Community Magazine February 2019

86 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Exploring the Mysteries of the Animal Kingdom Torah The second of the ten makkot that Hashem brought upon Mitzrayim was Makkat Tzefardei’a , the plague of frogs. All of the makkot were intended to teach the Jews, as well as the Egyptians, that there is a Creator Who is directly concerned and involved in the affairs of humankind. The greatest proof that Hashem, our Creator, cares about what we do is His justice system, particularly the way He acts with middah k’neged middah – measure for measure. How was the plague of frogs an act of middah k’neged middah ? No Croaking Zone Not all frogs croak! Some chirp, whistle, ribbit, peep, or grunt instead. The vocal sacs come in quite handy when the male frogs need to croak loudly enough to claim their territory. A croaking sound warns other males that a particular spot on the pond is already taken. Depending on the species, frog calls can be heard up to one mile away! It is interesting to note that frogs don’t all sound the same. A frog’s croak is unique to its species, and frogs can even identify the croaks of other frogs within the same species. What Is That Bubble under a Frog ’ s Mouth? The bubble under a frog’s mouth is actually called a vocal sac. Vocal sacs are pouches of elastic skin membranes located beneath the floor of the frog’s mouth and are used as inflatable amplifiers. Vocal sacs enable frogs to amplify their famous, loud croaking sounds. When a vocal sac expands into its bubble-like shape, it makes the frog's voice louder. When fully expanded, the vocal sac can be up to three times as big as the frog’s head! Most frog species have vocal sacs, but usually it is only the male frogs that have them. And while most frog species have just one vocal sac, there are some that have two — one on each corner of the mouth.