Torah tidbits
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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