[Avodah] Snake or Dragon?

[Micha Berger]

Yechezqeil 29:3 refers to Par'oh as "hatanim hagadol". Which allows us
to leverage a good amount of archeological and sociological evidence to
identify "sanim" (with a mem) with crocodile. We have evidence that Par'oh
was called the Great Crocodile; a title used even as late as PW Botha.

The notion that sanin = sanim = Par'oh's symbol gives meaning to this os.

The Or haChaim (7:9) is maqpid on the chiluq between the pasuq's "yehi
lesanin" and had it said "vayhi". It's not "and it will become a sanin",
but "let it be", belashon tzivui. Rather, the OhC haqadosh holds that
HQVH was telling Aharon to command the stick to turn into a sanin. As
a statement to the Sanim haGadol.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Man is equipped with such far-reaching vision,
micha at aishdas.org        yet the smallest coin can obstruct his view.
http://www.aishdas.org                         - Rav Yisrael Salanter
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