Why does the Pasuk refer to the snakes as "ha'Nechashim ha'Serafim"?
Rashi: Because they were venomous snakes 1 (that leave a burning sensation when they bite).
Refer to 21:8:151:1 & 2 and notes.
See Sifsei Chachamim.
Why did Hashem punish them specifically with a plague of snakes?
Rashi and R. Bachye #1 (both citing the Tanchuma): (Let the snake, which was punished for speaking Lashon ha'Ra [about Hashem], 1 come and kill those who spoke Lashon ha'Ra [about Hashem] - Rashi)! 2 Let the snake, whose food all tastes like earth 3 come and punish those ingrates, whose one food can change to taste like any kind of food - yet they complain!
R. Bachye: These were the same venomous snakes that the Torah describes in Devarim 5:15, 4 which abounded in the desert, and which throughout the forty years that Yisrael were in the desert, were killed by one of the Clouds that protected Yisrael - until now, when they spoke Lashon ha'Ra about the Manna. 5
See Ba'al ha'Turim. Perhaps this explains why the Torah writes "ha'Nechashim ha'Serafim" - with a 'Hey'.
As opposeed to Miriam, who spoke Lashon ha'Ra about a human being and who was smitten with Tzara'as. See Oznayim la'Torah.
Targum Yonasan: And it does not complain!
It is not clear why the Torah does not then mention scorpions, which the Torah mentions there?
This explains why the Torah writes "ha'Nechashim ha'Serafim" - with a 'Hey'. See R. Bachye.
""Vayeshalach Hashem ? eis ha'Nechashim ha'Serafim". Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "ha'Serafim"?
