
PARSHA-PIX - 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 3 on 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 reminder-finger is for the command to never forget the Sinai
experience and to pass on the memory to future generations.
The outstretched palm (bottom-right) is on its way to cover the eyes for
the saying of the SH'MA. What are those numbers? You first. I’ll tell you
next week IY”H.
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.
At 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.
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.
And what about the top-middle? PPP.
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 alsopresentedfor 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 (D’VARIM-CHAZON) TTriddles:
[1] Demo, punishment, atonement, - like what?
[2] Two others besides Yeshayahu
[3] Dig it! They did... and didn’t
[4] Who attempted to give the date another significance?
[5] Will Moshe be teaching Hebrew or Aramaic?
[6] Verb verb adverb-pronoun, now & +21d. What & what?
And the envelope please...
[1] Like SNOW. KASHELEG. The second sign for Par’o that G-d gave Moshe at
the Burning Bush was to put his hand into his cloak and when he pulled it
out, it had turned white with TZORA’AT, like snow. This was a
demonstration. DEMO. For Miriam, it was a punishment. KASHELEG. And it
represents atone- ment, as in the Maftirof CHAZON, “...if your sins will
be like scarlet, they will be whitened like snow”.
[2] Besides Yeshayahu, whose book begins with CHAZON, we also find CHAZON
OVADYA, and CHAZON NACHUM (first pasuk albeit not the opening words).
[3] This is referring to the MERAGLIM. Dig it! means “get this!”. They
were send to scout out the land. The term in Hebrew is V’YACHP’RU, and
they shall explore (the land). Same root as to dig. Connection is probably
that spies/scouts dig up information on the land and its people. But, much
to our deep regret, the MERAGLIM(not counting Yehoshua and Kalev) didn’t
dig the land - dig, this time, in its slang meaning, “to like, enjoy, or
appreciate”.
[4] The date in question is the one at the beginning of D’varim, when
Moshe began his farewell address to the people. That being the first of
the eleventh month, Rosh Chodesh Shvat. Beit Shammai tried to give the
date another significance by saying that Rosh HaShana of Trees is the
first of Shvat. Alas, the opinion of BeitHillel prevailed and TU BISHVAT
is it.
[5] In the Targum on D’varim 1:5, HO’IL MOSHE BE’ER ET HATORAH HAZOT, we
find the word ULPAN (actually, ULFAN - close enough for a TTriddle). The
only question then, since we found the word in Onkeles, is whether Moshe
Rabeinu would be teaching Hebrew or Aramaic to the people.
[6] More than obscure, even for TTriddles, the reference was to R’EI (see)
NATATI (I have given, or placed) LIFNEICHEM (before you - there’s the
combi- nation adverb-pronoun). Now, in Parshat D’varim and in 21 days (3
weeks) at the beginning of R’EI (not the exact words, but close). What and
what? The Land (of Israel) andBRACHA and its opposite.
And the winner is... YYW (with help from BZW), Near-perfect solution set.
RHM, good job.
This week's TTriddles:
[1] pre-open, pre-read, post-read
[2] The rare MON-THU phenomenon
NOT A TTRIDDLE JUST....
When Elmer again spoke of his glue, He said it in Yiddish with...NACH-A-MOO
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