PARSHA-PIX Parshat Tzav
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Parsha Pix
Fire represents the fire of the Mizbei’ach that was to always remain lit.
If the Menora ever went out, it was relit from the Mizvei’ach’s fire. Ner
Tamid in shuls commemorates both the eternal lights of the Menorah and the
fire of the Mizbei’ach.
The prohibition on the other side of the Fire Always coin is represented
by the negation circle over the fire extinguisher. It is forbidden to
extinguish the fire of the Mizbei'ach.
Yes, matza; no, chametz is not just a Pesach rule. It is the rule for most
Menachot. Ear, thumb, big toe - application of some bloods and some oils
in various rituals in the Mikdash.
Oven and frying pan - two of several methods of preparing Menachot.
Turtle with poor spelling - in Hebrew, TZAV (TZADI-VET), a misspelling of
Parshat TZAV.
Kohein Gadol is the Kohein Gadol.
Who knows five? Not only the books of the Torah, but the 5 ZOT TORAT... in
the sedra.
The lamb being taken into the home stands for the first Shabbat HaGadol.
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
alsopresentedforcall-insolutiononTorahTidbitsAudio(Arutz-7,Thursdaynight).Thebest
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
Last issue’s (VAYIKRa) TTriddles:
[1] Never on Shabbat Chanuka, but this Shabbat YES
[2] Mentioned four times in Bamidbar (book), he is numerically connected
to Vayikra (sedra)
[3] What shape is Aramaic taking?
[4] Confused buffalo translates to something smaller
And the envelope, please...
[1] Nice try but no cigar to the solver who said this refers to the
deep-frying of Sufganiyot, which cannot be done on Shabbat, but the
deep-frying of the Menachot in the Beit HaMikdash, as presented in the
sedra, could be done on Shabbat. No, not this TTriddle. (And we're not
even discussing if this kind of Mincha wasactually done on Shabbat;
whether it was associated with a Korban that "pushed aside" Shabbat, or
not.) The "real" answer is Shlumiel ben Tzurishadai, the Tribal leader of
Shimon. His gift to the dedication of the Mishkan was presented on the
fifth day. Therefore, his portion from Naso is read on the fifth day of
Chanuka.The fifth day of Chanuka is the only one of the eight that cannot
fall on Shabbat. Therefore, Shlumiel is the only Nasi who is never read
for the Maftir of Shabbat Chanuka. However, there is a custom to read the
twelve Nesi'im one each on the first 12 days of Nisan, corresponding to
the days of dedication of the Mishkan.Last Shabbat was the 5th of Nisan,
and the Nasi read, by those with this minhag, was none other than Shlumiel
ben Tzurishadai of Shevet Shimon.
[2] This was a TTriddle that was just lying there waiting to be tripped
over. The old-style Chumashim that most shuls used to have (and other
Chumashim as well), had the pasuk-count printed in small letters, right
after the last word of the sedra. Following the number was a word or name
with the same numeric value. It wascalled the SIMAN of the pasuk-count.
The 111 p'sukim of Vayikra was coded as D'U'EL, father of ELYASAF, the
Tribal leader of Shevet Gad. The name ELYASAF b. D'U'EL appears four times
in the Book of Bamidbar, but D'U'EL is numerically connected to the sedra
of Vayikra.
[3] This was a sneaky TTriddle because it lends itself to misreading and
therefore misunderstanding what is being asked. The question is NOT what
shape is being taken by Aramaic, but rather what shape does the Aramaic
word "taking" bring to mind. V'LAKACH, and he shall take... is V'YASEIV in
Targum. SAMACH- BET impliesa CIRCLE. That's the shape of Aramaic Taking.
[4] Got some interesting "wrong" answers for this one. TE'O (TAV-ALEF-VAV)
is mentioned in Parshat R'ei as one of the seven kinds of kosher CHAYOT
(in addition to the three types of koshe B'HEIMOT, domesticated mammals).
It is translated as the bison or the aurochs (wild ox). If this is the
buffalo of the TTriddle (whichit isn't), then rearranging the letters of
TE'O (which is indicated by "confused") gives you OT, letter. The ALEF of
VAYIKRA is a little letter, somehat smaller than a buffalo. Nice, but
again, no cigar. Another solver went with a different definition of
"confused". He started with PAR (bull in Hebrew, not exactly a buffalo,is
it Moose?) and confused it with its Aramaic, which is TOR. Which in Hebrew
is a dove, also smaller than a PAR. No, sorry. The intended answer is M'RI.
In its use in Tanach, it is translated as a "fatted ox". In (modern?)
Hebrew, M'RI is BUFFALO. Confused the letters of M'RI and you get IMAR (ALEF-YUD-MEM-REISH),
wqhichis Aramaic for SHEEP, which is smaller than a buffalo. That was the
intended answer to this TTriddle.
Ran into someone who told me that he can almost never solve a TTriddle,
but he enjoys reading the answers in the following week's issue. That's
good, and we want to encourage others to take that attitude. TTriddles
solving is not for everyone. As we've said in the past, you need a special
kind of warped (definitely no insultintended) and flexible mind to stand a
chance with the TTriddles. But to enjoy the solutions? Almost everyone
can. And should, especially because there are often extra little tidbits
that are included with the answers. Tangents to go off on. Train of
thought. Worthwhile, in a light, fun sort of way. We hope you enjoy.
This week's TTriddles:
[1] Dash Cham package to reservists
[2] from all other, exclusively matza, maror, twice, just reclining - and
in the Torah?
[3] Raise your cup to a confused Chananison
[4] He in order to fulfill the Torah's words; he in order to gamble
[5] Whose haftara would be rightat home with this week's sedra?
[6] Tzav & Shmini - the best bookends for Pesach
[7] Former/future prince not smart
[8] The korbanot that queue
[9] fourth rest chain
[10] One for the citizen & stranger and for what & what?
[11] Lions and Tigers and a confused Poe-bird
[12] Out of #9; into #2
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