Exodus 5:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Jewish people struggled to locate spit during the month of Nisan, which is the season of blossoms, unlike Tammuz or Av, which is associated with the time of heat.

The extent to which this would amplify the labor can be understood from the reality that instead of having straw readily available, the Israelites were compelled to gather the leftover straw from the fields after the harvest. They had to cut it, transport it to their work site, and only after crushing it could they utilize it. The timing of these events can likely be inferred from this context. Cook suggests that it must have been late April, shortly after the initial harvest of winter wheat and barley. It's noteworthy that the plagues of Egypt continued for a full year, resulting in the Hebrews' departure from Egypt the following April.