ParshaPix Explanations

Parsha Pix

The two birds are part of the purification process of a M’TZORA. Pictured in the Parsha- Pix are sparrows. Neither bird of the two required is a korban (sacrifice) and is therefore not necessarily a dove or turtledove - those being the only two birds eligible for the Mizbei’ach. They only have to be kosher birds.
Also pictured are the other objects that were used in the ceremony for the M’tzora: a branch from a cedar tree (EITZ EREZ),
the hyssop plant (EISOV),
and a red wool thread (SH’NI TOLAAT).
The M’tzora is required to shave the hair of his body (razor), including, as is mentioned in the Torah, the eyebrows. In the picture, one eyebrow has already been shaved.
The 2+1 on the lamb are for 2 male sheep and 1 female - part of the procedure of purification.
The sack of flour and the oil can represent the meal offerings of the purifying M’tzora, as well as the oil applications described in the sedra.
In the lower right are the three recipients of the blood and oil of the purification process - the earlobe (one opinion - others hold the top of the outer ear, or the middle ridge of cartilage), thumb, and big toe - of the right ear, the right hand, and the right foot.
Above that is a left palm, mentioned many times in the sedra - KAF HAKOHEIN HAS’MALI - as where the kohein put the blood and then the oil from which he took on his right index finger in order to apply to the MITAHEIR.
AB—represents a type of blood - AB negative, negative - like the blood in the sedra that rendered a man or woman TAMEI.
The house in the picture is frowning. It is sad that it is afflicted with NIG’EI HABAYIT.
The four guys with N’GA’IM on their foreheads and strange coloring in their hair are standing around a soccer goal, so they represent the opening of the haftara of M’tzora - V’ARBA’A ANASHIM HAYU M’TZORA’IM PETACH HASHAAR… SHAAR in the context of the haftara is the gate of a city. In TTriddlese, it is a soccer or hockey goal. In fact, although they are not named in the haftara and are only referred to as people and M’tzora’im, the Gemara tells that they were GEICHAZI and his three sons. After Elisha the Navi cured Naamanof Aram of Tzoraat and refused to take a reward for it, Geichazi (Elisha’s assistant) went to Naama and told him that Elisha had sent him to collect a reward. When Elisha heard of Geichazi’s behavior, he cursed him with Tzoraat (which apparently was incurable).
Upper-right is a picture of a set of Lincoln Logs. Suggestion: older generation explains to the younger generation what Lincoln Logs are. As to ParshaPix, a log represents the Hebrew word LOG (with a long O, as in lone, rather than the short O of the English word log), which is a Biblical measure men- tioned several times in the sedra as the amount of oil that was used in the purification process of a M’TZORA. Therefore, the Lincoln Logs go with the oil can below them in the ParshaPix to stand for LOG SHEMEN. By the way, a LOG is equivalent to 345.6ml according to the measures of Rav Chaim Naeh to 597ml according to the Chazon Ish - with other opinions between those two. Of significance for us today is the measure called a R’VI’IT, which is a quarter of a LOG (in contrast to the Torah’s R’VI’IT which is a quarter of a HIN - a HIN is 12 LOGIM. A R’VI’IT of a LOG is the minimum amount of wine that a Kiddush cup must contain, etc. The R’VI’IT ranges from 86.4-149.25ml.
The bullets for these ParshaPix explanations are/is Woodstock, avian best friend of Snoopy (who just happens to be one of the dogs in the footers this week - no special reason; the other dog being Peabody), who is pictured in a birdbath, loosely representing the live bird of the two which is immersed in (see the beginning of the sedra for further details).
In the lower-right corner is a picture of a Garage Sale. Its con- nection to the sedra is the kohein’s instructions to the owners of a house which might be afflicted with NEGA’IM to empty the house of its furnishings and vessels, lest they become TAMEI if he (the kohein) declares the house TAMEI. Who knows? Some people might have used the opportunity to have a garage sale of those items they would like to get rid of.

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