detailing how it rained down on regular weekdays, the double portion which was collected on Fridays, and that it didn't come on Shabbat. Toward the conclusion of the chapter, however, several verses detail events which concern the future:
(לב) וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה י"י מְלֹא הָעֹמֶר מִמֶּנּוּ לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם לְמַעַן יִרְאוּ אֶת הַלֶּחֶם אֲשֶׁר הֶאֱכַלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּהוֹצִיאִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. (לג) וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל אַהֲרֹן קַח צִנְצֶנֶת אַחַת וְתֶן שָׁמָּה מְלֹא הָעֹמֶר מָן וְהַנַּח אֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי י"י לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם. (לד) כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה י"י אֶל מֹשֶׁה וַיַּנִּיחֵהוּ אַהֲרֹן לִפְנֵי הָעֵדֻת לְמִשְׁמָרֶת. (לה) וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָכְלוּ אֶת הַמָּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה עַד בֹּאָם אֶל אֶרֶץ נוֹשָׁבֶת אֶת הַמָּן אָכְלוּ עַד בֹּאָם אֶל קְצֵה אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן.
- "מְלֹא הָעֹמֶר מִמֶּנּוּ לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת" – In verses 32-34, Moshe speaks of Hashem's command to preserve a portion of manna for posterity, by storing it "לִפְנֵי ה'". Did this occur only on the eve of the nation's entry into the land, when it became necessary to commemorate the soon to be lost miracle, or did it happen where written, right when the phenomenon began?
- "וַיַּנִּיחֵהוּ אַהֲרֹן לִפְנֵי הָעֵדֻת לְמִשְׁמָרֶת" – Verse 34 details Aharon's fulfillment of the command, and his placing of the manna "לִפְנֵי הָעֵדֻת", the Torah's common designation for the Ark of Testimony. At this point of the story, however, the Tabernacle and Ark have not yet been built, so this event could not have occurred before the second year in the Wilderness. It is not clear, though, if it took place right after the building, or at some later point. In addition, what is the relationship between the terms "לִפְנֵי ה'" found in the directive and "לִפְנֵי הָעֵדֻת" found here? Was the manna placed in two different places at different times, or are the terms identical and the verses speak of only one event?
- "וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָכְלוּ אֶת הַמָּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה" – Verse 35 discusses the duration of the miracle, bringing the reader all the way to the fortieth year. Since Yehoshua 5:10-12 teaches that the manna ceased falling only after crossing the Jordan, the verse might even be detailing events that took place after Moshe's death! Is that possible?
How much of verses 32-35 is an epilogue and how much of it occurred where written? To what time period is each verse really referring?
Verse 35 and its description of the forty year duration of the miracle of the manna is the classic example used to prove that sometimes the Torah inserts achronological information so as to complete a story.1 It is often overlooked, however, that the verse might not be limited to events of the fortieth year. The verse speaks of eating the manna until the nation's arrival at both "אֶרֶץ נוֹשָׁבֶת" and to "קְצֵה אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן". What is the relationship between these two terms; do both refer to the settled land of Arvot Moav, both to Israel, or one and one? Is Moshe speaking only of events in his own lifetime, or also to those that happened after his death on the other side of the Jordan? On a textual level, if the terms are identical, what is the need the repetition? If not, what is the verse trying to say about the cessation of the manna?
Preserving the Manna
The achronology is not limited to the chapter's conclusion. Verse 34 speaks of Aharon's preserving of the manna by storing it "לִפְנֵי הָעֵדֻת", the Torah's common designation for the Ark of Testimony. At this point of the story, however, the Tabernacle and Ark have not yet been built, placing this event no earlier than the second year. Here, too, though, the extent of the achronology is unclear. Did the event take place right after the building, or at some later point? Moreover, in Moshe's directive he speaks of placing the manna "לִפְנֵי ה'". Is that term identical to "לִפְנֵי הָעֵדֻת" and speaks of the same event, or are they distinct and the manna might have been placed in two different places at two different times, perhaps even before the Tabernacle's construction? Finally, when would have been the most logical time to have set aside the manna – when the phenomenon first began, when there was a proper place for safe-keeping, or perhaps only at the eve of the nation's entry into the land, when it became necessary to commemorate the soon to be lost miracle?
When was the Epilogue Written
When the Torah concludes a story by including a future event, when is that event recorded? Does Moshe receive all the information where it was supposed to be written and prophetically write it even before the event transpired, or does he add it in only after the fact? Did he do so immediately, or only at the end of the forty years? What about events that first happen after his death?
Textual and Philosophical Issues
- Why Aharon? – Why is Aharon specifically chosen to store the manna? Is this related to his role as priest or assistant to Moshe?
- "קְצֵה אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן" versus "אֶרֶץ נוֹשָׁבֶת" – What is the relationship between these two terms; do both refer to the settled land of Arvot Moav, both to Israel, or one and one? If the terms are identical, why the repetition? If not, what is the verse trying to say about the cessation of the manna?
