PARSHA-PIX - Va'eira

ParshaPix

7 of the 10 images from the Davka Judaica graphic of the 10 plagues. To these 7 that appear in Va'eira is added the word BO, which is not only next week's sedra, but also the number 3 (2+1), the number of remaining plagues that are reported in Parshat BO.

Notice the Staff, prominent in the middle of the ParshaPix. Above it is a sword. This can represent Z'RO'A N'TUYA, the "outstretched arm" with which we were to be taken out of Egypt. Also, the sword is prominently mentioned in the Haftara as that which will befall Egypt.

We have the four cups of wine corresponding to the Four Terms of Redemption, which we find at the beginning of the sedra.

Above the cups is an oven, into which some of the frogs went during the plague of the same name. Commentaries point to the mention of ovens as one of the examples of the miraculous nature of the plagues, since frogs would not naturally go into an oven.

Lower-right is the pictorial representation of Par'o's heart strengthening, as is mentioned in several places in the sedra and the next one.

Which brings us to the upper-right and the emblem of the Hogwarts School. We can use it in a variety of ways (use your imagination if you choose this element from the PP with your children). How about this. Par'o's wizards might have been drop-outs from Hogwarts since they were not able to cope with the plague of KINIM. Whatever. Wizard-wizard. That's the connection.

And that leaves one more graphic. The piece of calendar with a negation circle on a specific date. It's a PPP, so I will say no more about it now. See next week's TTriddle report for the solution.

TTRIDDLES... are Torah Tidbits-style riddles on Parshat HaShavua (sometimes on the calendar). They are found in the hard-copy of TT scattered throughout, usually at the bottom of different columns. In the electronic versions of TT, they are found all together at the end of the ParshaPix-TTriddles section. Some TTriddles are also presentedfor call-in solution on Torah Tidbits Audio (Arutz-7, Thursday night). The best solution set submitted each week (there isnt always a best) wins a double prize a CD from Noam Productions and/or a gift (game, puzzle, book, etc.) from Big Deal

Last week's (SH'MOT) TTriddles: 

[1] Guest TTriddle by YBD: If it were the Mississippi rather than the Nile, his name might have been...? 

[2] Yitzchak, Rachel, Efrayim & Menashe, Yaakov, Moshe, Yitro, Avshalom, Barzilai 

[3] Study huge 'mounts of Torah 

[4] 10 brothers, the Rabeinu family, 12 stones 

And the envelope please... 

[1] This was a fun TTriddle and several people solved it. If it were the Mississippi River, then Bat Par'o would have spoken English, and the baby might have been named DREW (or Andrew), because 

she drew him from the water. The serious side of this TTriddle (didn't think TTriddles have serious sides, did you?) is that his being named Moshe (rather than Drew) demonstrates that the original language of the Bible is Hebrew. Adam being from the adama is another example. There are others. 

[2] VAYISHAK, and he kissed... each of the people in the TTriddle was the recipient of a kiss. In Sh'mot, it was Aharon who kissed Moshe. Interestingly, when you use a computer to search Tanach for VAYISHAK, VAYASHK (to give water sheep - and once, Bnei Yisrael) also comes up, including twice in the sedra at hand. 

[3] The initial letters of Study Huge 'mounts of Torah spell Sh'mot, similar to the Hebrew word SH'MOT is the Rashei Teivot (initials) of SHNAYIM MIKRA V'ECHAD TARGUM, that one should review the weekly Torah portion by reading it through twice and reading Onkeles (or Rashi or other translations and/or commentary) once. 

[4] The answer to this TTriddle is MALON, hotel or inn. One of several solvers of this TTriddle pointed out that only 9 brothers were at the inn (where they discovered the money that was returned to their sacks), since Shimon was locked up by Yosef. Moshe and family also stayed at an inn where Tzipora performed a life-saving (Moshe's) circumcision on their son Eliezer. Check out chapter 4 in Yehoshua for the 12 stones at the inn. 

The unexplained part of last week's ParshaPix was considered a PPP of sorts. Several people solved this one too. Represented were the three signs that G-d gave Moshe to perform before Par'o. The Staff-to-snake sign. The hand in the cloak that became afflicted with TZORA'AT "like snow", hence the snowman snowperson, and the four major blood groups, A, B, AB, and O, for the ability to change water into blood. . 

One of these days, B"N, we will give proper acknowledgement to the faithful solvers who send in their fine solutions. They are much appreciated, even if we don't thank you publicly all the time. 

This week's TTriddles

[1] He's named for his great (how many) grandfather 

[2] Hard TTriddle. For veteran solvers only • His brothers are a confused Endopiza vitana Clemens 

[3] Created two or four brachot 

[4] Va'eira grandfather & grandson and who else?

[5] 3 previews; two exact, one close

[6] How many brothers, sisters, mothers, uncles from 16 to 25?

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