(Exodus 15 — 22) "And they went out to the desert of Shur"

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Mekhilta Tractate Vayassa 1:6

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published January 15, 2025

(Exodus 15:22) "And they went out to the desert of Shur": This is the desert of Kazav. They said about the desert of Kazav that it was nine hundred parasangs by nine hundred parasangs—all full of serpents and scorpions, viz. (Devarim 8:15) "… who led you in the great, awesome desert of snake, fiery serpent, and scorpion, etc." And it is written (Isaiah 21:1) "A prophecy of the desert of the sea, etc.", and (Ibid. 30:6) "A prophecy of the beasts of the south in a land of affliction and oppression, lavi and layish (types of lions) among them, efeh and flying serpent, etc." "efeh" is a viper. It was said about this viper, that when it sees the shadow of a bird flying in the air and "links up" with its shadow, its limbs descend, in spite of which (Jeremiah 2:6) "they did not say 'Where is the L–rd who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and tzalmaveth?'" What is "tzalmaveth"? "tzel" (a shadow) and (i.e., accompanied by) "maveth" (death).

Themes

Moses Prophecy Death

Biblical References

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