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Showing posts from May, 2010

The tzaddik

The tale of a tzaddik: Midrash Tanhuma relates that when the Sanctuary/Tabernacle in the Sinai wilderness was completed the people tied to make it stand, but failed. They went to the wise men of that generation and said, “Help us to make the Sanctuary stand so that the Shechina will dwell here.” The wise ones tried their best to secure the Tabernacle but it listed and fell. Time and again the structure collapsed. The elders then went to Bezalel, the artisan, and his assistant Oholiab, with the same request. They too were unsuccessful. The elders then approached their leader, Moses, and asked, “What do we do? We spent so much time and effort to make this Sanctuary. The wise ones have tried; Bezalel and Oholiab tried, and no one can make the building stand.” Moses turned to God. The Holy One answered him, “Moses, My servant, the crowning task of raising the Tabernacle belongs to you alone so that the people Israel will know that if you cannot make it stand, it will never stand.”