Our Gemara on Amud Aleph compares one who fulfills the mitzvah of blessing the new month at its proper time to one who has seen the face of the Shekhina.

What is the connection between the mitzvah of blessing the Moon and encountering the Shekhina? Various commentaries offer interpretations, each expressing a different dimension of our relationship with God.

The Meiri explains that observing and blessing the renewal of the Moon brings about an awareness of the grandeur of creation, leading to a profound sense of standing in the presence of God. The Maharal (Nesivos Olam, Nesiv Ha’avodah 14) notes that the Moon, being the lowest celestial sphere, serves as the access point between the physical and spiritual realms. Greeting the Moon, therefore, symbolizes the meeting between Man and the Heavens—that is, with God.

Chayyim V’chessed (161:1) offers a similar idea: contemplating the renewal of the Moon reminds a person of how God sustains and constantly renews existence, evoking a sense of standing before the Divine. Elsewhere, Chayyim V’chessed (590) elaborates that the Moon's process of receiving its light from the sun mirrors our relationship with God. Just as the Moon is illuminated and manifested only through the light of the sun, so too do we exist and become activated through God’s emanations. This awareness leads one to a sense of standing before God, realizing what is lacking within oneself and seeking to receive divine emanation to become whole.

This idea parallels the Maharal’s teaching in Derech Chayyim (6:6), where he states that one of the traits necessary for acquiring Torah is to “know one’s place.” In this context, it means recognizing what one is missing and what one needs to learn.

The Moon is a wondrous creation, unique among the heavenly bodies. Unlike other celestial objects, which seem constant and unchanging, the Moon waxes and wanes, grows and diminishes, reflecting the precariousness of human existence. Yet it also conveys optimism, as its renewal symbolizes resilience and resurgence. The Moon provides light in the darkness of night but depends on the rays of the sun for its illumination. This dynamic reminds us of our own dependence on God.

True wisdom begins when a person becomes aware of what he does not know, just as the Moon seems to disappear when it is not receiving the light of the sun. Recognizing this void opens the door to a deeper relationship with God, as we become receptive to His emanations and blessings.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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