PARSHA-PIX - Parshat Va'etchanan

Parsha Pix
Upper left is a plus and minus in a negation circle. The Torah forbids (a few times) adding to the Torah or detracting from it. Once again, the Torah tells us of the mitzva to designate cities of refuge - 3 on the east side of the Jordan (and 3on the west side). Here in Va'etchanan, the three AREI MIKLAT on the east bank are identified: BETZER in the desert flatlands in the territory of Reuven, RAMOT in the Gil'ad area of the territory of Gad, and GOLAN in the Bashan area of Menashe territory. 

The LUCHOT in the TORAH on the mountain stands for the repetition of the Aseret HaDibrot (with changes) and reminds us that the whole Torah was given by G-d at Sinai, not just the Big Ten. The Shabbat candlesticks represent SHAMOR and ZACHOR. They are contained B'DIBUR ECHAD, in one speech-bubble. 

The hearing ear represents SH'MA, not just the famous one, but the many times the Torah commands us to listen (and understand). If you look through the sedra you will find several SHMAs. The warning lights represent Moshe's warnings to us to remain faithful to HaShem and not to be confused by what we witnessed but cannot completely comprehend. 
The big number 1 is for HaShem Echad, as well as the other pasuk that emphasizes G-d's Unity, 4:35, ...there is none besides Him. 

The outstretched palm is on its way to cover the eyes for the saying of the SH'MA. The reminder-finger is for the command to never forget the Sinai experience and to pass on the memory to future generations. Also aat the bottom is a speaker, and a video monitor crossed out. On that great day of Revelation at Sinai, we HEARD what was said, but we did NOT SEE any image. The Seder plate is for the Chacham's question and the answer of We were slaves to Par'o in Egypt... both of which are found in Va'etchanan. Which brings us to the space telescope (Hubble?) which is used to follow the Navi Yeshayahu's words at the end of the Haftara of Shabbat Nachamu: Lift your eyes heavenward and see Who created this.

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 and/or a gift (game, puzzle, book, etc.) from...Big Deal 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 (D’varim) TTriddles:
[1] The first pasuk (of the Haftara) might link better with three other sedras. Other parts might link better to yet another sedra.
[2] 216 times with only one hook; twice with two
[3] They behaved partly like Muhammad Ali
[4] Brad, cherry, bull - chewing, bubble, ball - HaD'vora, -naise, culture (Central American)
[5] The parsha's counterpart of the brother of the Phantom Tollbooth's King Azaz
[6] Three other identical sedras AND three more close matches

And the envelope please...
[1] Well, the (of the Haftara) was left out of the TTriddle - sorry. It did follow the Haftara in the sedra summary (in the hard copy), but that’s no excuse. The link was verbal. CHAZON would link to sedras that begin with “seeing”. VAYEIRA, R’EI, and BALAK (which begins VAYA’AR BALAK). Unsolved.
[2] This refers to the name YEHOSHUA, which appears 218 times in Tanach, but only twice with a second VAV (hook). One of the two is found in Parshat D’varim (which is what prompted this TTriddle. Solved by several solvers.
[3] This refers to EMORI, who are described as chasing after the Israelites like bees. Since we don’t know if they also displayed butterfly-like properties, the TTriddle mentioned “partially like Muhammad Ali”. Veteran TTriddles solvers and watchers must have figured out that TTriddles are formed from their answers. This makes making them up vastly simpler than solving them. Solved by several solvers.
[4] Brad Pitt, cherry pit, and pitbull. Chewing gum, bubble gum, and gumball. MAYA the bee (a cartoon character from TV of years ago), MAYOnaise, and the MAYAn culture. Connect the syllables and you get PITGAMAYA, which is Targum for D’VARIM. Believe it or not, this TTriddle was successfully solved.
[5] In the Phantom Tollbooth, AZAZ is the king of Dictionopolis. His brother is the MatheMagician, the king of Digitopolis. The sedra’s counterpart would be Sichon, king of Cheshbon. Several solvers.
[6] D’varim - really HA’D’VARIM - begins with the word EILEH. So do three other sedras: NO’ACH (Eileh To’l’dot No’ach...), P’KUDEI (Eileh F’kudei...), MAS’EI (Eileh Mas’ei V’nei Yisrael...). Three other sedras are close matches, with the addition of the conjunctive VAV (hinted at in the statement of the TTriddle by the emphasized word AND): V’EILEH TO’L’DOT... V’EILEH SH’MOT..., V’EILEH HA’MISHPATIM...
Another TTriddle that was circulated, but not in Torah Tidbits, was: What’s the connection between Barry Bonds and Casper. The answer is based on D’varim 2:11 which says the R’FA’IM (mighty people, but in modern Hebrew, GHOSTS, like Casper, the friendly one) are also considered as ANAKIM (Giants, such as Barry Bonds). Targum translates both R’FA’IM and ANAKIM as GIBARA’EI.

This week’s solvers: Y&S G (of AS), MM/Bklyn, a nice sol’n set from MB/Raanana, ZviR, Moshe & Shaindy C

This week's TTriddles:
[1] As G-d commanded Shabbat, honoring parents, ...and what?
[2] Thirteen days later than you might have thought
[3] What type of therapy did G-d want us to learn?