PARSHA-PIX Sukkot

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 (Haazinu-YK) TTriddles:
[1] textual Haazinu - Yom Kippur link, 1-3
B'ETZEM HAYON HAZEH... An interesting, strong phrase used in TANACH 12 times, 10 of which are in the Torah. It was on "this very same day... that No'ach and family went into the TEIVA. And twice it is used for Avraham circumcising himself and the males of his household (and Yishmael). Three times it is used in context of the day we were taken out of Egypt. And three times it refers to Yom Kippur (part of what the TTriddle is looking for). And once it refers to the very day that Moshe finished his tasks of talking to the people and writing the Torah down for them (us). That time is in Haazinu, and thus the TTriddle is solved. Interestingly, the one time the term is used in Yehoshua, it refers to the day the Manna stopped, the day the shame of Israel was lifted following the mass circumcision of all those who hadn't been circumcised since the first year out of Egypt. And on the very day that we ate "matza" from the yield of the Land. So Pesach and Brit are both associated with the words B'ETZEM HAYOM HAZEH. The final time the phrase occurs is in the book of Yechezkeil, referring to the 10th day of the 10th month, ASARA B'TEVET, the very day of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The same term being used for 10 Tevet and Yom Kippur leads to the statement that if Asarab'Tevet were to fall on Shabbat, we would fast and not push the fast until Sunday (as we do with other fasts). In fact, Asara b'Tevet is the only fast that never falls on Shabbat. It is also the only fast ever on a Friday, when it does impinge on Shabbat a little bit. B'ETZEM HAYOM HAZEH - an interesting and strong phrase, and the solution to a TTriddle.
[2] Using 5,7,6,7 in that order, and math symbols, form expressions equal to the numbers 0-10
We had a few of these in last week's Torah Tidbits. We will carry this TTriddle further to allow some people to submit solutions which they might have more time to work on now that Yom Kippur has passed.
[3] his 2,3,4,5,8,10
This was a Yom Kippur TTriddle, and the "his" in it refers to the Kohen Gadol. His 2 are the identical goats that he drew lots (two of them) over. His three are the times he said VIDUI. His four are the special white garments he wore upon entering Kodesh HaKodashim. His five immersions in the mikveh. His 8 garments that he wore when doing most of the Avoda of the day. His 10 refers to his washing of hands and feet 10 times in the course of the day. His 10 can also refer to the ten times he said SHEIM HAMEFORASH, or more accurately, the 10 times the SHEIM HAMEFORASH came out of his mouth.
[4] Then Jonah was confused
Then is AZ (ALEF-ZAYIN). Jonah is YONA, YUD-VAV- NUN-HEI. Confused means scramble the letters and they spell HAAZINU.
[5] Butter sandwiches and a glass of milk. Mid-morning snack in school. Who's food?
Actually, it is in day camp that I remember butter sandwiches and milk as a mid-morning snack. But it seems that schools used to serve that too. The answer to this TTriddle is based on Rashi on the verse CHEM'AT BAKAR (the butter of cow milk) VACHALEIV TZOM (and sheep or goat's milk) - this refers to the time of Shlomo HaMelech... CHEILEV KILYOT CHITA (fat kidney-shaped grains of wheat, from which delicious bread is made) - this too, says Rashi, refers to the time of Shlomo. (The other foods described in the pasuk are associated with the 10 "lost" tribes.) So the answer to the TTriddle is Shlomo HaMelech.
[6] found before; read after
The haftara for Shabbat Shuva is found in many Chumashing right before Haazinu (that is, right after Vayeilech), and was read, this year, right after Haazinu. It isn't always so, but it was this year - and whenever Haazinu is Shabbat Shuva (which is more often than not).
[7] The lonely and big one
This refers to the big HEI of the word HAL-ADO-NOI in D'varim 32:6. It is an unusual (actually, unique) type of K'TIV and K'RI, a situation in the Torah or elsewhere in Tanach, when something is written one way and read a different way. In a Sefer Torah, the HEI is not only written extra large, but it is separated from the rest of the word it heads by a space, making it the loneliest letter in the Torah. Every other letter of the 304,805 letters in the Torah is next to at least one other letter. The only other letters that stand alone are the backwards NUNs that bracket off the two p'sukim in B'haalotcha. But they are not read at all. They are not part of a word. This HEI is part of the word, but it is separated from the rest of the word. Unique. When reading the word, it reads like a regular word with no vocal indication of the space. First syllable - HAL (that's a SH'VA NACH under the LAMED). Then G-d's name.
[8] pennies are the best substitute for chickens
When using money for KAPAROT instead of live chickens, pennies are a particularly appropriate choice in light of the fact that they are made of COPPER which sounds like KAPAROT. (No groaning please.)

This week's TTriddles:
[1] What we do with the four brings to mind another plant
[2] shoot a vowelless hen

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