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Exodus 16:3 - Craving slavery's false comforts?

Exodus 16:3 - שמות 16:3

Hebrew Text

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִי־יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ בְיַד־יְהוָה בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּנוּ עַל־סִיר הַבָּשָׂר בְּאָכְלֵנוּ לֶחֶם לָשֹׂבַע כִּי־הוֹצֵאתֶם אֹתָנוּ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה לְהָמִית אֶת־כָּל־הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה בָּרָעָב׃

English Translation

and the children of Yisra᾽el said to them, Would we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Miżrayim, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Transliteration

Va'yomru alehem bnei Yisrael mi-yiten mutenu b'yad-Adonai b'eretz Mitzrayim b'shivteinu al-sir habasar b'ochleinu lechem lasova ki-hotzetem otanu el-hamidbar haze l'hamit et-kol-hakahal haze b'ra'av.

Hebrew Leining Text

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִֽי־יִתֵּ֨ן מוּתֵ֤נוּ בְיַד־יְהֹוָה֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּ֙נוּ֙ עַל־סִ֣יר הַבָּשָׂ֔ר בְּאׇכְלֵ֥נוּ לֶ֖חֶם לָשֹׂ֑בַע כִּֽי־הוֹצֵאתֶ֤ם אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְהָמִ֛ית אֶת־כׇּל־הַקָּהָ֥ל הַזֶּ֖ה בָּרָעָֽב׃ <span class="mam-spi-samekh">{ס}</span>        
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֲלֵהֶ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מִֽי־יִתֵּ֨ן מוּתֵ֤נוּ בְיַד־יְהֹוָה֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּ֙נוּ֙ עַל־סִ֣יר הַבָּשָׂ֔ר בְּאׇכְלֵ֥נוּ לֶ֖חֶם לָשֹׂ֑בַע כִּֽי־הוֹצֵאתֶ֤ם אֹתָ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְהָמִ֛ית אֶת־כׇּל־הַקָּהָ֥ל הַזֶּ֖ה בָּרָעָֽב׃ {ס}        

🎵 Listen to leining

Parasha Commentary

Context in the Torah

This verse appears in Shemot (Exodus) 16:3, where the Israelites complain to Moshe and Aharon shortly after their miraculous exodus from Egypt. Despite witnessing the Ten Plagues and the splitting of the Red Sea, they express longing for their former lives in Egypt, lamenting their current hunger in the wilderness.

Rashi's Commentary

Rashi explains that the phrase "מִי־יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ בְיַד־יְהוָה בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם" ("Would we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt") reflects their distorted perspective. They preferred dying in Egypt—where they were enslaved but had food—over trusting in Hashem’s providence in the wilderness. Rashi notes that their complaint was ungrateful, as they had already witnessed Hashem’s miracles.

Rambam on Human Nature

Rambam (Maimonides) in Moreh Nevuchim (Guide for the Perplexed) discusses how people often fear change, even when it leads to freedom. The Israelites, accustomed to slavery, struggled with the uncertainty of the wilderness, demonstrating how human nature resists transformation despite its benefits.

Midrashic Interpretation

The Midrash Shemot Rabbah (25:5) criticizes the Israelites' complaint, comparing it to a child rescued from a dangerous place who later complains about hunger. The Midrash emphasizes that their focus on "סִיר הַבָּשָׂר" ("the flesh pots") and "לֶחֶם לָשֹׂבַע" ("bread to satiety") reveals misplaced priorities—valuing physical comfort over spiritual redemption.

Talmudic Insight

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 110a) teaches that this complaint was one of several instances where the Israelites tested Hashem’s patience. Their lack of faith after experiencing miracles serves as a cautionary lesson about the dangers of ingratitude and shortsightedness.

Key Lessons

  • Bitachon (Trust in Hashem): The Israelites failed to internalize that Hashem, who redeemed them, would also provide sustenance.
  • Gratitude vs. Complaints: Their longing for Egypt highlights how suffering can distort memory, making past hardships seem preferable to present challenges.
  • Spiritual Growth: The wilderness was a test to elevate their faith, but they initially resisted this process.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Yoma 75b
The verse is referenced in a discussion about the manna and the complaints of the Israelites in the wilderness, illustrating their ingratitude despite God's providence.
📖 Sanhedrin 110b
The verse is cited in the context of discussing the rebellion of Korach and his followers, highlighting the complaints of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why were the Israelites complaining in Exodus 16:3?
A: The Israelites complained because they were hungry in the wilderness and nostalgically remembered having food in Egypt, despite their slavery. Rashi explains that their words were ungrateful, as they had just witnessed miracles like the splitting of the Red Sea. The Midrash (Mechilta) teaches that their longing for Egypt was misguided, as they were forgetting their suffering there.
Q: What does 'sitting by the flesh pots' mean in Exodus 16:3?
A: The phrase 'sitting by the flesh pots' refers to the Israelites recalling their access to meat while enslaved in Egypt. Ramban (Nachmanides) notes that this was an exaggeration—they were slaves and did not eat luxuriously. The Talmud (Berachot 9b) teaches that this complaint reflects human nature to romanticize the past when facing current hardships.
Q: How does G-d respond to the Israelites' complaint in Exodus 16:3?
A: Despite their lack of faith, G-d responds with kindness by providing manna (Exodus 16:4). Rashi explains that this shows G-d's mercy even when people complain. The Midrash (Shemot Rabbah) teaches that the manna was a test to see if they would follow G-d's commandments regarding its collection.
Q: What lesson can we learn from Exodus 16:3 about gratitude?
A: The verse teaches the danger of ingratitude and forgetting past suffering. The Rambam (Hilchot De'ot) emphasizes the importance of recognizing G-d's kindness even in difficult times. The Talmud (Avodah Zarah 5a) compares this complaint to a slave longing for his master, showing how freedom requires responsibility.
Q: Why does the verse say 'die by the hand of the Lord' in Exodus 16:3?
A: Rashi explains that the Israelites were saying it would have been better to die in Egypt through a divine plague (like the Egyptians) rather than starve in the wilderness. The Midrash (Tanchuma Beshalach) criticizes this statement, as it showed a lack of trust in G-d after witnessing His miracles.