Wonderful to see you all. Good Shabbos, rabbosai. Parshas Pinchas, the parashah of the korbanos, of the yomim tovim, the whole story of Pinchas. We find a fascinating Rashi which leaves so much food for thought. In the korban of Rosh Chodesh, of the korbanos we bring, it says "u'se'ir izim echad l'chatas," we bring one goat offering as a sin offering, "la'Shem," to Hashem or for Hashem. "Al olas hatamid ya'aseh v'nisko," in addition to the regular korban tamid.
Says Rashi a fascinating thing. What do we mean, "l'chatas la'Shem"? "U'midrasho b'aggadah, amar Hakadosh Baruch Hu," says Hakadosh Baruch Hu, "havi'u kaparah alai," bring a kaparah for me, what we would translate as bring an atonement for me, "al sheme'ateti es hayarei'ach," that I made the moon smaller.
Now, you and I, we all understand that if we do something wrong we need forgiveness, we need atonement. But Hakadosh Baruch Huneeding atonement? What is that all about?
So first of all, what do we mean by Hashem making the moon smaller? We all know, Chazal tell us, that originally the sun and the moon were created the same size. The moon turned around the Hakadosh Baruch Hu, how can there be two kings sharing the same crown? Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, you are quite right, and made the moon smaller. So what is that all about?
I once heard the following p'shat. It's a deep p'shat, but you guys are smart. The sun is the source of light. The moon reflects the light it gets from the sun. It's not its own source. Symbolically, the sun is the emanation, is symbolic of the emanation of Hashem, going out from Hashem to the world. The moon is symbolic of what is reflected back and visible.
We are living in a world where Hakadosh Baruch Hu, in order to give us the opportunity to be masters of our own success, to be masters of our own good choice, He had to hide Himself to the point where there is room for a mistake. That way, if we correctly choose, it's our choice. It's something we accomplished.
So the dilemma of hiding, as it were, Hakadosh Baruch Hu, making Himself less visible, that we can choose, that we can grow and that we, as we are the masters of what we accomplish in our growth and coming closer to Hashem. But there's enough of the light coming through that somebody that is not biased and has a straight mind can see the emanation of Hashem in the world.
L'asid lavo, we daven at kiddush halevanah that Hakadosh Baruch Hu should bring back the moon to its original size. We are waiting for the grand revelation of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. So Hakadosh Baruch Hu, as it were, is saying no, I sinned, bring an atonement. But I had to leave room for mistake by hiding Myself. Bring this korban to make up for this lack of clarity that you are having to keep yourselves on the straight and narrow.
We should all be zocheh to see that Hakadosh Baruch Hu will be memaleh pegimas halevanah that will be a full revelation of Hashem and no longer just a small reflected life. B'vias Mashiach tzidkeinu bimheira b'yameinu. A very good Shabbos and uplifting Shabbos.
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