
PARSHA-PIX Parshat T'ruma

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Parsha Pix
Across the top are sacks of gold (Au is the symbol for the element gold -
it is based on the Latin name for gold, Aurum), silver (similarly,
silver’s symbol comes from its Latin name Argentum), and copper (Cuprum),
that were donated to the building of the Mishkan and its accouterments.
The two things in the upper-right of the ParshaPix are cabbages. In Hebrew
- KRUV, as in the K’RUVIM on the KAPORET of the ARON.
Many of the other items in this ParshaPix represent the materials that
were collected, and mentioned, in the beginning of the sedra. The gem
represents the stones for the CHOSHEN and the shoulder straps of the EIFOD.
The gold rings stand for the rings through which were inserted the
carrying poles of some of the furnishings of the Mishkan.
The spools of thread represent the different colored wool and linen that
were used to weave the coverings in the Mishkan. Also, to sew together the
panels of the Mishkan and the Ohel.
Under the cabbages is a bouquet of flowers, in Hebrew - ZEIR. That is the
term used in the Torah for the decorative border of gold that was made for
the ARON and SHULCHAN (at least).
The olive oil represents the olive oil, which had several purposes in the
service of the Mikdash.
Next to the olives is a tree and a log, standing for the ATZEI SHITIM, the
acacia wood used extensively in the construction of the Mishkan.
Below the olive oil are representations of the three decorations of the
Menorah. The trophy cup is called a GAVI’AH. The buttom is KAFTOR and the
flower is the PERACH. The actual Menora shapes did not resemble these, but
the names do.
Then there is a sewing machine to facilitate various sewing jobs that were
needed in the Mishkan.
To the right of the sewing machine is a column or pillar, of which there
were many in the Mishkan - to support the PAROCHET, the covering of the
entrance of the Mishkan, the curtains of the courtyard, and the entrance
to the courtyard. Many AMUDIM.
To the column’s right and under the bouquet is a frame, MISGERET in
Hebrew. The word is used in the description of the SHULCHAN.
Bottom row, right to left: Matza with a face is LECHEM HAPANIM, which
reminds us that those special loaves were halachic matza - no Chametz.
Notebook is MACHBERET, a term used in the sedra.
The computer screen is called a MASACH in Hebrew. The Biblical use of the
word applied to the curtains that covered the entrance to the Mishkan and
to the courtyard of the Mishkan.
Which brings us to the lower-left and the flag of Lebanon, reminding us of
the Cedars of Lebanon mentioned in the Haftara.
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. 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 (MISHPATIM) TTriddles:
[1] Not only the product, but its holiday too
[2] V1-2-3 • V2-1-3 *
[3] The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.The rain in Spain falls
mainly on the plain.
[4] Egyptian, no money, slaughtered the ox
[5] Before you... and before what?
[6] ... 7/5 • 3/1 6/4 9/7 12/10 • 3/1 6/4 9/7
[7] The connection between 2319 and 3426
[8] plus 2 elements from the ParshaPix
First, unfinished business from last week...
One of the people who have achieved the rank of grand master TTriddle
solver, EB, fax three very valid points concerning last week's TTriddles
Report.
He (facetiously, sarcastically, rhetorically, good- naturedly) asks: What
kind of mirror converts a TIPCHA into a PASHTA? "In my mirror, a TIPCHA
becomes a MERCHA and a PASHTA becomes an AZLA."
Well, if you hold the mirror horizontally rather than vertically, the
TIPCHA looks like an AZLA and a PASHTA looks like a MERCHA. Which doesn't
answer EB's question, but it does indicate something. If you hold two
mirrors perpendicular to each other and a PASHTA at right angles to both
mirrors, you will see a TIPCHA if you look in one mirror at the other
mirror's reflection. In computer graphics terms, flip horizontal and flip
vertical will turn a PASHTA into a TIPCHA... and vice versa.
EB added: "What is very surprising is that apparently some readers also
used strange mirrors like yours."
I guess so. It's nice when a TTriddle gets messed up and solvers know what
was meant anyway. Sympathetic brain waves, or something like that.
EB also correctly pointed out that only three of the four "short"
commandments from that one pasuk in the Aseret HaDibrot have a DAGESH in
the TAV (of LO TIRTZACH, LO TIN'AF, LO TIGNOV) in the Taamei HaElyon
format. LO TAANEH doesn't have a DAGESH in either TROP format.
EB's final comment also dealt with the same TTriddle with the
4-commandment pasuk. He writes that a KAMATZ is not really like the letter
T or a + sign without the top piece. It is really a PATACH (horizontal
line) with a dot under it, not a short vetrical line. Let's here from some
other readers on this last point.
And the envelope, please...
[1] This refers to Peasch, whose main "product" is MATZA and whose name is
CHAG HAMATZOT. Aside from many references in the Torah to both, there are
two (very similar) p'sukim that mention the mitzva to eat MATZA on CHAG
HAMATZOT - one is in Mishpatim and the other in Ki Tisa.
[2] All right. Here's another example of a messed up TTriddle, still with
the hope that someone will solve it anyway. In Sh'mot 23:8 (in Mishpatim),
the Torah says, V'SHOCHAD LO TIKACH, and a bribe you shall not take. In
D'varim 16:19 (Shoftim) the words are arranged differently - V'LO TIKACH
SHOCHAD. If the Mishpatim phrase is designated as V1-2-3, that means that
1= SHOCHAD, 2= LO, and 3= TIKACH. That will mean that the D'varim phrase
is V2-3-1. If the D'varim phrase is V1-2-3, then the Sh'mot one would be
V3-1-2. So the V2-1-3 of the TTriddle is not correct in either direction.
The PDF version was corrected.
[3] This was meant to be very simple. The TTriddle consists of two
well-known sentences. Their content are totally irrelevant. As are their
being well-known. The are just sentences. In Hebrew: MISHPATIM.
[4] The phrase MAKEI ISH (striking a man) appears three times in Tanach.
Moshe saw an Egyptian striking a Jewish man. The statement in Mishpatim
that murder is a capital offense is preceded by the phrase EIN KASEF, no
money. The third instance is from Yeshayahu 66:3.
[5] In Mishpatim it says, HINEI ANOCHI SHOLEI'ACH - I am hereby sending an
angel (messenger, prophet) BEFORE YOU (to bring you into the Land...) The
other time the phrase appears in Tanach, it is at the end of Zecharya (and
all of TREI ASAR) and it is Eliyahu that HaShem will send BEFORE what?
BEFORE the coming of HaShem's day, HAGADOL V'HANORA.
[6] The famous EYE FOR AN EYE portion spans 3 p'sukim. In the first, the
5th and 7th words are NEFESH, and 7/5 represents NEFESH TACHAT (under)
NEFESH. Each fraction represents a similar trio of words with the numbers
being the word numbere in the pasuk.
[7] In 2319 to Creation, Levi was 125 years old, six of his brothers had
already left this world and five others were still alive. In 3426,
Nechemiya came on Aliya (he returned to Bavel 12 years later to fulfill
obligations to the king). This is during the early years of the second
Beit HaMikdash and the early time of the ANSHEI KNESSET HAGEDOLA. There is
no connection between the two years, nor is anything written so far in
this TTriddle of any relevance whatsoever to its solution. But Sh'mot
23:19 and Sh'mot 34:26 are identical p'sukim.
[8] As to the unexplained elements in the ParshaPix, there is a happy dog
- not the little one who laughed to see such sport - but a happy dog to
receive our TREIF meat, as expressly stated in Sh'mot 22:30.
[9] The other item is a sparrow - in Hebrew, DROR. Also the word for
freedom (from slavery) and mentioned in the haftara four times. Aside from
the four occurrences of the word DROR in Yirmiyahu 34, the word occurs
only three other times in all of Tanach, making DROR TTriddle-worthy for
Mishpatim.
This week's TTriddles:
[1] In G'matriya, A is 374 more than B.In area, B is 200 more than A.
[2] What was the score of the Do-Panels
[3] It's also the Torah reading schedule
[4] P=3A+B What is AÇB?
[5] 8 times with gold; twice with copper
[6] Thunder &hail, people's favor, wisdom, voice, fear, great army
[7] Pair of pelvic fins and a pair of what for two similar sounding words
[8] Group 11's first three, bread, the Jordan
[9] One element in the ParshaPix
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