Manna, Clouds, Well

It is always interesting how the Midrash comes up with the symbolism that is learned from biblical stories. This is particularly true regarding the patriarchs and matriarchs. One such example comes from what was learned in the manner in which Avraham served the three angels. The information comes from תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל, the Beit Midrash of Rabbi Yishmael. When Avraham fed the angels חמאה וחלב, milk and butter, his children merited being fed the מן in the desert. When the Torah says, והוא עומד עליהם, that he stood over them, his children merited the עמוד ענן, the pillar of cloud. And when he said, יקח נא מעט מים, that they should take a little water, his children merited the well that traveled with them in the desert. Later, we credited the מן to Moshe, the Clouds of Glory, to Aharon, and the באר to Miriam. But the original זכות, began with Avraham.