The Moon and the Jewish People

The moon is special to the Jewish people, not only because God created it, but because the moon represents the Jewish people and the Jewish people are compared to the moon in that they wax and wane, they grow and become less.



The Bible tells us that God first created the two great luminaries, the sun and the moon. He then designated that the sun shall rule during the day and the moon at night. Sages asked, why are they both considered luminaries? The moon doesn't have its own energy, it is only a reflection of the sun. The Midrash, the legendary interpretation of the Bible, explains that God originally created the sun and the moon to be the same size with two sources of light. Then the moon came to God and told Him that you cannot have two kings ruling over the same domain.

The moon wanted God to designate one as the chief. God agreed, but since it was the moon that complained, God reduced the moon, not the sun. God then felt bad for the moon and created stars to join the moon at night.

Since the Jewish people are compared to the moon and we pray that just as the small moon can become big, the Jewish people will once again grow into something very special, unique and powerful. May the moon represent only good for us!