Community Magazine July 2014

TAMMUZ 5774 JULY 2014 91 Torah Talk The crocodile was considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians, and Pharaoh himself was worshipped by the Egyptians as the “great crocodile” ( Yechezkel 29:3). The Nile crocodile reigns supreme in its river, and Pharaoh reigned supreme in his vast empire, becoming quite arrogant and vicious and refusing to acknowledge a Higher Authority, until he experienced the Ten Plagues. The second Plague which battered the Egyptians was the proliferation of the tzefardei’a throughout the land. While the word tzefardei’a is popularly understood to mean “frog,” there are some mefarshim , such as the Abarbanel and Rabbeinu Chananel, who hold that the proper translation of the word tzefardei’a is “crocodile” – OUCH! Some reasons why tzefardei’a is translated as “crocodile” are: 1. The Egyptians worshipped a crocodile god. Therefore, in keeping with the purpose of the Plagues, which was not only to punish but also to educate, the Egyptians were attacked by their very own god. This demonstrated Hashem’s mastery over the Egyptian god. 2. The verse in Tehillim (78:45) says that Hashem sent “wild animals which consumed them , and tzefardei’a which destroyed them.” Frogs are not generally creatures of destruction, whereas crocodiles are. Most commentaries, however, disagree with this interpretation of the word tzefardei’a , for several reasons: • In describing the tzefardei’a , the Torah writes ( Shemot 7:28), They will come into your houses, your bedrooms and your beds... The verse implies that the presence of the tzefardei’a was the only source of the Egyptians’ suffering. If it was a crocodile plague, the Egyptians’ suffering would consist of much more than the fact that the tzefardei’a filled their houses. • The tzefardei’a are described as “swarming,” which usually implies small creatures. • Our Sages say that one aspect of the plague of tzefardei’a was the incessant, maddening croaking noise that the creatures made. Frogs croak, whereas crocodiles just smile. It is interesting to note yet another opinion, brought down in the Ha’amek Davar ( Shemot 7:28), which suggests that tzefardei’a refers to both frogs and crocodiles, with frogs infesting all of Egypt and crocodiles infesting just Pharaoh’s palace. Crocs vs. Gators While crocodiles are often confused with alligators, they belong to two separate taxonomic families. Although they are both reptiles and are both crocodilians, there are a number of differences which set these predators apart. • Crocodiles have a longer, more V-shaped head than alligators. • The fourth tooth of a crocodile sticks out when its mouth is closed, which is not the case with alligators. • Crocodiles are better adapted to living in seawater than are alligators. • Crocodiles are more aggressive than alligators. • Crocodiles tend to have a lighter appearance than alligators. • Crocodiles in the wild are found all over the world, while alligators are only found in the US and China. Did You Know? The saltwater crocodile can outrun a galloping horse! A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue, as its tongue is attached to the top of its mouth. A mother crocodile can carry her young in a pouch inside her mouth. Crocodiles have the strongest bite of any animal in the world. When crocodiles sit on river banks with their mouths opens, it’s not aggression. They are cooling off by releasing heat through their mouths, since they do not have sweat glands. Crocodiles have the ability to keep their eyes open underwater. The crocodile is one of the few living creatures that naturally preys on humans. A healthy crocodile can live up to two years without eating anything! It is able to lower its metabolism rate to such an extreme point that it does not need much energy to stay alive. Q : What do you call a crocodile that just finished eating a frog? A : A croak-odile. Excerpts from ‘Exploring the Wild World of Animals , by Efraim Harari, published by Israel Bookshop Publications. This book and Volume 2 of this series, ‘Exploring the Wet & Wild Underwater World’ , are available online and at all Judaica stores.