
PARSHA-PIX Parshat No'ach

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ParshaPix
The top row is based on an old joke about the worm coming in an apple, but
all the other animals coming in pears (pairs). So a sample of animals are to
be found in pears. They represent the animals that came into the Teiva.
There is also a fish to remind us that fish were not taken on the Teiva, but
survived the Mabulin a column of water under the Teiva that did not have the
destructive forces of the rest of the floodwaters.
There is also a Triceratops, which was a rhinoceros-like dinosaur. One
possible explanation for finding fossil remains of pre-historic animals is
that they existed in antediluvian times, but did not survive the Flood.
Then there are the famous dove with olive branch, cloud with rainbow and
cloud with rain.
The grapes and wine flask are references to No’ach post-Flood occupation.
The people figures represent the proliferation of human beings after the
Flood.
The ear of corn, TIRAS in Hebrew, a KUSH ball, and GOMER Pylein the
upper-right corner, are three of the 70 nations that came from No'ach.
The Tower of Babel is accompanied by words of many languages. The words all
mean WATER, the main theme of the first part of the sedra. languages are:
Luxembourgish (similar to the German word, but with an additional a), Zulu,
Chinese, Swedish,Tamil, Gaelic, Italian (and Latin), Carib, Finnish, Welsh,
Hungarian, Albanian, Bengali, Korean, and Indonesian.
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 (The BIG one) TTriddles:
[1] The most significant day for Chag
[2] The symbol stands apart from what it represents
[3] Hamantash turnovers
[4] borrowed by 3 of 5 two days earlier
[5] They were 766, 636, 531, 441, 371, 306, 144, and 79; two not yet
[6] Like major, like minor - almost, and one short
[7] plus two elements from ParshaPix of Haazinu
And the envelope, please...
[1] This TTriddle combines Sukkot with Parshat B'reishit (part of what was
covered by the first quadruple issue of Torah Tidbits ever). On Chag (i.e.
Sukkot), the world is judged for water. There is the mitzva of Nisuch
HaMayim in the time of the Beit HaMikdash. Simchat Beit HaSho'eiva. And
other issues of Sukkot that are connected to water. There- fore, the most
significant day of Creation to Sukkot is Yom Sheini. And let's not forget
the Arba'a Minim and the s'chach for the Sukka. That makes Yom Sh'lishi very
significant to Chag. Both are solutions to this TTriddle, which should have
been worded day(s) rather than day.
[2] The letter HEI is one of the symbols we use for G-d's name. In Parshat
Haazinu, there is the word HAL-ADO-NOI, with the HEI standing apart from
what the HEI symbolizes - G-d's name.
[3] In D'varim 32:20 (Haazinu), we find one of the Torah's references to
Hester Panim (G-d's working behind the scenes, so to speak) - VAYOMER ASTIRA
PANAI MEIHEM, I will hide My face from them. ASTIRA has the name ESTHER in
it, and is considered a REMEZ (hint, clue, allusion) to ESTHER from the
Torah (because the Purim story is a clear example of HESTER PANIM). The
pasuk continues, ...KI DOR TAHAPUCHOT HEIMA, they are a generation that
flips itself over. The warped mind that makes TTriddles combined Purim with
TAHAPUCHOT to get a new pastry called HAMANTASHEN TURNOVERS.
[4] Two days before Shabbat Parshat Haazinu was Yom Kippur. The pasuk KI
SHEIM HASHEM EKRA... from Haazinu is borrowed to begin the Amida of Musaf,
Mincha, and Ne'ila (but not Arvit or Shacharit) - KI SHEIM is borrowed by
three of the five YK davenings from the Torah reading of two days later.
[5] The correct designation of the year which began on Rosh HaShana is HEI'
TAV-SHIN-SAMACH-VAV, 5766. The HEI represents 5000, but is often left out
and the year is simple called TAV-SHIN-SAMACH-VAV - which is 766. In the
year 766, 5000 years ago, Adam was 766 years old. His son Sheit was 636,
Enosh was 531, Keinan was 441, Mahalaleil was 371, Yered was 306, Chanoch
was a young 144, and M'tushelach was a mere 79 years old. Lemech and No'ach,
the last two of the "ten generations from Adam to No'ch" mentioned in
Parshat B'reishit, were not yet born in 766.
[6] Torah reading is an example of music in a major key. Haftara reading is
an example of minor key. Like major, like minor = like the sedra, so too the
haftara (of Haazinu), both written in an unusual format by Sofrim, but they
are only almost the same, since the form of Haazinu is different from the
form of Shirat David, the haftara for Haazinu (when it is read between Yom
Kippur and Sukkot). Shirat David, by the way, is written in the same form as
Shirat HaYam in B'shalach and Shirat D'vora in Sho'f'tim. And one (pasuk)
short refers to the fact that Haazinu has 52 p'sukim and the haftara has 51.
[7] TT 688 also holds the record for ParshaPix, with four different ones.
All elements of the four Parsha- Pix (that is the correct plural for
ParshaPix, not Pixes or Pixi) were explained except for two from the Haazinu
ParshaPix. There was the leaning tower of Pisa which stands for the word
MIGDOL (tower) in the haftara. But we only pronounce the word MIGDOL; it is
written as if it were MAGDIL. Thus the leaning of the tower. The two forms
of the word (MIGDOL and MAGDIL) should be familiar from Birkat HaMazon. In
the T'hilim chapter that mirrors Shirat David from Shmuel Bet, 18, which
also has 51 p'sukim, the word is pronounced MAGDIL but spelled without a YUD,
which leaves it readable as MIGDOL (with a CHOLOM CHASEIR).
[7] Which brings us to the logo of the well-known Israeli company T'NUVA.
The logo appears three times, making it plural, of T'NUVOT, a word that
appears only once in Tanach - in Parshat Haazinu.
This week's TTriddles:
[1] None and far too much on the same date
[2] two years before and after
[3] 7th a.k.a 3rd
[4] 600 = 1047 = 756 = Washington's final initials
[5] Right! What's a cubit?
[6] yak, divi, tatu, patru, pet, vets, yedi, otto, ni, deset - Appropriate
for whom?
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