PARSHA MATH

Three Weeks
Chaz”al said the three weeks are alluded by the prophet Yerimiyahu to an almond tree. Rashi
explains that an almond tree matures 21 days after planting, just as the days between the 17th of
Tamuz that the city was surrounded and the 9th of Av when the Holy Temple was burnt.

Concepts of an almond tree:

21-days growth of the almond tree corresponds to the brief period of 3 weeks
Changes from bitter to sweet;
‫ מטה‬indicates quickness in the change
Three matters in the Parsha share these concepts:‫נדרים מלחמת מדין בני גד ובני ראובן‬
‫לקוטי שיחות חלק לג‬

• 21 is the number of spots on a standard cubical die (1+2+3+4+5+6)

• 7 (days of the week) times 3 = 21

Answer the following questions:

________ 21st letter in the aleph beis

________ 21st letter from the end of the aleph beis

________ Two letters from above spell out an abbreviation of a famous subject in Gemara

________ Three consecutive integers that sum to 21

________ Three Hebrew letters with the values of the above three numbers

________ Hebrew word made of those three letters

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 PARSHA MATH

NOTES FOR TEACHER OR PARENT

Age group – 12 years and up
Objective of this lesson:
Appreciate math in the Parsha
Introduction to the Three Weeks

Answer the following questions:

________‫ש‬ 21st letter in the aleph beis

______‫ב‬ 21st letter from the end of the aleph beis

__‫____ב"ש‬ Two letters from above spell out an abbreviation of a famous subject in Gemara

‫בית שמאי‬

____6,7,8____ Three consecutive integers that sum to 21

____‫ח‬,‫ז‬,‫____ו‬ Three Hebrew letters with the values of the above three numbers

________ Hebrew word made of those three letters

Trick question; I can’t think of any word either

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