Parsha Pix Fire (upper-left) represents the fire of the Mizbei'ach that was to always remain lit. If the Menora ever went out, it was relit from the Mizbei'ach's fire. Let's clarify that. The Menora was supposed to last throughout the night and go out some time in the morning. We have a tradition that during the time of the First Beit HaMikdash, the westernmost lamp (NER MAARAVI - dispute as to whether this refers to the central lamp of the one closest to the Parochet) miraculously remained lit around the clock (night and day, that is). But, if no Menora lamp was lit, then fire was taken from the Mizbei'ach. Ner Tamid in shuls commemorates both the eternal lights of the Menorah and the fire of the Mizbei'ach. The prohibition on the other side of the Fire Always coin is represented by the negation circle over the fire extinguisher (lower-right). It is forbidden to extinguish the fire of the Mizbei'ach. An example among many of a positive command and a prohibition addressing the same issue from both sides. Yes, matza; no, chametz is not just a Pesach rule. It is the rule for most Menachot, as stated in the sedra, which makes Tzav a particularly appropriate sedra to bring us into Pesach. And, in fact, Tzav is Shabbat HaGadol in all 12-month, single Adar years. Ear, thumb, big toe - application of some bloods and some oils in various rituals in the Mikdash. (Specifically, the right earlobe, thumb, and big toe.) Oven and frying pan - two of several methods of preparing Menachot. Turtle with poor spelling - in Hebrew, TZAV (TZADI-VET), a misspelling of Parshat TZAV (TZADI VAV). Who knows five? Not only the books of the Torah, but the 5 ZOT TORAT... in the sedra, referring to different types of Korbanot. The piece of chain is for the rare TROP-note, SHALSHELET, appearing 3 times in B'reishit (Vayeira, Chayei Sara, Vayeishev) and this one time in Vayikra (Tzav). Lamb in the doorway of the home is for Shabbat HaGadol and the taking of the Korban Pesach into the home on the 10th of Nissan - which, this year is the same. The original Shabbat before the Exodus was the 10th of Nissan. A word (or more) about the ParshaPix explanations bullets these past many weeks. Rather than choosing something sedra-appropriate, we've stayed with the rain cloud as a "silent prayer" for rain to add to our many voiced prayers for rain. At our Mincha, we have continued with VA'ANEINU in Sh'ma Koleinu and will stop when we stop saying TAL U'MATAR. 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 (VAYIKRa) TTriddles: [1] George Bernard's roof SHAW-GAG, as in the past tense of one having committed a sin inadvertently. The word occurs in Vayikra 5:18, in the context of an ASHAM offering for possible violation of certain sins. [2] Piece of paper measuring 10cm x 6.237cm The A4 size paper measures 29.7cm x 21cm. Its area is 623.7 sq. cm. The piece of paper in the TTriddle has an area of 62.37 sq. cm. which is exactly one tenth the size of the A4 - making it ASIRIT HA-A4. EIFA and A4 are practically indistinguishable homonyms when pronounced by someone from the sovereign state of Brooklyn. [3] 4 x 58.5 in 213 Somehow Vayikra is often associated with salt as far as TTriddles are concerned. Salt shows up at least twice in last week's TTriddles. Chemically, table salt is Sodium Chloride or NaCl in symbols. The atomic weight of sodium is 23; that of chlorine is 35.5. The molecular weight of NaCl then is 58.5. 213 is 2:13, meaning Vayikra, 2nd perek, pasuk 13. It contains four words with the root of salt, hence the 4 x 58.5 in 213 of this TTriddle. [4] what did the omelet do at 12:20pm? It davened MINCHA AL HAMACHAVAT. Mincha, in the context of the pasuk in Vayikra, is a flour and oil offering, which comes in different forms. One type of Mincha is the Mincha al HaMachavat, the meal offering on the frying pan. This TTriddle uses the other meaning of Mincha, the afternoon prayer. 12:20pm was Mincha Gedola (the earliest time to daven Mincha) when the TTriddle was made. Now, with the change of the clock to summertime and the shift of a week's time, Mincha Gedola is 1:15pm. The TTriddle should have used 1:20pm, which is the fixed time for Mincha at the Israel Center throughout the year. [5] the great-grandchild of a rabbit? [1] and [4], by the way, were solved by one or more TTriddles solvers. So was this one. There are two types of pigeon/doves that were fit for the Altar. In Hebrew, TORIM and B'NEI YONA. Targum Onkeles renders TORIM as SHAFNININ, which - at least with TTriddle eyes - seems to be a combination of SHAFAN (rabbit) and NIN (great-grandson). Of course, turtle doves are definitely not the great-grandchildren of rabbits, hence the ?-mark. [6] small ALEF or dropped YUD The small ALEF, of course, is from the opening word of Vayikra - the sedra and the book. Targum for VAYIKRA is UKRA, spelled just like VAYIKRA, but without the YUD. [7] National Association of Constitutional Lawyers A fictitious (we think) organization whose initials are NACL, which is like NaCl, which - as already discussed - is the formula for salt, a small but significant and essential "ingredient" in all Korbanot. [8] How many A's is it spelled with? A's sounds like the Hebrew word for GOAT - EIZ. It was one of the animals used for Korbanot, as presented in Vayikra. GOAT is spelled with one A, which is the answer to the TTriddle. The A's is used in two senses at the same time. [9] Vayikra & Shoftim; B'reishit just missed it This is the kind of TTriddle that no one is really expected to get, but it presented itself and wouldn't go away. It all started with the two words in the Haftara of Vayikra, ANOCHI ANOCHI. They prompted a search of Tanach which revealed two other ANOCHI ANOCHI occurrences. All are in Yeshayahu. Vayikra's haftara has one pair (as just mentioned) and so does Shoftim's haftara. The haftara of B'reishit ends right before the third ANOCHI ANOCHI - hence the wording of the TTriddle. [10] one Unexplained in the ParshaPix The baseball cap of the Los Angeles Angels, a.k.a. the A's - the significance of which to Vayikra has already been explained. See [8] This week's TTriddles: [1] The inventor of the anti-tank missle [2] one additional korban type and a pair of position switches [3] What besides Shabbat HaGadol is called Shabbat HaGadol? [4] "Choice" of four prophets [5] We read it on theirs [6] How many p'sukim would Vayeitzei have if it were the same? [7] The Reserve beer [8] Shabbat speaker anagram [The Parshat Tzav Homepage] |
