Most people are self-proclaimed frog experts. After all, we all learned about the stages of the frog’s life cycle in elementary school and are aware of the reactions they get when they’re stuck in swimming pools. And that’s all there really is to know, right?
Frogs are possibly
the most famous when they are taken apart. Dissecting frogs is a “highlight” of
most middle school science classes. Personally examining how perfectly each
individual organ fits with the others is truly incredible. Hashem’s wisdom in
design is so clear when you remove and identify each essential, internal body
part – magnified tremendously when you consider the complexity of the human
body.
After successfully
dissecting a frog (or getting your lab partner to do it while you keep your
eyes shut), it’s time to expand our understanding by putting some pieces
together. Firstly, it helps to recognize that frogs come in a wide variety of
types and sizes, ranging from a third of an inch to over a foot long! A group
of frogs is called an “army,” and some of them are extremely lethal; there is
enough poison found in the skin of just one Golden Poison Dart frog to kill 10
people!
Most frogs lay
their eggs (thousands at a time) in shallow, slow-moving water, where they will
take about two to three weeks to hatch. There is, however, the risk of them
being eaten, so some frogs have developed effective alternatives to ensure the
safety of their offspring. The female Surinam toad, for example, carries her
eggs on her back until they hatch, and the male Darwin frog holds them in his
mouth after the female lays them – not eating or swallowing the entire time he is
giving them sanctuary. Many arboreal (tree) frogs choose to lay their eggs in
water-filled hollows of trees.
Waiting patiently
until a snack comes within striking range, a frog can flick out its tongue
faster than you can blink and with perfect accuracy. Unlike our tongues, a
frog’s is attached at the front of its mouth, which enables it to have a longer
reach, approximately the distance of its body length. (That would be comparable
to you reaching for a snack five feet away without getting up from the table.
Buffet luncheons would be more entertaining or disturbing or both.) And, if part of its tongue is damaged or
missing, the injured part can regrow in a few weeks!
It is currently
not clear whether frogs have taste buds, as the function of the tongue is
solely to catch their food, not to enjoy it. (I don’t know how good bugs would
taste anyway. Maybe with enough ketchup…) When they eat, frogs also retract
their eyeballs into their head, physically pushing their food farther down
their throat to help them swallow.
Since they are
cold-blooded creatures, frogs cannot regulate their internal body temperature
and will hibernate in extreme hot or cold temperatures. They create a cocoon of
shed skin around themselves to retain moisture and excuse themselves until the
weather is more comfortable. (There were a number of occasions this past year
when I wished I could do just that.)
Frogs Were
Jumping Everywhere
All frogs are
excellent jumpers. By proportion, they can propel themselves forward much
farther than our best Olympic athletes, reaching distances of up to 44 times
their body length! (This would be equivalent to a five-foot, five-inch person
leaping over 200 feet!) Their impressive feats are not in order to show off or
win contests; rather, Hashem gave them this ability so they can quickly avoid
becoming dinner for other hungry creatures. Their predators include birds,
fish, snakes, and even people; frogs’ legs are a famous delicacy in France,
Vietnam, and in the Southern United States (deep-fried).
Frog and
Toad are Friends
Frogs and toads
are characteristically contrasting. The former has smooth skin that does not
hold moisture well, so they have to stay in or near the water to avoid drying
out. Frogs have longer back legs that are designed for jumping and can also
have teeth. Toads, on the other hand, have thicker, bumpy skin that holds water
better, enabling them to stay on land. They have shorter back legs for hopping
and don’t have any teeth.
Many people worry that
touching toads can give you warts. This is a myth as warts are caused by a
viral infection that toads do not carry. Instead, you will likely cause harm to
the toads if you handle them because the oils on your skills will damage
theirs. Rubbing them can have serious repercussions as amphibians depend on
their skin to absorb moisture (they don’t drink). There are also many species
that are poisonous or carry salmonella, so touching them is basically a bad
idea, just not for the reason you thought.
One Giant
Leap
With our
astronauts’ recent safe return to Earth, it’s important to realize that we owe
a debt of gratitude to frogs for their ability to be in space in the first
place. In 1970, two frogs were sent to space to test the effects of zero
gravity on living things. They were specifically chosen because their inner ear
is very similar to ours and is essential for maintaining balance, which is
significantly affected by weightlessness. By the final day of their flight, the
frogs both remained in good health, which helped pave the way for sending
humans into the dark, diamond-filled night.
One
Morning When Paroah Awoke in His Bed
There are multiple
ways to understand the details of the makka
of tzefardaya (plague of the frog).
Some say that it was a giant, monster frog that stomped around Egypt, causing
mass destruction. Rashi explains that the singular word of the plague reveals
that the entire plague began with only one frog.
On that hot, sunny
morning in Mitzrayim, only one small,
regular-sized frog emerged from the Nile River. It innocently hopped around,
minding its own business, until an Egyptian saw it and, in his annoyance,
smacked it. Instead of dying, however, it doubled. Rubbing his eyes in
disbelief, he wondered why he hadn’t noticed the other one before and hit it
again. Again, it doubled! More and more Mitzrim
struck out in anger and the number of frogs increased exponentially until they
constituted a makka that covered the
whole country.
The Egyptians
essentially produced their own plague. And while we mock them for their
foolishness, we often do the same thing: being the source of our own problems.
Once emotions are involved, we don’t realize the negative impact that results
from viewing the world with an ayin ra
(a bad eye). Anger is a destructive force for everyone involved, both the
people who suffer from the brunt of someone’s temper, as well as the one who is
upset himself. A world of difference is attained by simply keeping in mind that
just because something happens that can
make you angry, doesn’t mean that it has
to. Anger is a choice, and we are solely responsible for placing a plague
on our own heads if we choose poorly. Of course, some tzaros are out of our hands to prevent, but there are many times when
using a little more sensitivity or planning can prevent a tremendous amount of
trouble.
Frogs Were
Jumping in His Bed
A real modern-day makka has been unfolding in Florida as
tiny Cuban tree frogs have recently invaded. After hitching a ride on some
decorative plants that were brought into the country, they have rapidly
multiplied, competing with native species for resources and crowding out fauna
indigenous to the area. Since they fit in small places, they also create a
nuisance for people, who find them in their houses and plumbing. (Baltimore may
not have the best track record for crime or humidity, but at least we don’t
have frogs in our toilets.)
It’s
Raining, It’s Pouring…
Another thing we
can say for Baltimore’s honor is that it doesn’t rain frogs. Although that
might sound like a stretch, this phenomenon does occur in other countries,
England being highly susceptible to it for no specific reason. Waterspouts
(tornadoes that form over water) can easily pick up the lightweight creatures
and carry them great distances, sometimes hundreds of miles before losing
strength and dropping them en masse. Unfortunately, most of the plummeting
frogs do not survive the journey, and those that do are likely traumatized and have
traveled too far to make it back home safely.
The Song
of the Frog
Dovid HaMelech was
once walking by the water, talking about how much he praised Hashem all day. A
frog countered his claim, insisting that it sings Hashem’s praises day and
night and is willing to give up its life for Hashem. During the second makka in Mitzrayim, the frogs went against their natural instincts and
jumped into fiery ovens to fullfill Hashem’s wishes.
Sometimes, doing
the ratzon Hashem involves discomfort
or ostensible loss. Yet the frogs, with their example, demonstrated that the
true way to serve Hashem is by putting His path before our own ephemeral wants.
In fact, when Chananiah, Mishael, and Azariah needed to enter the fiery furnace
for defying Nebuchadnezzar, they looked to the frogs from Mitzrayim, rather than our Avos,
for encouragement and resolve.
Perek Shira says that the
frogs sing “Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuso l’olam
va’ed – Blessed is the Name of his honored Majesty forever and ever.” Frogs
go through many stages of life, each with its own challenges, and always do
their best with what they have. We can take their example to heart and strike
back at our anger in order to do the ratzon
Hashem no matter what situation we find ourselves in. Hashem always gives
us the tools to successfully navigate life and carries us close forever.
Debbie
Glazer lives in Pikesville with her family and teaches language arts in Bnos
Yisroel High School. She can often be found either writing or reading and loves
to share her passion for the written word with others.
