Remember the manna, that miraculous bread from heaven? God instructed the Israelites to gather only what they needed for each day, except on Friday, when they were to collect a double portion for Shabbat. But, human nature being what it is, some people just couldn't resist hoarding a little extra.

“But they did not heed Moses; men left from it until the morning and it became infested with worms and stank, and Moses became angry with them” (Exodus 16:20).

Now, Shemot Rabbah isn't content with just stating the obvious. It wants to know who these faithless hoarders were. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, a prominent scholar of the Talmud, offers a compelling answer: it was Datan and Aviram. He draws a parallel between this passage and another verse in Numbers (16:26), where the phrase "wicked men" clearly refers to Datan and Aviram, infamous for their rebellion against Moses. Since the word "men" appears in both verses, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish connects the dots, suggesting these were the same troublemakers. Clever, right?

But here's where it gets even more interesting. The text asks: "Is there anything that first produces worms and then stinks?" Isn't it usually the other way around? According to Shemot Rabbah, God orchestrated the timing of the worms' appearance. Instead of the manna rotting and stinking overnight, which would have allowed the hoarders to discreetly dispose of it in the dark, the worms multiplied throughout the night. This meant that when the sun rose, the evidence of their disobedience was impossible to ignore. Everyone would see the disgusting, worm-infested manna and know that someone had disobeyed God's command. As we find in Midrash Rabbah, this was designed to expose their actions publicly.

Immediately, “Moses became angry with them.”

The next part of the story involves the double portion for Shabbat. Exodus 16:22 tells us, “It was on the sixth day that they gathered double the bread, two omer for each and all the princes of the congregation came and told Moses.” You see, in his anger with the hoarders, Moses momentarily forgot to instruct the people to gather the double portion on Friday.

The text emphasizes, "It does not say: 'This is what I have spoken,' but rather, 'He has spoken,' for [Moses] had forgotten." This is a profound moment, highlighting the very human fallibility of even the greatest leaders. Moses, the prophet who spoke directly to God, was still capable of making mistakes. It's a humbling reminder that even those we admire are not perfect.

And God, in a moment of what we might call divine exasperation, asks Moses, “Until when do you refuse to observe My commandments and My laws?” (Exodus 16:28). The Shemot Rabbah points out that God includes Moses in this rebuke, underscoring the collective responsibility of the community to uphold God's laws.

So, what can we take away from this little episode in the desert? Perhaps it's a reminder that even in moments of miraculous provision, human flaws persist. Maybe it's a lesson about the importance of following instructions, even when they seem inconvenient. Or perhaps, it's a comforting acknowledgement that even our greatest leaders are human, prone to error, and in need of divine guidance.

The story of the manna, the worms, and Moses' momentary lapse is a small but powerful window into the complexities of the human-divine relationship, a relationship that continues to challenge and inspire us today.