Published September 02, 2010
Last issue’s (KI TAVO) TTriddles:
[1] Rise and Shine!
Simple one. This is the English translation of the first two words in the haftara for Parshat Ki Tavo - Yeshayahu 60 - KUMI ORI…
[2] Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss
This is a variation of an old one. Five times in the book of D’varim, SICHON is identified as MELECH CHESHBON. And another three times in the book of Yehoshua. CHESHBON means calculation and is the term in Hebrew for arithmetic or math. This makes SICHON the king of math. But who do mathematicians and historians consider to be the all time greatest mathematician - the king of math. A search on the web turned up a number of different lists, with different people in first place. The most consistent holder of first place is Gauss. He is actually known by some as the prince of math. Close enough. By the way, in Shof’tim, SICHON is identified as Melech EMORI Melech CHESHBON. In Nechemiya, there is reference to ERETZ SICHON and ERETZ MELECH CHESHBON.
[3] (Oldie) The Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Chanuka, Purim connec- tions to Bikurim
The Pesach connection is the Hagada, which uses the Bikurim declaration p’sukim as the main body of MAGID. The p’sukim are then analyzed and explained with many other quotes from Tanach. Shavuot is Yom HaBikurim and it is the beginning of the Bikurim season. Sukkot is the deadline, according to the Mishna, to bring Bikurim AND recite the declaration. Bikurim can still be brought, but without the declaration, until Chanuka (this is what the Mishna says, but we pasken otherwise and allow the recitation until Chanuka, as well). Purim’s Mishlo’ach Manot baskets are decorated, reminiscent of the Bikurim Basket. (Okay, that’s a stretch, but we didn’t want to leave Purim out of this TTriddle. And Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim can definitely be added, since they represent some of the conditions of the Bikurim situation.
[4] When doves are attached to Bikurim basket - Where?
The Bikurim basket is called a TENE. With doves attached to it (they served as a live decoration until the Bikurim were given and then were used as bird-sacrifices), the TENE can appear to fly. Where? TENAFLY, New Jersey, of course. Tenafly is considered “is an affluent suburb of New York City”, although it is in Bergen County, NJ. (The name comes from Dutch and means Ten Swamps - now you know!)
[5] After 20 Shabbatot, we finally get to the source on this Shabbat
On the Shabbat after Pesach, we started reading/learning Pirkei Avot. Each chapter is introduced by the famous (first part of the) Mishna in Sanhedrin - All Israel has a share in the World to Come. The pasuk in Tanach that the Mishna quotes is from Yeshayahu 60, the haftara of Ki Tavo. V’AMEICH KULAM TZADIKIM… So 20 weeks after we first quoted this pasuk, we read its source.
[6] Onion rectangle like a deer
Onion = BATZAL = 2+90+30 = 122, the number of p’sukim in Ki Tavo (side point: Vayaqhel and Va’etchanan also have 122 p’sukim). Rectangle = MALBEIN = 40+30+2+50 = 122. Like a deer = K’TZVI = 20+90+2+10 = 122
[7] .3670886075949 & .5531914893617021276595744680851063829787234042
The first decimal fraction is the equivalent of 29/79. 29 is the atomic number of copper and 79 is the A.N. of gold. The haftara tells us that G-d will bring gold TACHAT copper (in the time of the Geula). TACHAT means “in place of”, but it also means “under”. If gold is under silver, then the fraction 29/79 results. Similarly, the second fraction is equivalent to 26/47 (those being the atomic numbers of iron and silver, respective- ly. (The first fraction has a repeating period of 13 digits. The second fraction shows the period of 46 digits. The computer’s calculator only shows the first 31 digits; the rest were obtained by good, old fashioned, pencil and paper, long division. Can today’s kids do that?)
[8] 3/5 D’varim, 3/12 Torah, 3/15 Tanach in Ki Tavo
Eretz Yisrael is referred to 15 times in Tanach as flowing with milk and honey - 3 of those references are in Ki Tavo (that’s 3 of the 5 in D’varim, 3 of the 12 in the Torah, and 3 of the 15 in Tanach).
[9] Her oldest and youngest for hers
Leah’s sons’ tribes were on Har G’rizim, with the oldest (Reuven) and the youngest (Zevulun) not there, but their place (so to speak) being taken by Rachel’s oldest and youngest (not exactly correct terms for her two sons, but it works for this TTriddle).
[10] So where do they get the stones?
Just a whimsical question. In Eikev, Eretz Yisrael is described as a land whose stones are iron (among other descriptions). In Ki Tavo, the people are told that they will build a Mizbeiach on Har Eival with stones that iron has not been in contact with - then where do they get the stones? The answer, of course, is the altar was to be build with stones that were not hewn with a metal implement.
[11] May the first part of 60:18 come true doubly in a good way
This pasuk from the haftara of Ki Tavo begins with the continuing description of what G-d will do for us in the time of the Complete Geula. “No longer shall violence be heard in your land… The word for violence in this pasuk is HAMAS, hence we hope and pray that there will be a fulfillment of this prophecy with both meanings of the word.
[12] ParshaPix Unexplaineds
There were three graphic images representing words in the haftara.
The many camels represents SHIF-AT G’MALIM, an abundance of camels.
A pair of eyes with a C around it stands for S’I SAVIV EINAYICH… lift your eyes about you…
The two doors with smiles is for M’SOS DOR VADOR, a joy for each succeeding generation. DOR - door, get it?
This week’s TTriddles:
[1] I will rejoice - in what? Torah
[2] The lonely letter says it ain’t so
[3] STOP, LOOK, LISTEN - which is the odd man out?
[4] Woody, Jack & Jill
[5] Deer in confused from
[6] Zebra crossing guide
[7] starts, ends, both, neither
[8] The one that would be there even if all the others weren’t
[9] SHAI Is this one of them?
[10] His tools are mixed up
[11] The three follow and mimic Ki Tavo
[12] MazalPic
[13] Some Unexplaineds
© 2012 OU. All rights reserved.