Parsha Pix

Kohen Gadol. The whole first section of the sedra deals with the sanctity of the kohanim in general, and the Kohen Gadol in particular. The term HAKOHEIN HAGADOL occurs 21 times in Tanach, with its first use in Parshat Emor and three further times in the book of Bamidbar. The other 17 times are scattered in Tanach.

The broken foot is representative of the invalidating defects of a Kohen (some blemishes permanent and some transitory – both invalidate the kohein from Avoda).

Look closely at the lamb the (broken) foot is pointing to. It’s missing an ear. That’s a blemish which invalidates the animal for the Mizbei’ach. Note that blemishes that disqualify an animal for the Mizbei’ach do not necessarily make the animal a TREIFA (some do).

Middle-bottom are a mother sheep (ewe) and her newborn, which may not be taken from its mother to be used as a korban until it is at least 8 days old.

AND, the sheep and lamb also represent OTO V’ET B’NO, the prohibition of slaughtering an animal and its offspring on the same day. Note that the 8th day rule is specifically for korbanot while the two-generation rule applies to holy animals and to profane animals.

Just for fun we added Marlin and Nemo from Finding Nemo to also represent OTO V’ET B’NO, although this prohibition does not apply to fish (but it does apply to male or female parent and off- spring.

Upper-left of center is a negation circle, indicating the prohibitions of building, sewing, writing – representative of all forbidden Melacha for Shabbat, Yom Kippur, and Yom Tov.

The counting of the Omer is a mitzva from Parshat Emor.

So too are the mitzvot of dwelling in a Sukka for the seven days of Sukkot,

and the taking of the Four Species on Sukkot.

And there are the Two Loaves of Shavuot.

which can also represent Lechem Mishneh for Shabbat (and Yom Tov), which is also in the sedra (not the Lechem Mishna – just Shabbat and Yom Tov).

The matzot can represent Pesach, but also stand for the Lechem HaPanim, dealt with in the sedra. They had to be made according to matza rules.

There is a wine bottle with Y/N on the label (No, it’s not for YAYIN). Y is for YES – yes, have wine on Shabbat and the Chagim for Kiddush and havdala. Not only that, when you say Kiddush on Yom Tov day, recite one or both of two p’sukim that come from Emor. But N is for NO. No, a kohein may not drink wine when he has service to perform in the Beit HaMikdash. No one may enter the Mikdash “under the influence”. Nor, may a poseik render a halachic opinion after having drunk wine.

There is a MOOSE with an arrow pointing to his nose, which is AF in Hebrew. So this friend of Bullwinkle, Tuke and Rutt represents the MOOSE-AF, MUSAF of each holiday, as commanded by the Torah, partly from Parshat Emor and partly from Parshat Pinchas.

There is a needle and an eye right under the eye of the needle, representing AYIN TACHAT AYIN.

Right after Parshat HaMoadim (Vayikra 23), we have the command to light the Menora in the Mikdash with pure olive oil. This is seen as a REMEZ, hint to Chanuka from the Torah. (One of several REMAZIM.) Hence the dreidel in the PP.

The numeral 1 refers to the haftara, where reference is made to Bikurim, T’ruma, Challa, and other gifts of the FIRSTs to the kohanim.

And then there is a fraction consisting of a numerator of .8 and a denominator of .016. Simplifying the fraction by dividing, we get 50, which has a connection to the sedra, but that wasn’t the main point of the TTriddle. .8 (which is 4/5), and .016 (which is the same as 2/125), are both fractions. In Hebrew, each is a SHEVER. So .8/.016 is SHEVER TACHAT SHEVER, which precedes AYIN TACHAT AYIN in Vayikra 24:20.

The NER TAMID is towards the end of the sedra where the Torah discusses the olive oil for the Menora. Its light is meant to be TAMID, always, and one possible origin of the NER TAMID in shul is this eternal quality of the Menora.

The term MEIT referring to a dead body, can be found in the sedra and the haftara. In Ashkenazic pronunciation, that would be MEIS, as in MACE, the medieval weapon, the mace. In the Israeli pronunciation, it is MEIT as in MATE, short for checkmate. The white queen has checkmated the black king in the part of the chessboard visible in the ParshaPix.

The Xed out Shofar is for the term found in Emor (as opposed to Pinchas), which describes Rosh HaShana as ZICHRON T’RU’A. Some say the alludes to Shabbat RH.

The MazalPic, at H(S)M’s suggestion is Eeyore (pronounced like the month). Obvious, but cute…