<b>And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur (Exod. 15:22).</b> The wilderness of Shur is actually the wilderness of Kazab. They say that the wilderness of Kazab was eight hundred parasangs square and was filled with serpents and scorpions, as is stated: <i>Who led thee through the great and dreadful wilderness, wherein were serpents, fiery serpents, and scorpions</i> (Deut. 8:15). R. Yosé the son of Hanina declared: The serpents were the size of the beam of a house, and the scorpions were the width of a span.

It is related that while King Shapur (of Persia) was passing through that place with the members of his family, a serpent swallowed one of them. As he continued along, a second member of his family was swallowed up and then a third. King Shapur was deeply saddened, but he did not know what to do. His counselors advised him: “Summon ten mighty men to fill the place with a layer of straw.” He summoned them and they did so. They placed straw around the serpent, and he swallowed it. Then they placed more straw around him, and he swallowed it as well. This continued until his belly swelled up, and they killed him. Hence, <i>Who led thee through the great and dreadful wilderness, wherein were serpents, fiery serpents, and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint</i> (Deut. 8:15). It says also: <i>The burden of the beasts of the south. Through the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the lioness and the lion, the viper and the flying serpent</i> (Isa. 30:6). The word <i>ef’eh</i> is employed with reference to a viper. They say that when a viper looks at the shadow of a bird flying through the air, the bird immediately becomes entranced and falls apart. Nevertheless, they did not say: <i>Where is the Lord that brought us out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death</i> (Jer. 2:6). What is meant by the word <i>tzalmavet</i> (“shadow of death”)? A place where there is <i>tzal</i> (“shadow”) accompanied by <i>mavet</i> (“death”).

R. Aha stated: Our great Rabbi told me that there was one man in the land of Israel whom they called the bald-headed one. One time this man went up a mountain to gather wood, when he saw a sleeping serpent. Though the serpent did not see him, he was so terrified by the sight that the hair of his head fell out. The hair did not grow back until his dying day. That was the reason they called him the bald-headed one.