ParshaPix

PARSHA-PIX - Parshat B'ha'a'lo't'cha

ParshaPix
The Menora in the upper-right corner is the one referred to in the beginning of the sedra, on the P'SHAT level. Aharon is commanded to tend to the Menora daily. Ramban and others see also, on a REMEZ level, an allusioning to the kohanim of over 1100 years later, who rededicated the Beit HaMikdash and rekindled the Menora. To commemorate the Chanuka miracles, we like a menora-like candelabrum called CHANUKIYA (and incorrectly, but commonly called a Chanuka Menora).

The lamb labeled 2 stands for Pesach Sheni, one of the themes of this sedra.

Upper-left are the silver trumpets commanded to be made, and used in times of troubles, and festive occasions as well. The Chatzotzrot were also used as a call to assembly and for moving the people during the Midbar years. The former functions are part of the mitzva, the latter functions were "for the hour".

Next row down, "reading" right to left, you have: when the cloud lifts, that is a sign to travel. Hence the green light. The date of the first such occurrence was the 20th of the 2nd month (Iyar) in the year 2449. It is proper to designate Iyar as month 2, rather than February, since the Torah says: This month is YOURS as the first of the months... Nissan is our 1, not January. Etc. (One who needs to use the secular date should write out the name of the month or use its abbreviation (June or JUN), rather than identify it by number. A minority of authorities actually consider this to be a halachic issue. Most consider it preferable not to use the numbers, but do not go as far as to say that it is forbidden to use numbers for the secular months. 
The next row pictures the result of the Cloud's lifting and the go-ahead for traveling: The four flag-camps are marching in the direction of the arrow.
Bottom row, left, is an Aron Kodesh. We borrow the p'sukim from this sedra to recite with the opening and closing of the Ark in shul. 

The smiling watermelon in the thought bubble is a reference to 11:5, one of the people's black moments, when they complained to G-d about the manna, by "remembering" the wonderful foods of Egypt. To the right is the quail that fell in such abundance, but was no blessing.

The snowflake is a reminder of Miriam's punishment for Lashon HaRa. The eyes are Yitro.

TTriddles

TTriddles are Torah Tidbits-style riddles on Parshat HaShavua (sometimes on the calendar events of the week). The best solution set submitted each week (there isn’t always a best) wins a double prize — a CD from...Noam Productions 8 Malchei Yisrael, Geula & the Rav Shefa mall CDs, tapes, equipment - broad selection, good prices, personal attention and a gift (game, puzzle, book, etc.) from...Big Deal•15 Malchei Yisrael in Geula• Rechov Lunz right off the Ben Yehuda Midrachov in the center of town• Rabbi Akiva Street in Bnei Braq. You never really know what you’ll find there A fun place to shop.
Even if you can’t solve any, they are fun (and sometimes informative) to read about in the weekly TTriddles report (which is what you’re reading now).

Last week's (NASO) TTriddles:

[1] He's our Javier Sotomayor, Mike Powell, and Jonathon Edwards
[2] Watch out for Naso, Bo, and Ki Teitzei
[3] The confused children NASHIR TIKRA U'G'MAR
[4] Not FIFO nor LIFO... but FIFI

The envelope please...
Correction for the week before last [1] Sana’a (or San’a or Sanaa) is the capital of the Republic of Yemen. Many Yemenite Jews came on Aliya from there and other cities in Yemen in the early years of the State of Israel. Aramaic is associated the Teimanim. Targum Onkeles for the number 2 is TREIN (the way Hebrew is transliter- ated in Torah Tidbits) or TRAIN, the way that word is pronounced. So the number of the train from Sana’a would be 2. I don’t know what confused me on this one, but I thank several readers (including RE) for pointing out my error.
Also, in [3] I messed up the palindrome - Was it a cat I saw?” Thanks to the reader that pointed that mistake out. Speaking of palindromes, different commentaries point out and explain the message of two different palindromic words in the Torah. One is V’NAT’NU and you shall give... referring to the Half-Shekel donation. “Giving” is a two-way street. One who gives also receives... etc. The other word is V’HIKAHU, and he struck him... Hitting another, say the commentaries, is also a two-way street - one who hits others, often gets hit in return.

As for last week’s modest set of TTriddles...
[1] Javier Sotomayor holds (or held) the world record for the high jump (2.45m, over 8 feet). Mike Powell holds (or held) the world record for the long jump (over 29 feet, almost 9 meters). Jonathan Edwards holds (or held) the world record for the triple jump (18.29m, that’s 60 feet). These are three world champion jumpers. Our champion jumper (L’HAVDIL) is Nachshon ben Aminadav, the one who jumped into the sea, so that it would agree (so to speak) to split. K’FITZAT NACHSON, Nachshon’s jump, is a well-known idiom in Hebrew, meaning an initiater, the one who will be first to jump into a situation, without it having to be proved safe by someone else first.
[2] These three sedras each have a parsha very near their beginning that begins the same way. If a Baal Korei (Baal K’riya) is not careful when he points to the place for the first aliya in each of these sedras, he’s liable to point to the wrong place.
[3] These words in Hebrew contain the letters (in a confusion) of the names of the children of LEVI: Gershon, Kehat, and Merari.
[4] This is the second TTriddle (that makes 50%) whose answer is Nachson. He was not first in first out, nor last in last out, but was FIRST IN the Sea, and FIRST IN with the gifts to the dedication of the Mizbei’ach. Shimon Lerner, perfect solution set.

This week's TTriddles:

[1] How much for the bookends for the Travel & Leisure section
[2] How is the height of the Menora hinted at in the text?
[3] Same Rule, one & u and one & g, different senses
[4] Napoleon, yes - Bonaparte, no


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