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Siftei Tzaddik Terumah The Kerashim – The Planks



The 30th of Shevat is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Shmuel Abba of Horedneka [Horodenka] (1895). Son of Rav Baruch of Vishnitz, the Imrei Baruch The town of Horodenka sits on the Dneister River some 30 miles from Chernovtsy, in the shadows of the Carpathian Mountains. Kiev is 250 miles northeast of Horodenka, and Lviv (Lemberg) is 110 miles to the northwest. This area was also known as Galicia when under Austro-Hungarian rule. Jews first settled there under Polish rule during the middle of the 17th century. According to the census of 1765, there were 863 Jewish families in Horodenka. According to data of 1890, 4340 of the 11,162 inhabitants of the town and 7 of the 18 members of the municipal council were Jews. By the end of the 19th century a local Benei Zion society had been founded, which by 1897 consisted of about 150 members.

“You shall make two planks for the corners of the Tabernacle, in the back. They shall be even at the bottom, and together shall they match at its top, for a single ring, so shall it be for them both, for the two corners shall they be.” (Exodus 26:23-24)

“They pursue me with lies. Help me! They had almost destroyed me on earth, but I did not forsake Your precepts. In accordance with Your kindness preserve me.” (Psalms 119:86-88)

The intention of the Mitzvah to construct a Mishkan was to connect Israel with their Heavenly Father, and for Him to manifest how beloved they are to Him. The heavens and the heavens of the heavens could not possibly contain God. He restrained His Presence between the two poles of the Ark in order that they respond with their entire being to His display of His deep love for them.

Now that we do not have a Mishkan, we must purify our hearts from anything that can prevent the Divine Presence from resting among us. Primarily this means destructive attributes such that push the Divine Presence away, especially anger and falsehood. All they do is cause separation between people and between God and us.

Only love and unity are the world of sanctity. They depend on humility and truth.

Even if a person observes all the commandments, if he is arrogant he lives in the world of separation.

Mitzvot means to join. They reflect truth  They create a Mishkan, a dwelling place for the Divine Presence, so that even if they are in different corners, the people can join” They shall be even at the bottom, and together shall they match at its top, for a single ring.”

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