Torah tidbits
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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