Illustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio

לִשְׁכֹּן lishkon (שֹׁרֶשׁ ש.כ.נ)

To dwell, to be housed

מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan) = The temporary home for God that Benei Yisrael built in the desert

שָׁכֵן (shakhein) = Neighbor

שְׁכוּנָה (shekhunah) =Neighborhood

שְׁכִינָה (Shekhinah) = God’s presence

In Mishlei (27:10), it says: טוֹב שָׁכֵן קָרוֹב מֵאָח רָחוֹק. This means, “a close neighbor is better than a distant brother.” How do you understand this? When is it better to have someone close (even if they are not a relative), than someone far away (even if they are related to you)?

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