וְהָיָ֤ה אֽוֹר־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְאֵ֔שׁ וּקְדוֹשׁ֖וֹ לְלֶהָבָ֑ה וּבָעֲרָ֗ה וְאָֽכְלָ֛ה שִׁית֥וֹ וּשְׁמִיר֖וֹ בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃
און דאָס ליכט פֿון ישׂראל װעט זײַן אַ פֿײַער, און זײַן הײליקער אַ פֿלאַם, און זי װעט ברענען און פֿאַרצערן זײַנע דערנעראון זײַן װילדגעװעקס אין אײן טאָג.
Sforno
ובראשי חדשיכם, it was an ancient custom among the Israelites to treat the day of the new moon as a semi festival. We know this already from Samuel I 20,19 where Yonathan describes the day as one on which no work is performed in the field, a day not defined as יום המעשה, “a working day.” This is why this day has retained a special significance for the Jewish people, i.e. the Torah describes it as ראשי חדשיכם “the beginning of your months.” You will not find the regular festivals, מועדים described as “your festivals.” We do not find the Sabbath described as “your Sabbath” or the festival of Shavuot as “your day of the firstling fruits.” [the author will go to some length to explain that the ending כם in the word שבועותיכם in verse 26 does not refer to that festival. Ed.] Neither do we find the expression סכותיכם, etc.
The reason for this ancient custom of treating the day of the new moon almost like a festival is that historically, success of the Jewish people in matters terrestrial has always been linked to the lunar cycle. The moon is a phenomenon which has no light of its own, a phenomenon which depends on receiving and reflecting light from an external source.
Although prior to the sin of the golden calf the Jewish people’s fate was totally independent of any foreign domination, described as חרות על הלוחות, a kind of absolute independence, freedom engraved on the Tablets (the first set no doubt), (compare Exodus 32,16) as well as Eyruvin 54 and Tanchuma, Ki Tissa 16), once they had sinned they (divested themselves of this privilege, (and) no longer made use of this “Royal crown” at all times as did the other nations, so that they did no longer appear to enjoy this advantage over the other nations of the world.
Ever since that spiritual disaster, the Jewish people could enjoy their original privilege of independence from the restrictions imposed by the fact that one is part of the “laws of nature” only on rare occasions in their history, whereas most of the time they were dependent on “light”, i.e. good fortune, from external sources not under their control. To that extent, their history reflects the situation of the moon with its periods of ascent and decline month after month. When the moon is not directly exposed to the light of the sun it becomes invisible. The expression אין מזל לישראל, (Shabbat 126) means that the Jewish people do not generate light of their own, do not work at being masters of their own fate, but rely entirely on G’d to guide their fates. They receive this Divinely emanated light when their deeds are pleasing to G’d.
This is why in the parlance of our prophets G’d Himself is referred to as: “אור ישראל” Israel’s source of light. (compare Isaiah 10,16 as well as Psalms 27,1 where David refers to G’d. as אורי וישעי, “my light and my salvation.”)
Whenever the Jewish people are in a state of sin, their sins act as a barrier between them and their G’d so that they are deprived of their source of light. When Isaiah describes their state of being when sinful, he speaks of their G’d’s hiding His face from them, as Israel walking in darkness harassed by the gentile nations. (Isaiah 59,2).
Whenever the Jewish people’s fortunes are at low ebb this represents a desecration of G’d’s name, i.e. His reputation, as the gentiles refer to us sneeringly as עם ה' אלה “are these the ones who describe themselves as G’d’s special nation?” We can understand what our sages have said in Gittin 58 that whenever the Jewish people are in trouble, G’d is automatically forced to share their troubles. Having linked His honour to the honour and glory of the Jewish people, He suffers with us, (allegorically speaking). Whenever we suffer, whenever we are in a state of being oppressed, G’d is described as saying that “the pirate has attacked Me and you simultaneously.”
Seeing that the sin offering presented on New Moon’s day is an atonement for the Jewish people who are the cause of preventing the light of the moon to shine, or the reason it shines so weakly when it does shine, the sages in our prayers on that day referred to that sin offering as לכפר בעדם זכרון לכולם יהיו תשועת נפשם מיד שונא, “to obtain atonement for themselves. They were to be a memorial for them all, and a salvation for their soul from the hand of the enemy.” This is the reason that this is the only sin offering described as חטאת לה', “a sin offering on behalf of G’d.” Presentation of this offering is also in respect of the damage the sinful behaviour of the Jewish people has inflicted on G’d’s image among the gentile nations.
When we read about the dialogue described between the moon and G’d in Chulin 60, where G’d is eventually described as saying to the Jewish people “bring a sin offering on My behalf,” (in expiation for My diminishing the light of the moon) what the sage (Rabbi Shimon ben Pezzi) wanted to explain by putting such strange sounding words in G’d’s mouth is that ultimately the reason why the moon was diminished was because seeing it has a kinship with the Jewish people and these did not always live up to their lofty destiny, the moon [as a celestial representative of G’d Himself, Ed.] therefore has to suffer alongside with them for their shortcomings. Seeing this may not sound quite fair, G’d allegorically ordered a sin offering to be brought by the Jewish people on New Moon’s day in order appease the moon.
The reason for this ancient custom of treating the day of the new moon almost like a festival is that historically, success of the Jewish people in matters terrestrial has always been linked to the lunar cycle. The moon is a phenomenon which has no light of its own, a phenomenon which depends on receiving and reflecting light from an external source.
Although prior to the sin of the golden calf the Jewish people’s fate was totally independent of any foreign domination, described as חרות על הלוחות, a kind of absolute independence, freedom engraved on the Tablets (the first set no doubt), (compare Exodus 32,16) as well as Eyruvin 54 and Tanchuma, Ki Tissa 16), once they had sinned they (divested themselves of this privilege, (and) no longer made use of this “Royal crown” at all times as did the other nations, so that they did no longer appear to enjoy this advantage over the other nations of the world.
Ever since that spiritual disaster, the Jewish people could enjoy their original privilege of independence from the restrictions imposed by the fact that one is part of the “laws of nature” only on rare occasions in their history, whereas most of the time they were dependent on “light”, i.e. good fortune, from external sources not under their control. To that extent, their history reflects the situation of the moon with its periods of ascent and decline month after month. When the moon is not directly exposed to the light of the sun it becomes invisible. The expression אין מזל לישראל, (Shabbat 126) means that the Jewish people do not generate light of their own, do not work at being masters of their own fate, but rely entirely on G’d to guide their fates. They receive this Divinely emanated light when their deeds are pleasing to G’d.
This is why in the parlance of our prophets G’d Himself is referred to as: “אור ישראל” Israel’s source of light. (compare Isaiah 10,16 as well as Psalms 27,1 where David refers to G’d. as אורי וישעי, “my light and my salvation.”)
Whenever the Jewish people are in a state of sin, their sins act as a barrier between them and their G’d so that they are deprived of their source of light. When Isaiah describes their state of being when sinful, he speaks of their G’d’s hiding His face from them, as Israel walking in darkness harassed by the gentile nations. (Isaiah 59,2).
Whenever the Jewish people’s fortunes are at low ebb this represents a desecration of G’d’s name, i.e. His reputation, as the gentiles refer to us sneeringly as עם ה' אלה “are these the ones who describe themselves as G’d’s special nation?” We can understand what our sages have said in Gittin 58 that whenever the Jewish people are in trouble, G’d is automatically forced to share their troubles. Having linked His honour to the honour and glory of the Jewish people, He suffers with us, (allegorically speaking). Whenever we suffer, whenever we are in a state of being oppressed, G’d is described as saying that “the pirate has attacked Me and you simultaneously.”
Seeing that the sin offering presented on New Moon’s day is an atonement for the Jewish people who are the cause of preventing the light of the moon to shine, or the reason it shines so weakly when it does shine, the sages in our prayers on that day referred to that sin offering as לכפר בעדם זכרון לכולם יהיו תשועת נפשם מיד שונא, “to obtain atonement for themselves. They were to be a memorial for them all, and a salvation for their soul from the hand of the enemy.” This is the reason that this is the only sin offering described as חטאת לה', “a sin offering on behalf of G’d.” Presentation of this offering is also in respect of the damage the sinful behaviour of the Jewish people has inflicted on G’d’s image among the gentile nations.
When we read about the dialogue described between the moon and G’d in Chulin 60, where G’d is eventually described as saying to the Jewish people “bring a sin offering on My behalf,” (in expiation for My diminishing the light of the moon) what the sage (Rabbi Shimon ben Pezzi) wanted to explain by putting such strange sounding words in G’d’s mouth is that ultimately the reason why the moon was diminished was because seeing it has a kinship with the Jewish people and these did not always live up to their lofty destiny, the moon [as a celestial representative of G’d Himself, Ed.] therefore has to suffer alongside with them for their shortcomings. Seeing this may not sound quite fair, G’d allegorically ordered a sin offering to be brought by the Jewish people on New Moon’s day in order appease the moon.
Rabbeinu Bahya
וה' הולך לפניהם יומם, “and G’d would walk in front of them by day, etc.” Seeing that the term “walking” cannot truly be applied to G’d, the plain meaning of this verse is that the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night which had taken up position in front of the Jewish people to show them the way, served as a sign for them that G’d in His capacity as Hashem was accompanying them every step of the way. These two pillars acted as their eyes in the desert and as protection against the dangers lurking in the desert. When the Torah quotes G’d (Exodus 19,4) saying: “I carried you on the wings of eagles,” the reference is to these pillars of cloud and fire mentioned in our verse. Seeing that these pillars were designed to save the Israelites, they became the instruments by means of which the Egyptians were judged, as we read in 14,24: “He looked down upon the camp of Egypt through a pillar of fire and cloud and He confounded the camp of Egypt.” This prompted our sages (Mechilta 14,29) to comment on the words והמים להם חמה, “the waters of the Sea were for them (the Israelites) a wall, chomah,” to change the vowel pattern and to add that for the Egyptians these same waters proved to be a cheymah, i.e. an expression of G’d’s anger at them. Midrash Tehillim, 22,2 quotes a similar interpretation when explaining the verse א-לי א-לי למה עזבתני, the Midrash says that what was “light” for Israel (King Chizkiyahu) proved to be destructive fire for Sancheriv, King of Assyria. It is described graphically there that the prophet Isaiah and King Chizkiyahu sat down in the Holy Temple and that a fire erupted between them which consumed Sancheriv and his army.
Rabbeinu Bahya
However, in Shemot Rabbah 15,26 this calculation is described differently, and the month is given as having thirty days during the first half of which the moon is progressively becoming more powerful, whereas after that it declines visibly. According to the author of that list the first 15 days of the month are characterised by the leaders of the Jewish people from Avraham to Solomon, whereas the last 15 days symbolise the decline of the Kingdom of Yehudah after the division of the country between Rechavam and Jerobam. This is based on Exodus 12,1. G’d is supposed to have told the Jewish people already prior to their departure from Egypt that the kingdom would not last for more than thirty generations, hence the words: החודש הזה לכם, ”this month (moon) is for you, etc.” The Midrash lists verses in the Bible to back up the contention that the early ancestors of the Jewish people such as Avraham and Yitzchak are already part of these 30 generations. It quotes a verse in which Avraham is described as “shining,” such as Isaiah 41, 2. It similarly is at pains to prove the same for Yitzchak and Yaakov. Starting with Yehudah, there is no need for such proofs anymore. The author of the Midrash, aware that most of the Kings of Yehudah actually worshipped idols, does not describe them as an unending string of righteous people but lumps them together as part of the decline of the Davidic dynasty, in spite of the exceptions such as Chiskiyah and Yoshiyah to name but two. According to this Midrash, the prayers of the patriarchs on behalf of their errant children helped to persuade G’d to continue to let that Kingdom exist beyond the time it had a legal right to exist.