STRIVING FOR TRUTH

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well.

Mazal Tov to Shlomo Vogel on his upcoming birthday next week. Wishing you a wonderful, happy year with much achievement, and keep giving your parents much nachas!

We have 3 yohrtzeits this week:

Today is Aunty Lottie's ah yohrtzeit, and we wish Sid and Brian and their Families, long life. Her neshamah should have an Aliyah. We were all very fond of Aunty Lottie.

Tonight is the yohrtzeit of Pepe ah, Mommy's father. Our whole Family got to know Pepe when he lived in our home the last few years of his life. His neshamah should have an Aliyah, and we wish long life to Mommy, Meyer and Dina and their Families

Also tonight is the yohrtzeit of Shimon Pilsner ah, a friend of ours for many years. His neshamah should have an Aliyah.

Welcome home Mommy from your Australian trip!

In this week's Sedra Trumah, the construction of the Mini Temple (Mishkan) is discussed, and I would like to share what I learned about the kerashim (the wooden beams) used for its construction, and the related Hayom Yom for today.

The verse in the Sedra says (26:15) 'You shall make the BOARDS of the Mishkan of Cedar wood, positioned UPRIGHT.

The Hebrew word for boards is KERESH, and it has the same letters as the Hebrew word for FALSEHOOD ie SHEKER.

The Frierdike Rebbe describes in great detail (Maamar Basi Legani), how the service in the Mishkan and in the permanent equivalent, the Temple, consisted of transforming darkness to light.

In relation to the Boards, which hint to falsehood as mentioned above, one aspect of their refinement, is that they were made to stand UPRIGHT (as mentioned in the above verse).

Another aspect of the word sheker, is that all its 3 letters on the lower side are one legged or pointy, implying instability.

Whereas in contrast to falsehood we have TRUTH, where the Hebrew word for Truth is EMES. Here each of the 3 letters is either 2-legged or a platform, implying stability.

Another interesting aspect of the word EMES is that the first letter is aleph (which is also the first letter of the alphabet). The last letter is tav (the last letter of the alphabet). And the middle letter is mem (which is exactly in the middle of the alphabet) - implying that if something is really true, it is true from beginning to end! (a tall order)

And in todays Hayom Yom, interestingly, the Rebbe brings a reference from the Alter Rebbe, on HOW TO STRIVE FOR THE TRUTH!

See attached.

Wishing everyone a Gut Shabbos and a month of GREAT JOY, the special joy of Adar!