PARSHA-PIX Parshat Vayeishev
Click on image for enlargement
Parsha Pix
Upper-left is the Davka Graphic of Yosef’s dreams.
Under that are 20 shekel coins, representing the 20 “silvers” that the
brothers were paid for Yosef from the passing caravan.
The snake and the scorpion are what was in the pit into which Yosef was
thrown. (Also notice the absence of water from the ParshaPix, further
representing the pit, which was empty of water.)
The animals at the bottom are the sheep, as in the sheep that were being
tended by Yosef’s brothers when he was sent by Yaakov to inquire about
their well-being. The camel represents the passing caravans, and the goat
- extra large in the Pix - is, of course, for the goat that the brothers
slaughtered to cover-up their terrible deed. It also represents the goat
that Yehuda sent to Tamar.
Speaking of whom, we have the staff, the seal, and the p’til (a ribbon)
that Yehuda gave to Tamar as security for the payment of the goat.
Top-right is wine and bread, representing the Wine Steward and the Baker,
whose dreams were similar, but their interpretations and results were so
different.
Lower left is the emblem of the State of Israel, which is based on
Zacharya’s prophecy in this Shabbat’s Haftara.
The snow flake between the Dream and the wine bottle was a PPP (visual
TTriddle) last year. This year, I'll tell you, but you can use it on your
kids or guests and see if they can get it. Twice, once after the brothers
saw that Yaakov loved Yosef the most, and once after he told them his
dream, the Torah tells us, VAYOSIFU OD SNOW OTO, and they further hated
him. (These happen to be the only SNOWs in Tanach. Shoftim 15:2 is close.)
That leaves four new items in the Parsha- Pix that are visual TTriddles.
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 presented for call-insolution on Torah
Tidbits Audio (Arutz-7, Thursday night). 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
Last issue’s (VAYISHLACH) TTriddles:
[1] Was Ray Bolger a descendant of Eisav?
[2] Its S"T reminds some of Campell's
[3] The second word of the following pasuk seems to be its first violation
[4] His great-grandson and great-great-great- grandson have the same name
Note to readers of this column (especially passive readers who don't
(maybe who are afraid) to send in solutions. You don't need to get all of
the TTriddles, or even a few, to participate. You solve one - let us know
and you might end up with a mention and/or a CD from NOAM Productions.
Maybe. But it's worth a shot. Give it a TTry.
And the envelope, please
[1] Ray Bolger was an actor (1904-1987) was an actor whose most well-known
role was that of Hank and the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. As the
Scarecrow, he was made of straw. The haftara of Vayishlach - the whole
book(let) of Ovadya - says that Beit Eisav shall be like straw to the fire
and flame of Beit Yaakov and Beit Yosef respectively. Therefore, in
TTriddlanguage, we would say that Ray Bolger was a descendant of Eisav. A
couple of TTriddlers (people who send in solutions to TTriddles - what
about someone who tries to solve TTriddles (or succeeds) but doesn't send
us solutions, is he/she also a TTriddler? Good question) wanted to claim
Ray Bolger's descent from Eisav because of UTZ (the contemporary Hebrew
term for OZ), which is mentioned among the lineage of Eisav iat the end of
the sedra. However, another solver pointed out that UTZ was, in fact, a
descendant of SE'IR and not of Eisav. At most, UTZ was a cousin by
marriage of Eisav. And, no, Ray Bolger was NOT the Tin Woodsman; he was
the Scarecrow.
[2] I admit that S"T was an unfair abbreviation to use. It stands for
SOFEI TEIVOT, the last letter of words (as apposed to the more common R"T,
RASHEI TEIVOT, initial letters. There is a pasuk in Vayishlach, as
mentioned elsewhere in last week's TT, that has eight words, all of which
end in a MEM (SOFIT). The S"T of that pasuk would be MMMM, MMMM, as in
MMMM, MMMM GOOD... the longtime slogan of Campbell's soup. One of our
TTriddlers suggested that in light of the fact that some Campbell's soup
varieties now have an OU hashgacha, that the answer could have been (if
you ignore the S"T) Eisav's response to Yaakov when Yaakov told Eisav that
the animals he saw on the way were gifts to him. Eisav said YEISH LI RAV,
lit. I have much, but in TTriddlanguage, I have a Rav who certifies me as
kosher, hence the reminder of Campbell's soup. Cute, but...
[3] The angel being held by Yaakov, in order to secure his release before
the approaching sunrise, asks Yaakov his name and then declares that his
name shall no longer be called Yaakov, but rather Yisrael. The very next
pasuk, the second word thereof, is an apparent violation of this angelic
declaration. VAYISH'AL YAAKOV...
Serious comment about the AVRAM-AVRAHAM and YAAKOV-YISRAEL issue.
Avraham's former name is no longer used after he is named Avraham. Yaakov
continues to be referred to as both Yaakov and Yisrael. One of the reasons
offered to explain the difference is that Avraham was originally named by
his idol-worshiping parents, whereas Yaakov was named by Yitzchak. This
sort of brings to mind (no suggestion is being nade here that there is an
actual connection; this is just a mental association) the phenomenon in
our society, that when a former Jeff becomes a BT (Ba'al T'shuva), he is
often insistent that he be called by his Jewish name Yaakov, let's say,
and gets upset when people still call him Jeff. (This is not the case with
all BTs, but it does exist as a common scenario.) Yet an FFB (frum from
birth) whose names are Barch and Brian, often will not mind being called
Brian, even if he prefers Barch, because he doesn't associate his secular
name with a secular conduct and past life.
[4] The answer is YITZCHAK. From Yitzchak through Yaakov, to Levi to K'hat
to Yitzhar to KORACH of rebellion against Moshe fame, Korach is Yitzchak's
great-great-great-grandfather. If we go from Yitzchak to Eisav to Elifaz
to Korach, then that Korach was Yitzchak's great-grandson.
Prizes this week to RHM and DAC for their fine solution sets. Of course,
we won't mention DAC's association of a S'fardi S"T (Sefer Torah) with the
shape of a can of Campbell's soup. Oh, we did mention it. Oops.
This week's TTriddles:
[1] The other vowel is on its head...sort of
[2] G-d, the Baker, Menucah, and Bil'am
[3] What is the total number of Chanuka candles (excluding Shamash) a
person will light on Rosh Chodesh Tevet this year?
[4]Yaakov? Yehuda's friend? Yosef??
[5] The Akeida and twice in Vayeishev
[6] plus four elements from the Parsha Pix
[7] Two Chanuka WORD challenges for your Chanuka fun: Start with a
one-letter word (a or I). Add a letter to form a 2-letter word (letters
may be rearranged at each step). Add another letter to form a 3-letter
word. Continue until the 8th step until you get MIRACLES. Take the word
MIRACLES and using its letters, see how many words you can make from it.
E.g. RAM, RILE, CLEAR, etc. In addition to these activities being fun,
they also have the flavor of the Chanuka miracle. Enjoy.
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