PARSHA-PIX Parshat T'ruma

Parsha Pix
Across the top of the ParshaPix 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 gemstone 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. (And also, the rings that connected adjacent wallboards - even though those rings were rectangular rather than round.)
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. Remember that not only was olive oil used in the day-to-day service of the Mikdash, it was also used to consecrate each vessel.
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’A. The buttom is KAFTOR and the flower is the PERACH. The actual Menora shapes did not necessarily 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.
In the frame is a mortarboard, graduation cap. It stands for the wisdom that G-d endowed Shlomo with (mentioned in the beginning of the haftara). This does not mean to say that graduation is a guarantee of wisdom. It's just a symbol for ParshaPix.
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.
In the lower-left is the flag of Lebanon, reminding us of the Cedars of Lebanon mentioned in the Haftara.
There are two unexplained items - one easy and one hard - they are the visual TTriddles.

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] Age Trumps Thing
In a SHANA P'SHUTA (12-month, one Adar, "regular" year), Mishpatim is Parshat Sh'kalim almost 95% of the time (which is almost 60% of all years). In a SHANA M'UBERET, Mishpatim is Rosh Chodesh almost 16% of the time (5.8% of all years) and and Machar Chodesh 28.5% of the time (10.5% of all years). It is not a special Shabbat only 23.8% of all years. Now, on those 23.8% of the years, its haftara is from Yirmiyahu, starting with the words HADAVAR, the word (which G-d spoke to Yirmiyahu)... But for TTriddles purposes, we'll take the other meaning of HADAVAR, the thing. The Thing (haftara) is pre- empted almost 77% of the time by other haftarot. The most common pre-empter by far (accounting for 60 of the 77% of the time), is the haftara of Sh'kalim, which begins, BEN SHEVA SHANIM Y'HO'ASH B'MOLCHO... Y'ho'ash was seven years old when he began his reign. AGE TRUMPS THING.
[2] sounds like we’re exempt from them on Pesach - au contraire
MATZOT in Targum Onkeles is PATIRA. The word sounds like PATUR, to be exempt, which we most definitely are NOT on Pesach. Au contraire, just the opposite, we are obligated - CHAYAV.
[3] It has its own built-in gavel
The word MISHPATIM has its own built-in gavel for the judges who are primarily responsible for the fulfillment and adherence to MISHPATIM. Between the first and final MEM of the word, we find the letters (albeit jumbled) of the word PATISH, hammer or gavel.
[4] results in rotating head 90º
Try it yourself. Stand in front of a mirror and tilt your head 90° to the left or the right. It won't be easy, but if you shift your body and move your shoulder out of the way a bit, you can do it. Now, look at your face. What do you see? Among other things, you see something from Parshat Mishpatim (and in Parshat Emor as well)... AYIN TACHAT AYIN, an eye under an eye.
And that brings us to the visual TTriddles from the ParshaPix, of which there were two..
No, not the PIT, which was explained in the Parsha- Pix explanation as being one of the types of Damages presented in the sedra. But rather...
[1] The Tzedaka box is designed after the box described in the haftara for Parshat Sh'kalim, that was used in the Beit HaMikdash for the collection of the half-shekels. Basically, a box with a slit in its door or lid. Sounds like a Tzedaka box.
[2] For this one, you had to find it first. It was hiding in the open, inside the Sukka in the lower-left corner of the ParshaPix. It is a picture of a LYRE, a stringed instrument of the harp family having two curved arms connected at the upper end by a crossbar, used to accompany a singer or reciter of poetry... Seem an image of one someplace, besides in the ParshaPix for Mishpatim? Yes, on the back our our HALF- SHEKEL coin.
[3] And then there is the Zodiac TTriddle, a.k.a. the Mazal TTriddle. For several years, the Word of the Month box on page 2 (now starting on page 2 and continuing to page 3) had a "regular" representation of the month's mazal. Either a pictogram or a symbol. Almost two years ago, we started with a pictorial pun or play-on-words to represent the mazal of the month. Mazal Adar DAGIM. Pisces, the fishes or FISH. Which was the name of the character on the police sitcom, Barney Miller, played by the fellow in the picture, Abe Vigoda.

This weeks TTriddles:
[1] The length of a Y'RI'A (of the Mishkan) is perfect
[2] The Mishkan counterparts (male & female) of Yosef's brothers and the MN (manna) collectors/eaters
[3] Anagrams of gold and fabric
[4] Aramaically appropriate reapeated phrase head
[5] you can’t wear them with wool socks
[6] most kids’ favorite subject
[7] For whom is it really give and get?

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