ParshaPix Explanations

Parsha Pix

At the bottom: Har Sinai with a pair of Luchot at the top. Next to a scene of a horse pulling a plow that is being guided by a farmer. There is a negation circle over the plowing, because it is forbidden during Sh’mita year. The question mark between the two represents the famous question from the beginning of the sedra - namely, MA INYAN SHMITA EITZEL HAR SINAI?
The abacus on the top is for counting the seven years of each Shmita cycle and the seven Shmita cycles of Yovel.
The Shofar is blown on the Yom Kippur of Yovel. It is from the Shofar of Yovel that we learn that it is a Shofar that we are to use on Rosh HaShana.
The Liberty Bell (the one in Philadelphia as well as in the Liberty Bell Park, down the block from the Center) is inscribed with the partial pasuk: AND PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT THE LAND TO ALL ITS INHABITANTS - which comes from this week’s sedra.
The adding machine is to calculate the fair price of land, depending upon how many years remain until Yovel.
The NOT FOR SALE sign is a reminder of the prohibition in the parsha to sell land in Eretz Yisrael forever, or to a non-Jew at all..
Upper-right is a fellow lending money at the Torah-approved interest rate for personal loans between Jew and Jew - 0%.
What Shabbat in the last pasuk referring to? Sh’mita or the weekly Shabbat? That’s why the pair of Shabbat candles has a question mark between them.
The price tag in the middle of the ParshaPix indicates that the regular price of the item is 100, and it is being sold for 117. That mark-up exceeds the halachic limit of 1/6 and so there would be a violation of ONA’AH. This topic is not that simple in our time because of overhead and expenses that can be factored in to determine a selling price. So just take this as a reminder of the mitzva, not as an actual example. But at some point, a storekeeper can be considered as violating the ISUR of ONA’AH.
The house with feet goes with V’KAM HABAYIT, and the house gets up.
Calling someone Dum-Dum most likely violates ONA’AT D’VARIM.
Monopoly card is a deed for Anatot (Haftara).
Then there are four items which are part of one phrase: The letter O, a dodo bird, an oven, and another dodo. Together they make: O DODO O VEN DODO
Heinz ketchup is one of many products produced by this venerable company. Whether they currently have 57 varieties or not, that is part of their slogan. Parshat B’har has 57 p’sukim.
The tea bags with the dollar sign and question mark, and the rice that follows all stand for the English equivalent of MA INYAN SHMITA EITZEL HAR SINAI? As in What does that have to do with the price of rice in China?. Or the price of tea in China. There are doubtlessly many other variations of the same question, all of which mean, What does one thing have to do with the other?
And what’s the building peeking out from behind a tree at the lower-right of the ParshaPix? It’s a visual TTriddle, that’s what it is.

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