ParshaPix

Parashat Bshalach

 

Upper left and upper middle are the Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire that led, accompanied, protected the people - day and night - on their way out of Egypt. The flat tire represents the wheels of the Egyptian chariots which fell off when bogged down in the mud of the seabed (Bnei Yisrael had the additional miracle of the land upon which they walked was dry and hard, even though it had so recently been under water).Then, of course, is the graphic (Davka) of Moshe raising his hand (with the MATEH) over the Sea and it split. Middle-bottom is a brick pattern, like the way that the Song of the Sea is written in the Torah.

Upper right is the water coming from the rock that Moshe hit (as instructed). Mid-right is a quail, as in S'LAV. The two challot represent the double portion of Manna that fell on Friday, in honor of Shabbat.

Lower left are three facets of the battle against Amalek: Moshe's upraised hands, Yehoshua's sword, and the pen with which the account of the battle was written down, as mentioned in the Torah.

Which brings us to the lower right and the representations of the Haftara, the Song of Devora. That's the singing bee. And next to her is the thunderbolt or BARAK, Devorah's associate. Below them is the milk that Yael gave to Sisra to put him to sleep, and the tent peg with which she made a holey temple (as in the old -and poor - joke).

G'MATRIYA - Rabbi Yaakov Auerbach z"l made the following numeric observation. Moshe's two "assistants" vs. Amalek were Aharon & Chur. Combined, numerically, they add up to 1+5+200+50 (256) + 8+6+200 (214) = 470. A perfect team to take on Amalek (full g'matriya) = AYIN (70+10+50=130) + MEM (40+40=80) + LAMED (30+40+4=74) + KUF (100+6+80=176)= 470.

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