In the Parsha BeShalach
Plants, Places, Animals
Compiled from: http://bible.ort.org/ The Living Torah by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
Quail (שלו)
The Quail is mentioned in Exodus 16:13 alongside the manna, as the two principal sources of food that Israelites were provided with by G-d, during their wanderings in the desert.
It is a kosher, plump but small game bird. Usually identified with Teturnix Xeturnix, the smallest member of the quail family, which are abundant in the area during migration season.
Diet: Insectivorous
Habitat: Africa and Europe
Voice: A whistled triplet.
Coriander (גד לבן)
The coriander is mentioned in Exodus 16:31. The appearance of its seeds is likened there to the Manna. Coriander is one of the oldest known spice plants. It bears black seeds used for seasoning, and it is a member of the carrot family. Others translate here to denote mustard seeds.
Habitat: Jordan Valley, Mediterranean countries.
Elim (אילם)
The Israelites stopped at Elim after crossing the Red Sea and passing through Marah. In contrast to the latter, Elim had twelve springs of water and seventy date palms (Exodus 15:27; Numbers 33:9-10). Elim means 'terebinths' or 'oaks'. Elim is usually identified with Wadi Gharandel, an oasis with tamarisks and palms about 60 km (38 miles) south-east of Suez along the west side of the Sinai desert.
Etham (אתם)
Place where the Israelites camped on the edge of the desert (Exodus 13:20; Number 33:6-7). Its precise location is unclear, but it is believed to be somewhere on the isthmus of Suez, possibly to the north-east of the Gulf. It has also been identified by medieval rabbinical scholars as being the Shur desert. Some identify it with the Egyptian word Chetem which means a fortress.
Freedom Valley, Pi HaChiroth (פי החירת)
The Israelites camped in front of Pi HaChiroth, between Migdol and the sea in order to trap Pharoah into attacking them (Exodus 14:2). In Hebrew, Pi HaChiroth (cherut meaning freedom), possibly indicating that the area described was at the mouth of a river. This may mean that it was located at one of the delta tributaries of the river Nile, either at Pithom, which was said to be on the site of Tanis, or near the mouth of the Suez Canal.
Lord-of-the-North, Baal Tzafon (בעל צפן)
A place somewhere on the Egyptian eastern delta near which the Israelites camped in order to confuse Pharoah, as G-d had instructed Moses (Exodus 14:2). Others suggest this was a huge idol. It has been suggested variously that it may have been either at Tel Dafne, 43 km south-west of Port Said, Ras Kasrun near Lake Serbonis, or Jebu el Chasan, 8 miles north of the Gulf of Suez.
Marah (מרה)
The Israelites passed through Marah (meaning 'bitter') on their way through the Shur desert, thus named because they could only find bitter water there (Exodus 15:23; Numbers 33:8-9). Marah is often identified with Ain Chawarah, 90 km (60 miles) south of Suez.
Massah (מסה)
A place mentioned in Exodus 17:7 (under the name Testing-and-Argument), Deuteronomy 6:15 and Deuteronomy 9:22, so called by Moses because the people tested G-d by demanding that Moses produce water. It is mentioned in the blessing of Moses at Deuteronomy 33:8.
Philistine Highway; Philistine Sea (דרך ארץ פלשתים)
1. Philistine Highway: when the Israelites left Egypt the land along the coastal strip between Egypt and Gaza was heavily populated by the Philistines: the Israelites were obliged to turn inland to avoid 'the way of the land of the Philistines' (Exodus 13:17). The part of the Mediterranean sea running parallel to this area was referred to as the sea of the Philistines (Exodus 23:31). It is now thought that the Philistines did not settle in this area until after the Exodus, so the name was used in a retrospective sense. 2. Philistine Sea: this is mentioned at Exodus 23:31, and is thought to mean the Mediterranean Sea.
Red Sea (ים סוף)
The Red Sea divides north-east Africa from Arabia and extends nearly 2,000 km from north Aden to the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula. In Exodus 10:19, Exodus 13:18 and Exodus 14:21-30 the Red Sea referred to is probably one of the lakes north of the Gulf of Suez, perhaps one of the Bitter Lakes. Elsewhere (e.g. Exodus 23:31) the Red Sea is possibly the Gulf of Aqaba. It is also known as the Sea of Reeds (Yam Suf in Hebrew) or the Reed Sea. The reference to Suf at Deuteronomy 1:1 may refer to the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aqaba nearby.
Rephidim (רפידם)
The final encampment of the Israelites on the Exodus from Egypt before reaching Mount Sinai (Exodus 17:1, Exodus 19:2; Numbers 33:14-15). It is usually identified with Wadi Refayid in south-west Sinai, although the exact location is unknown. It was named Testing-and-Argument by Moses because the people had argued and tested G-d by demanding that Moses produce water for them Exodus 17:7). Led by Joshua, the Israelites fought successfully against Amalek here: the battle was won because Moses raised his hands, assisted by Aaron and Chur (Exodus 17:8-16).
Sin Desert, Wilderness of Sin (מדבר צין)
A staging-post on the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt, which they reached after leaving Elim, shortly after the passage of the Red Sea. When in the Sin desert, the Israelites complained to Moses of their lack of food (Exodus 16:1, Numbers 33:11). G-d sent the Israelites manna to eat, and commanded them to keep the first Sabbath by not gathering manna on that day (Exodus 16:30). Not to be confused with the Tzin Desert.
Tower, Migdol (מגדל)
In Exodus 14:2, after leaving Egypt, the Israelites camped 'before Freedom Valley, between Tower and the sea'. Tower (Migdol) remains unlocated, as there were several forts of Canaanite origin in the Egyptian border area at the time.
