PARSHA-PIX Eikev
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Parsha Pix
Dvarim 8:8 describes Eretz Yisrael and presents us with the famous list
of the Seven Species. Wheat in the upper left; barley between grenade
and elephant. Grapes. Pomegranate is the hand grenade, known as a RIMON
in Hebrew. The olive is in the martini glass, and there is a date (the
31st) on the calendar. And the fig is represented by Figaro, Gepetto's
pet cat.
The Land is also described as being a land whose rocks are iron (Fe on
the piece of rock), and from whose mountains you can extract copper.
Penny on the hill.
It is in Parshat Eikev that Moshe recounts for the people the story of
the Golden Calf, the breaking of the Luchot, and the second Luchot. Pair
of stone tablets and Davka Judaica ClipArt's scene of the Golden Calf.
The second passage of the Sh'ma is in Eikev. It contains the mitzva of
Mezuza and a reminder of the "deal" we have with G-d.
If we listen to the Mitzvot (preserve them, keep them, practice them),
then we will receive rainfall in its proper time. That's the cloud with
drops of rain. But if we don't observe and preserve the mitzvot, then
G-d will "lock" the heavens and there will not (G-d forbid)
be rainfall, and the ground will not give up its bounty, and we will
be lost...
Elephant is a reminder of the many times (in this sedra and elsewhere)
that the Torah commands us to remember and warns us never to forget.
Yellow jacket (wasp) is the TZIR'A that G-d says He will send against
our enemies.
Loaf of bread and a key below it. The key is not on the loaf, KI LO AL
HALECHEM...
Baby and tomatoes. PRI VITN'CHA (the fruit of your womb), UFRI ADMATECHA,
the fruit of your ground.
XL is Roman numerals for 40. ARBA'IM appears 136 times in Tanach, referring
to days and nights or to years. 12 times in Parshat Eikev.
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 (VA'ETCHANAN) TTriddles:
[1] Same spelling, different pronunciations, opposite meanings
The sought after words are spelled BET-TZADI-REISH - pronounced BATZAR
and BETZER. There's your same spelling and different pronunciations,
making them homographs (words that have the same spelling but differ
in origin, meaning, and sometimes pronunciation). BTW, homonyms are words
that have the same sound and often the same spelling but differ in meaning
- so BATZAR and BETZER are not homonyms. And homophones are words that
have the same sound and often the same spelling but differ in meaning,
so our pair are not them either. BATZAR L'CHA... as in D'varim 4:30,
is translated as, "when you are in distress". BETZER, mentioned
in 4:43, is to be the City of Refuge in the wilderness, in the plains
of the Reuveni territory. If one is distress and the other refuge, then
they are at least sort of opposites.
[2] sing separate fume eat humble
The word ALEF-ZAYIN, AZ, occurs in Tanach 119 times. 15 of the times
are in the Torah. Of those, 6 times, AZ is followed by a verb in future
third person singular form: YASHIR (twice), YAVDIL (separate), YE'SHAN
(fume), YOCHAL (eat), and YIKANA (humble). [The fifth word in the original
TTriddle was approach, not humble; can't figure where it came from. Sorry.]
[3] Va'etchanan, always; Ki Tisa, sometimes; Pinchas, never
Since ZF is so proud to finally solve a TTriddle, let's make this answer
in his honor. And a CD from Noam Productions awaits you at the Israel
Center. Be in touch to arrange for pick-up or mailing.
There are three potential situations in the cycle of Torah reading throughout
the year, for us to read a part of a sedra - other than the first part
that is usually read at Mincha on the previous Shabbat, on Monday and
Thursday mornings - during the week before that sedra is read on Shabbat.
Confused? Reread the paragraph or just continue and things will clear
up.
If Rosh Chodesh were to fall in the week of Parshat Pinchas, then on
that day, we would read part of Parshat Pinchas, the reading for Rosh
Chodesh. However, Rosh Chodesh never falls in the week of Parshat Pinchas.
If a fast day were to fall out in the week of Parshat Ki Tisa, then we
would read part of Ki Tisa on the fastday during the week before Ki Tisa
is read on Shabbat. And, in fact, Taanit Esther sometimes falls in the
week of Parshat Ki Tisa. Not always, but sometimes. The third possibility
is Tish'a b'Av (when we read from Va'etchanan) falling during the week
of Shabbat Parshat Va'etchanan. Which it does. Always. That's the TTriddle.Other
possibilities would be Purim during the week of B'shalach. Not. Chanuka
in the week of Naso or B'haalotcha. Not. So to with the various readings
for Chagim. Doesn't happen. Only Va'etchanan always and Ki Tisa sometimes.
[4] P George Frederick Ernest Albert
George Frederick Ernest Albert is the full name of King George the fifth.
P is the 16th letter of the alphabet. So we have 16 King George (Street)
in Jerusalem, which is the address of LEV YERUSHALAYIM, a phrase which
comes from Yeshayahu 40, the haftara of Shabbat Nachamu.
[5] actually, this one is memorable too
This refers to the fourth of the ASERET HADIBROT, the one about Shabbat.
In Parshat Yitro, the command begins with ZACHOR ET YOM HASHABBAT L'KAD'SHO.
Remember... In Va'etchanan, the command begins with SHAMOR... preserve.
However, we can say that in Va'etchanan, the fourth commandment is also "memorable" since
it contains V'ZACHARTA... and you shall remember that you were slaves
in Egypt and that G-d took you out...
This week's TTriddles:
[1] Up, up (last week)... and all around (this week)
[2] This one was never Leningrad
[3] Followed by V'ATA, ASHREI, and BARUCH
[4] 7 from it and 7 it, too.
[5] "My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too shall rejoice."
[6] Dan Cooper's point of departure
[7] a herd of 1 to 1000 champion cows
[8] MAYIM TZELULIM
[9] 4 of 5 are auditory; the fifth is Kalev
NachKwestion of the Week:
Common factor...
Ben Shemen, Baal Hamon, Ein Gedi
Bitya, Izevel, Maacha
Shoval, Salma, Chareif
Zimri, Tirtza, Rekem
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