TTriddles "Report"

TTriddles

Last issue’s (Vayeira) TTriddles:
[1] 2-digit perfect square, reverse its digits and get a prime. Multiply the two numbers.
There are six 2-digit perfect squares: 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, and 81. Reversing each one produces these other 2-digit numbers: 61, 52, 63, 94, and 18. Only one of these numbers is prime - namely, 61. Multiplying 16 by 61 we get 976, the issue number of TT for Parshat Vayeira.
[2] He also has an inner sin
This TTriddle is technically after the second part of [4], but it can be solved on its own. ALSO = GAM, GIMEL-MEM. SIN in this TTriddle means the letter CHET (remember that the real pronunciation of the 8th letter of the Alef-Bet is CHEIT, spelled CHET-YUD-TAV, a sound- alike for CHET-TET-ALEF, meaning SIN. Inner means that the CHET is inside the word GAM, producing GACHAM, one of the sons of NACHOR by his concubine R’UMA, as listed at the end of the sedra.
[3] Double duty and behind me
When the Torah tells us about the two angels that proceeded to S’dom, Rashi says that one was to destroy the cities in the area and the other was the same angel who was originally sent to heal Avraham from his recent circumcision. Having fulfilled that original task, R’FA’EL was re-assigned to save Lot. Rashi adds that the angel that had the task of announcing the upcoming birth of Yitzchak left the scene without further assignment. Therefore, R’FA’EL had double duty - albeit consecutive and not simultaneous, since “one angel does not do two tasks”. The thrice-recited petition to G-d in K’ri’at Sh’ma Al HaMita beginning with B’SHEIM HASHEM ELOKEI YISRAEL, let MICHA’EL be to my right, GAVRI’EL to my left, in front of me URI’EL, behind me R’FA’EL…
[4] Hook in tree… sin in pitcher
Here are two other sons of NACHOR, as reported at the end of VAYEIRA. His b’chor (from MILKA) was UTZ, AYIN-VAV-TZADI - VAV is a hook and it is in the word EITZ, tree. The other son of this TTriddle is KESED, that’s the letter SIN inside the word KAD - KAF-SIN-DALET.
[5] The chef was poor & confused
Here’s another of NACHOR’s sons - or should we call them Rivka’s uncles. Chef in Hebrew is also SHEF, SHIN- FEI. Poor is DAL, DALET- LAMED. Taking the letters of “poor chef” and mixing them up (confused) we get PILDASH, PEI-LAMED-DALET-SHIN.
[6] David & Achinoam’s first
The firstborn to David HaMelech and his wife Achimo’am was AMNON. The gimatriya of AMNON is 1+40+50+6+50 = 147, the number of p’sukim in Parshat Vayeira. In many editions of the Chumash, there is the pasuk-count right after the end of each sedra and a SIMAN, a word or name (sometimes a phrase) with the gimatriya that matches the pasuk- count. Vayeira’s siman is AMNON.
[7] It’s what happens when I eat at the beach
PI-CHOL, my mouth (gets) sand. PICHOL was the general of AVI- MELECH’s army. His name is spelled PEI-YUD-CHAF-LAMED (not CHET as in the word for sand, but…) and is mentioned three times in the Torah - twice in Vayeira and once in Tol’dot. His name happens to occur all three times with the prefix of a connecting VAV, so the DAGESH (dot) in the PEI is propped and his name sounds like FICHOL. This puts him in good company with P’KUDEI (that’s the sedra name, but the words in the Torah are EILA F’KUDEI), PURIM (as in therefore they called these days FURIM), and PARA ADUMA (which follows the command to take for yourself - EILECHA FARA ADUMA…)
[8] Sally, Bryna, Nannette Clarissa
According to the Midrash, Lot’s wife’s name was IDIT or IRIT. This TTriddle suggests other possible names based on the SALT issue: Sally (sal means salt in Latin. Spanish, Portuguese and probably some other languages). Bryna - BRINE is salt water. Nannette Clarissa - if you take the first two letters of each name you get NaCl, which is Sodium Chloride, with is common table salt.
[9] Torah Tidbits Audio
The Vayeira issue of TTA began with part of the theme music from the old TV show, My Three Sons. No connection with the sedra was intended; it was just there to challenge listeners to email the name of the show. Several did and each will receive a CD for their solutions. As of this writing, no one took up the challenge of the opener of the second half of the show. This might change before you are reading these words. Or not.

This week’s TTriddles:
[1] Crooked tooth in my mouth
[2] The 6th European river
[3] Adam, Mahalal-eil, Avraham, Yaakov
[4] Lavan took it from Rivka and fed the camels
[5] biblical billions

• Other TTriddles "Report"
• TTRIDDLES... are Torah Tidbits-style riddles on Parshat HaShavua (sometimes on the calendar). They are found in the hard-copy of
• TTRIDDLES... are Torah Tidbits-style riddles on Parshat HaShavua (sometimes on the calendar). They are found in the hard-copy of
• TTriddles