Michael Davis
Manna, described in the Bible and the Quran, is a mysterious edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their 40-year journey in the desert after the Exodus. While some believe that manna was a form of bread or cake, others have theorized that it could have been a type of mushroom, specifically the psychedelic variety. This theory is explored in Dan Merkur's book, 'The Mystery of Manna', where he presents evidence of early Jewish and Christian use of psychedelics in religious rites. However, critics argue that the description of manna in the Bible does not align with the characteristics of mushrooms, and the amount of mushrooms required to sustain the Israelites over 40 years would have been impractical.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Description | Manna is described in the Bible as "a fine, flake-like thing" like the frost on the ground. It is also described as arriving with the dew during the night, and having to be collected before it was melted by the heat of the sun. It is said to be like coriander seeds in size, but white in colour. |
| Biblical References | Manna is mentioned in Exodus 16:1–36 and Numbers 11:1–9. |
| Theories | Manna has been theorized to be a type of mushroom, honey, sap, tree resin, lichen, or dew. |
| Evidence for Mushrooms | Some evidence suggests that manna could have been a type of mushroom due to its appearance and the fact that it arrived with the dew during the night. Additionally, mushrooms are prone to rapid infestation with worms, which aligns with the description of stored manna "breeding worms and stanking". |
| Evidence Against Mushrooms | The description of manna in the Bible does not match that of mushrooms, and the amount of mushrooms that would need to be ingested to sustain a person as a food source is much higher than the amount of manna described in the Bible. |
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What You'll Learn
Manna's description in the Bible
Manna is described in the Bible as an edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their 40-year wandering in the desert after they fled Egypt. The word "manna" is thought to come from the Hebrew "man hu," meaning "what is it?"
In Exodus 16, the Israelites complain to Moses that he has brought them to the desert to die of starvation. God then promises to rain down bread from heaven for them to gather each day, "that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no." The following morning, the Israelites find a small, round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. Moses tells them, "This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat."
In Exodus, manna is described as "a fine, flake-like thing, like coriander seed in size, but white in colour." It had to be collected before it melted in the sun. In Numbers, it is described as arriving with the dew during the night and having the appearance of bdellium. The Israelites ground it and pounded it into cakes, which were then baked and tasted like cakes made with oil. Raw manna tasted like wafers made with honey.
The Israelites were instructed to eat only the manna they had gathered for each day. Stored manna bred worms and stank, except for that stored the day before the Sabbath, when twice the amount of manna was gathered. This manna did not spoil overnight.
Some scholars have proposed that manna may be related to the Egyptian term "mennu," referring to a white, aromatic plant. Others have suggested that manna could be a type of lichen or a form of dew that hardens into a grain-like substance when it falls on leaves. The Tamarisk manna scale insect, which feeds on the honeydew produced by tamarisk trees, has also been proposed as a possible source of manna.
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Manna as a type of mushroom
Manna has been described in the Bible and the Quran as an edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their 40-year exile in the desert after the Exodus and before they entered Canaan. In Exodus, manna is described as "a fine, flake-like thing" that resembled frost and was white in colour, like coriander seeds. It had to be collected early in the morning before it melted in the sun. According to the Book of Numbers, manna looked like bdellium and was ground, pounded into cakes, and baked, resulting in a taste similar to cakes made with oil. Raw manna tasted like wafers made with honey.
Some people have proposed that manna was a type of mushroom, specifically the Amanita Muscaria or fly agaric mushroom. This theory was popularised by John M. Allegro and supported by Dan Merkur in his book "The Mystery of Manna: The Psychedelic Sacrament of the Bible". Allegro pointed out several symbolic connections between the mushroom and other elements in the Bible, such as the rock, the staff, the wilderness, and the Ark. Additionally, the idea that manna was a mushroom is supported by the Zoroastrian scripture 'Arda Wiraz Namag', which describes a journey to heaven induced by a narcotic, possibly a psychoactive substance.
However, others disagree with this theory, arguing that the description of manna in the Bible does not match that of mushrooms. They also question the practicality of surviving solely on magic mushrooms for 40 years, as the required dosage for nutritional value would be too high and would have impaired the Israelites' ability to walk and function. Furthermore, some scholars interpret manna as referring to other substances, such as a type of tree sap or resin, natural honey, an energizing syrup from specific plants, or a substance related to the Egyptian term "mennu", which referred to a white aromatic plant.
While the mushroom theory has its proponents and intriguing connections, the evidence remains inconclusive, and the true nature of manna continues to be a subject of speculation and debate.
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Manna as bread
Manna is described in the Bible and the Quran as an edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their 40-year journey in the desert after the Exodus. The word "manna" is derived from the Hebrew word "mān", which means "a fine, flake-like thing". The Bible describes manna as having a small, round shape, resembling coriander seeds in size but white in colour. It is said to have melted in the sun and tasted like wafers made with honey.
According to the Book of Exodus, God told Moses that he would "rain bread from heaven" for the people to eat. The Israelites were instructed to gather only what they needed for each day, as stored manna bred worms and stank, except for the portion kept for the Sabbath, which did not spoil. The Book of Numbers describes how the Israelites ground and pounded the manna into cakes, which were then baked and tasted like cakes made with oil.
Some scholars have proposed various interpretations of what manna might have been. One theory suggests that manna could be a type of lichen, specifically Lecanora esculenta, which forms thick beds in some parts of Asia. Another suggestion is that manna refers to the honeydew produced by the Tamarisk manna scale, which is similar to wax, melts in the sun, has a sweet taste and a yellow colour, resembling the biblical descriptions.
While some people have speculated that manna could have been a type of mushroom, there is disagreement on this point. Some argue that the description of manna does not match that of mushrooms, and the amount of mushrooms needed to sustain the Israelites would have been impractical. Additionally, the concept of manna is based on trusting God to provide sustenance, which does not align with the hallucinogenic effects associated with psychedelic mushrooms.
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Manna as honey
Manna has been described in the Bible and the Quran as an edible substance that God bestowed upon the Israelites while they were wandering the desert during the 40-year period that followed the Exodus. In the Hebrew Bible, manna is described in Exodus as being "a fine, flake-like thing" like the frost on the ground. It is described in the Book of Numbers as arriving with the dew during the night. Exodus adds that it had to be collected before it was melted by the heat of the Sun, and that it was like a coriander seed in size, but white in colour.
The description of manna in the Bible matches what Avinoam Danin, a late professor of botany, found in the Sinai Desert. He discovered that the white drops on the shrub’s stems were the digestive byproduct of insects that feed on the plant’s sap, known as honeydew. The secretion, formed at night, is loaded with sugar. The sweet liquid hardens to form white granules and is still collected from spring to early fall in many places in the Middle East today. Manna from the tamarisk tree was called taranjabin (Tar-angabin) manna, which means “wet honey” in Farsi.
In a modern botanical context, manna is often used to refer to the secretions of various plants, especially shrubs and trees, and in particular the sugars obtained by evaporating the sap of the manna ash, extracted by making small cuts in the bark. Manna ash, native to Southern Europe and Southwest Asia, produces a blue-green sap that has medicinal value. The names of the sugar mannose and its hydrogenated sugar alcohol, mannitol, are derived from manna.
Manna honey from Strandja Mountain is considered to be the highest-quality product in this group. The ecologically clean areas of the Strandja Mountain provide the best conditions for extracting manna honey. The typical colour of Strandja manna honey is reddish, with wood-caramel notes and a thick consistency. Once crystallized, the colour can change to light brown or gray. Its taste is sweet, but sometimes it has a slightly sour or bitter flavour.
Manna honey serves as a powerful antibiotic due to the presence of high glucose oxidase. Strong enzymatic action leads to the production of large amounts of hydrogen peroxide that acts against bacteria. As an antibacterial agent, manna honey serves as an ideal cough remedy. The special sugars present in manna honey serve as probiotics that stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, improving gut flora.
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Manna as a natural substance
Manna, derived from the Hebrew word "mān", is described in the Bible and the Quran as an edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their 40-year journey in the desert after the Exodus. The biblical description of manna in Exodus 16:1–36 mentions that it had to be collected early in the morning before it melted under the sun. It is described as a small, round thing, a fine, flake-like thing, or like the frost on the ground, resembling coriander seeds in size but white in colour.
While some people have speculated that manna could have been a type of mushroom, there is no consensus on this. The description of manna in the Bible does not align with the appearance and effects of psilocybin mushrooms. Manna is said to have tasted like wafers made with honey when raw and like cakes baked with oil when cooked. Additionally, the amount of mushrooms required to sustain a person as a food source would be much higher than the typical consumption quantity.
Other natural substances that have been proposed as possible identifications for manna include honeydew produced by the Tamarisk manna scale, which fits the description of being sweet, aromatic, and melting in the sun. However, its high sugar content and difficulty in being compacted into cakes make it a less likely candidate. Another suggestion is that manna could be a form of lichen, specifically Lecanora esculenta, which has been known to occur in natural aerial falls.
In the Quran, the word "manna" is mentioned three times, and according to a narration by Muhammad, it refers to edible mushrooms that grew in the land. It has also been interpreted as truffles, tree resin, natural honey, or an energizing syrup derived from specific plants in the wilderness.
The debate about the true nature of manna continues, with some even suggesting it was a psychoactive substance that contributed to religious experiences and mystical visions.
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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 during the 40-year period that followed the Exodus.
In the Book of Exodus, Manna is described as "a fine, flake-like thing" like the frost on the ground. It is described in the Book of Numbers as arriving with the dew during the night. Exodus adds that it had to be collected before it melted in the sun and that it was like a coriander seed in size, but white in colour.
Manna or "المَنّ" in lexicon, according to some, refers to small droplets like dew that settle on trees and have a sweet taste. Others describe it as a type of sap or tree resin with a sweet flavour.
Some people believe that Manna may have been a type of mushroom that God provided for the Israelites. However, others disagree with this interpretation, citing the description of Manna in the Bible, which does not match that of mushrooms.
Some alternative explanations for Manna include truffles, honey, an energizing syrup derived from specific plants, or a form of lichen.
