In Parshat Chukat, Bamidbar 21:5, we read: “The people spoke out against God and Moshe, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no food and no water, and we are disgusted with this lechem haklokel (rotten bread).’”

According to Rashi, they called the manna lechem haklokel because it was absorbed in the limbs. They said, “The manna will eventually swell in our stomachs. Can anyone born of a woman take in food and not expel it?”

Gur Aryeh points out that they were afraid that the rotten waste materials would accumulate in their stomachs.

In Tehilim 78:25 the psalm says: “Man ate lechem abirim (the bread of angels): he sent them provision to the full.”

Was the manna rotten bread as B’nai Yisrael described it or was it bread of angels as the psalm indicates?

In Masechet Yoma 75b we are told that at first the manna was like the bread of angels and miraculously absorbed into the limbs so there was no need to go to the bathroom. Once B’nai Yisrael called it lechem haklokel and started complaining that it would have no refuse and would swell their stomachs then God removed the miracle and made it a food that would have refuse. After that they would have to walk behind the camp three parsaot (8000 amot) each time that they would need to go to the bathroom.

So the answer is no and yes. At first there was no need to use the bathroom and B’nai Yisrael didn’t realize how good they had it. After that they had to suffer the consequences and go to the back of the camp.

Of course, in those days there were no bathrooms and that is why it says in Devarim 23:13-14: “You shall have a place outside of the camp where you shall withdraw yourself and you shall have a spade among your weapons and it shall be that when you sit outside you shall dig with it to cover your excrement.”

We are lucky to be living at a time where there are public restrooms available and usually in close proximity. We often take bathrooms for granted until we are out camping and then we understand how much B’nai Yisrael must have been kicking themselves after they complained about the manna.