Merutah and the Sleeping Serpent of the Wilderness of Shur

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Beshalach 17:2

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

And it also says (in Isaiah 30:6), "a viper and a flying serpent." What is a "flying serpent" (saraf me'ofef)? The bird that flew over it was immediately burned (nisraf). Rabbi Hiyya the Great said: There was a certain man in the Land of Israel whose name was Merutah ("Plucked Bare"). Why was his name called Merutah? They said: One time he went up to gather wood from the mountain, and he saw the serpent sleeping, but the serpent did not see him; and out of his terror his hairs fell out, and they called him Merutah, and no hair grew upon him until the day of his death. Thus (Deuteronomy 8:15), "who led you," and so forth.

Themes

Adam EveAnimalsSerpentExodusMoses

Biblical References

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