Laura Smith
In the Bible, manna is described as a food that God provided to the Israelites during their 40-year journey through the desert after the Exodus. It is described as a small round thing or flake-like, similar to frost or coriander seeds, and was collected in the morning before it melted in the sun. It was ground and baked into cakes, which tasted like those made with oil and honey. Some people have speculated that manna may have been a type of mushroom, possibly with psychedelic properties, but others disagree, citing differences in appearance and the impracticality of consuming only mushrooms for 40 years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Description in the Bible | Manna is described in the Bible as "a fine, flake-like thing" like the frost on the ground. It is described as arriving with the dew during the night, having to be collected before it melted in the sun, and being like coriander seeds in size but white in colour. It is also said to taste like wafers made with honey. |
| Description in the Quran | Manna is described in the Quran as small droplets like dew that settle on trees and have a sweet taste. It is also described as a type of sap or tree resin with a sweet flavour, sometimes with a hint of sourness. |
| Theories about its Nature | Some people theorise that manna could have been a type of mushroom, possibly a psychedelic variety. Others suggest it could have been a form of lichen, honeydew, or tree resin. |
| Evidence for Mushrooms | The theory that manna was a type of mushroom is based on the idea that it could have been a psychedelic that induced spiritual visions. However, there is no explicit connection between eating manna and having hallucinations or other psychedelic effects. Additionally, the description of manna in the Bible does not match that of mushrooms in terms of size and preparation methods. |
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What You'll Learn
- Manna is described in the Bible as a small, round thing like frost on the ground
- Manna is described in the Quran as manna or small droplets like dew
- Manna is said to be a type of sap or tree resin with a sweet flavour
- Manna is described as having the appearance of bdellium and was baked into cakes
- Manna is said to have been a type of honey or syrup derived from specific plants
Manna is described in the Bible as a small, round thing like frost on the ground
Manna is a mysterious substance described in the Bible, specifically in Exodus 16:1–36 and Numbers 11:1–9. It is said to be an edible food that God provided for the Israelites during their 40 years of wandering in the desert after the Exodus and before entering the land of Canaan. The description of manna in the Bible has led to much speculation about its true nature, with some suggesting it could have been a type of mushroom.
In the Book of Exodus, manna is described as "a small, round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground". It is said to have arrived with the dew during the night and needed to be collected before it melted in the heat of the sun. This description has led some to propose that manna could have been a type of fungus that appears overnight and is prone to rapid infestation by worms. However, others argue that the description does not match that of mushrooms, especially the detail about the size being compared to frost.
The Bible also provides details about the preparation and taste of manna. Numbers and Exodus describe the Israelites grinding and pounding manna into cakes, which were then baked and resulted in a taste similar to cakes made with oil or wafers made with honey. This process of preparation and the resulting taste do not seem to align with how mushrooms are typically prepared and consumed. Additionally, the Bible mentions that stored manna bred worms and stank, except for the portion stored the day before the Sabbath, which did not spoil overnight.
While some scholars and enthusiasts have proposed the idea of manna being a psychedelic substance, such as mushrooms, the evidence remains largely speculative. In his book, "The Mystery of Manna: The Psychedelic Sacrament of the Bible," Dan Merkur presents evidence suggesting that manna was a psychedelic substance used in religious rites. Merkur traces references to mystical traditions and journeys of ecstatic ascent in various mystical texts. However, critics argue that Merkur's evidence is not conclusive and that the connection between manna and psychedelic experiences is not explicit.
In conclusion, while the Bible's description of manna as small, round, and frost-like has sparked interest in the possibility of it being a type of mushroom, there are also many aspects of manna that do not align with this theory. The preparation, taste, and spoilage of manna described in the Bible differ from what one would typically expect from mushrooms. Additionally, while the idea of manna as a psychedelic substance has gained some support, it remains a speculative interpretation rather than a universally accepted conclusion.
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Manna is described in the Quran as manna or small droplets like dew
Manna is described in the Quran as a substance that God bestowed upon the Israelites during their 40-year wandering in the desert after the Exodus. The word "manna" appears three times in the Quran, at 2:57, 7:160, and 20:80.
In the Quran, manna is described as a gift from God, with a sweet taste and a small, droplet-like form, similar to dew or honey. Some interpretations suggest that manna refers to edible mushrooms or truffles that grew in the land, while others describe it as a type of sap or tree resin. According to a narration, Prophet Muhammad described manna as edible mushrooms. Manna is also said to be a type of natural honey found in the mountains or an energizing syrup derived from specific plants in the wilderness.
The description of manna in the Quran is similar to that in the Bible, where it is mentioned in Exodus and Numbers. In Exodus, manna is described as a "small, round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground," and in Numbers, it is said to arrive with the dew during the night. The Bible also mentions that manna had to be collected before it melted in the heat of the sun and that it was ground and baked into cakes. Classical rabbinical literature describes manna as a natural but unique substance, created during the twilight of the sixth day of Creation.
While some scholars and researchers have interpreted manna as a type of mushroom or other psychoactive substance, others disagree with this interpretation. The various identifications of manna are primarily naturalistic, and it is unlikely that a large group of people could survive for years on sweet substances alone. Therefore, it is suggested that manna may have been accompanied by other food sources, such as quails.
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Manna is said to be a type of sap or tree resin with a sweet flavour
Manna has been described in the Bible and the Quran as an edible substance bestowed upon the Israelites by God while they were wandering the desert during the 40-year period that followed the Exodus. In the Hebrew Bible, manna is described as "a fine, flake-like thing" like the frost on the ground, which arrived with the dew during the night. It is also said to be like coriander seeds in size but white in colour.
There are several theories about what manna actually was. Some scholars have proposed that manna is cognate with the Egyptian term mennu (mnw), which designated a white aromatic plant that may have been myrrh. Manna has also been theorised to be a form of lichen, a plant-like colony that often has a low mass per unit volume density and a large "sail area". In particular, Lecanora esculenta has been postulated.
However, one of the most popular theories is that manna was a type of sap or tree resin with a sweet flavour. The honeydew produced by the Tamarisk manna scale is similar to wax, melts in the sun, is sweet and aromatic (like honey), and has a dirty-yellow colour, which fits somewhat with the biblical descriptions of manna. Another type of honeydew is turkey oak manna, which is formed by aphids and appears white. When dried, it forms into crystalline lumps which are hard and look like stone.
Despite these theories, some people have speculated that manna was actually a type of mushroom. In his book The Mystery of Manna, religious historian Dan Merkur provides evidence that the manna was a bread containing ergot, a psychoactive fungus containing the same chemicals from which LSD is made. However, others have disputed this theory, arguing that the description of manna does not match that of mushrooms. For example, the Israelites ground manna and pounded it into cakes, which were then baked, resulting in something that tasted like cakes baked with oil. This process is not consistent with the preparation of mushrooms. Additionally, the amount of mushrooms required to sustain a person as a food source would be extremely large, at around 200 grams or more.
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Manna is described as having the appearance of bdellium and was baked into cakes
The Bible mentions manna as a food that God provided for the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness. In Exodus, manna is described as "a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground". It is said to have tasted like wafers made with honey when raw, and when baked into cakes, it tasted like cakes made with oil.
Manna is described in Numbers 11:7 as having the appearance of bdellium. Bdellium is a semi-transparent oleo-gum resin, which is extracted from Commiphora wightii (False Myrrh) and Commiphora africana trees. The trees are small or like bushes, with little foliage, and are found in hot, sunny places in Northwest Africa, Arabia, and Northwest India. When the bark of these trees is cut, a fragrant, resinous juice or gum oozes out. This gum hardens and becomes wax-like and transparent, resembling a pearl in appearance. The gum is also described as having a near-white colour.
Josephus refers to bdellium as a "spicy herb" in Jewish Antiquities, while Theophrastus, a European classical author, describes it as a "tear of resin, resembling myrrh in appearance and odour". Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History, describes the best bdellium as coming from Bactria, from a tree black in colour, and the size of the olive tree. The bdellium from Bactria is also described as dry and shining, with numerous white spots.
While some have speculated that manna may have been a type of mushroom, there is no definitive evidence to support this claim. Dan Merkur, in his book The Mystery of Manna: The Psychedelic Sacrament of the Bible, argues that manna was a psychedelic substance, but he does not provide conclusive proof. The description of manna in the Bible does not match that of mushrooms, and the concept of manna is based on the idea of trusting in God to provide sustenance.
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Manna is said to have been a type of honey or syrup derived from specific plants
Manna has been described in the Bible as a "fine, flake-like thing" that resembled frost and was as small as coriander seeds. It is said to have been provided by God to the Israelites as they wandered the desert for 40 years following the Exodus. The Israelites were instructed to gather and eat manna daily, baking it into cakes.
There are various interpretations of what manna could have been. Some believe it was a type of honey or syrup derived from specific plants. This interpretation is based on the description of manna in the Bible, which states that raw manna tasted like wafers made with honey. Additionally, the description of manna as a small, round thing that appeared with the morning dew and melted in the heat of the sun has led some to compare it to honeydew produced by the Tamarisk manna scale. This substance is similar to wax, melts in the sun, is sweet and aromatic, and has a yellow colour, resembling the biblical descriptions of manna.
Other interpretations of manna include truffles, edible mushrooms, sap or tree resin, and a type of natural honey found in the mountains. Some scholars have also proposed that manna could be related to the Egyptian term "mennu", which designated a white aromatic plant.
It is worth noting that some people have speculated that manna could have been a type of psychedelic mushroom, such as psilocybin or amanita mushrooms. This theory is based on the idea that the hallucinogenic properties of these mushrooms could have induced spiritual experiences and connected to the concept of trusting in God to provide for one's needs. However, critics of this theory argue that the description of manna in the Bible does not match that of mushrooms, and the amount of mushrooms required to sustain a population for 40 years would have been impractical.
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Frequently asked questions
Manna is described in the Bible and the Quran as an edible substance that God bestowed upon the Israelites while they were wandering the desert for 40 years.
There is no clear evidence that Manna was a mushroom. However, some people believe it could have been a naturally growing psychedelic mushroom.
Manna is described in the Book of Exodus as "a fine, flake-like thing, like coriander seeds in size but white in colour". It is described in the Book of Numbers as arriving with the dew during the night and having the appearance of bdellium.
Exodus states that raw manna tasted like wafers made with honey. The Israelites ground and pounded the manna into cakes, which were then baked and tasted like cakes baked with oil.
