How did a Rasha know he was a Rasha?

Question

According to Yoma 75,

The Gemara continues to discuss the manna: It is written: “And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it” (Numbers 11:9). And it is written: “And the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day” (Exodus 16:4). And it is written: “The people went about and gathered it” (Numbers 11:8). How can these texts be reconciled? For the righteous, the manna fell at the opening of their homes. They expended no effort at all. The average people went out of the camp and gathered what fell there. The wicked had to go about farther to gather.

The Shteinzaltz explanation on this is

בינונים יצאו מחוץ למחנה ולקטו מה שהיה מכונס להם שם. רשעים שטו היו צריכים להלך הרבה ולקטו

The Beinonim had to walk outside the camp...the resha'im went out, they had to walk a lot and collect (my loose translation)

I don't know how large the machane was so I don't know how much of an imposition this distance was, and I'm wondering how far the "harbeh" was that resha'im would have had to walk to start collecting (I'm assuming, more than 2000 amot beyond the camp), but why couldn't they just start collecting as they walked past the mahn that fell "for" others. Did they try and it disappeared?

Did a rasha know he was a rasha? He had just recently been redeemed but I thought that resha'im would not have been taken out. How were there suddenly resha'im? Was there some public judging process or was this how each person found out his status?

Isn't the last paragraph a separate question (or series of questions)? — Alex, Jan 14 '19 at 06:12
Reshaim were redeemed, see Dathan and Aviram. Perhaps that's a separate question. — LN6595, Jan 14 '19 at 16:26
While you could say that even a "Rasha" would not steal the Manna on someone else's doorstep, you still have the question of differentiating between the average people and the Reshaim who were both collecting from public property. — LN6595, Jan 14 '19 at 16:27
The Machaneh was 12 mil (24,000 Amos, or very roughly 12 miles) across. Bamidbar 33:49. You can edit that in. — LN6595, Jan 14 '19 at 16:30

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 12 '18 at 16:06

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Very good question.

I thought that the levels here were based on one's general zerizus (alacrity) to perform mitzvos. The mun fell all over; inside, around, and beyond the camp. Whoever woke up early to daven/learn and be responsible, was a tzadik and took first come first serve. People waking up respectably later, had to walk farther, and people goofing off still got to eat, but had to suffer the dishonor of straggling about in search. No source, just my own chiddush (my thoughts).

answered Apr 12 '18 at 16:06

David Kenner

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But someone who wakes up late is termed a rasha? – rosends Apr 12 '18 at 16:17
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What if he is makpid not to collect his food until after a long davening with mikva chassidus and hachanos and moichen etc. – Hershy S. Apr 12 '18 at 19:05
עיין מהרש"א חידושי אגדות שפירש שהחטא היה שהתלוננו – Hershy S. Apr 12 '18 at 19:25
@heshy not everyone is like you :-) and the mun was due to melt pretty early too, so the whole chassidus thing apparently wasn't an excuse after all. Nowadays that we receive kollel checks... you can sit in the mikveh :-) (some mosdos claim that their checks "melt" if you don't cash them right away :) ) But, why not write an answer based on the Maharsha too? I think he would have enjoyed my answer as well. – David Kenner Apr 12 '18 at 20:59
@rosends 1) a rasha compared to others in that arena 2) a person can be considered a rasha regarding an aspect of service. For instance the Gemara in Brachos says that one who prays mussaf after the 7th hour is called a rasha. This kind of calling "rasha" is used to target an aspect of evil, even if the person is very good in other aspects. The mun was also due to melt away when the morning sun got hot (see the OP's same source Gemara) so the Gemara seems to tell us the whole mun system was meant to be time sensitive. – David Kenner Apr 12 '18 at 21:04

CAM · Answer 2 · 2019-02-14T22:57:14.160

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I'd like to agree with David's chiddush, while we may never know for certain, generally speaking early risers are of positive connotation in society and nature and late rising is usually neutral or negative. I was at a point in my life among former such peoples in repentance and as a joke to teach a much younger kin a lesson in leaving the truck unattended in a bad neighborhood one of them decided to take the truck as the driver went inside to gather some supplies. The most virtuous and wise of them said although he knew his truck was taken he was able to come to a wise realization of the unorthodoxy of the ambience and as such the other man's trickery and remained calm because the other man was absent and knows all the wicked ones are asleep at the hour we were up to work. In other words - if for better or for worse - in the past, future and certainly the present - early risers tend to not only get more done in their life but are of , generally speaking, the of people whom self discipline, direction, reward and manhood are of a positive connotations. Who knows what the ancients were thinking or what they were trying to infer? In either case this wouldn't be the first time mankind has associated early rising with success, virtute, reward and resilience (to name a few). Me certainly being a testament to that in recent days.

edited Feb 14 '19 at 22:57

answered Jan 14 '19 at 00:09

CAM

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This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review – LN6595 Jan 14 '19 at 02:37
Indeed. Quite indeed. I believe the question to this answer will never be empirically provided and is open to interpretation depending on the need of the reader. – CAM Jan 14 '19 at 04:34
Maybe clarify your answer. I’m not sure what exactly you re trying to say. There’s an edit button right under your answer. – LN6595 Feb 11 '19 at 19:13
Still figuring out the faux pas of the community. – CAM Feb 14 '19 at 22:58
Welcome to MiYodeya CAM and thanks for this first answer. Since MY is different from other sites you might be used to, see here for a guide which might help understand the site. Great to have you learn with us! – mbloch Feb 15 '19 at 04:44

LN6595 · Answer 3 · 2019-01-14T16:33:29.903

We know that "hamarbeh lo hirbeh vhamamit lo hichsir." No matter how much they collected, they were left with an omer l'gulgolos.

Shemos 16

And the children of Israel did so: they gathered, both the one who gathered much and the one who gathered little.
יז וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֖ן בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּלְקְט֔וּ הַמַּרְבֶּ֖ה וְהַמַּמְעִֽיט:

And they measured [it] with an omer, and whoever gathered much did not have more, and whoever gathered little did not have less; each one according to his eating capacity, they gathered.

יח וַיָּמֹ֣דּוּ בָעֹ֔מֶר וְלֹ֤א הֶעְדִּיף֙ הַמַּרְבֶּ֔ה וְהַמַּמְעִ֖יט לֹ֣א הֶחְסִ֑יר אִ֥ישׁ לְפִֽי־אָכְל֖וֹ לָקָֽטוּ:

Maybe it's possible that what happened is that the Tzadik left his house, saw a little manna by his door, and figured - looks like enough. Went home, measured it, and it was exactly enough. See, he tells himself, that's how much effort I need to do.

The average person thought the little by his door wasn't enough. So he walked around collecting for a while. He comes home, measures it, and presto - exactly enough. See, he tells himself, that's how much effort I need to do.

The Rasha takes what's by his door, but is not satisfied. He collects from the camp, but still isn't satisfied. He walks even outside the camp to fill his basket. He comes home, measures it - and it's just the right amount. See, he tells himself, that's how much effort I need to do.

The modern baaley mussar talk about a similar idea in regard to hishtadlus and bitachon. The more trust one has in God the less effort he needs to put forth. So to answer your question, it's possible that the people sorted themselves through their level of trust, choices, and actions.

How did a Rasha know he was a Rasha?

3 Answers3

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