What is the definition of "Zera Gad"?
Rashi and Rashbam: "Zera Gad" is an herb (a species of legume - Rashbam) called 'coriander,' which is round like crystal 1 but not white (colorless) like it. 2
Yoma 75a #2: It is a flax-seed.
Yoma 75a #3: It means that the Manna was attractive like 'Hagadah.'
Yoma 75a #4: It would a. 'tell' them ("Gad"-'Magid') whether a baby was the ninth-month child of a woman's first husband, or the seventh-month child of her second husband; b. it would 'whiten' ("Lavan") their sins, by determining whether a Manna-loaf had been stolen or not. 3
See Bamidbar 11:7.
Rashi: Indeed, the Torah needs to mention that the Manna was white, precisely because the coriander-seed is not.
By matching the portions of Manna with the number of members of the household. See Torah Temimah, note 51.
What is the definition of "Tzapichis bi'Devash"?
Rashi (citing Targum Onkelos and Yoma 75a): It is a dough that is fried in honey, which the Mishnah calls 'Iskeritin.'
Targum Yonasan: It is a honey-cake. 1
See Peirush Yonasan.
How will we reconcile this Pasuk, which describes the taste of the Manna as "k'Tzapichis bi'Devash" (a dough fried in honey); whereas in Parshas Beha'alosecha, it defines the Manna's taste as "Leshad ha'Shamen" (a dough kneaded with oil - Bamidbar 11:8)?
Rashbam #1 (citing Yoma 75b): It tasted like a Tzapichis bi'Devash to the children, and like a Leshad ha'Shamen to older people. 1
Rashbam #2: It tasted like a honey-cake in its raw state, but like an oil-cake once it had been ground. 2
Refer also to 16:4:3.3:1 .
Rashbam: Seeing as the Pasuk in Beha'alosecha mentions the fact that they were able to grind it. Refer also to 16:4:3.1:1 .
