The Power of the Moon's Reflection ״ונזכיר שמך״
SL
BySarah Lipman

Hear the shiur here:

http://www.sarahlipman.com/power-on-prayer/2017/2/22/93-power-of-the-moon-and-memory-venazkir-shimcha-

בראשית א׳:י״ד-י״ט

(יד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַיּ֖וֹם וּבֵ֣ין הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים׃

(טו) וְהָי֤וּ לִמְאוֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃

(טז) וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֶת־שְׁנֵ֥י הַמְּאֹרֹ֖ת הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים אֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַגָּדֹל֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַקָּטֹן֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וְאֵ֖ת הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃

(יז) וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

(יח) וְלִמְשֹׁל֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֣ין הַחֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

(יט) וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם רְבִיעִֽי׃

Genesis 1:14-19
(14) God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times—the days and the years; (15) and they serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so. (16) God made the two great lights, the greater light to dominate the day and the lesser light to dominate the night, and the stars. (17) And God set them in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth, (18) to dominate the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that this was good. (19) And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
רש"י על בראשית א׳:ט״ז:א׳-ב׳

(טז) המארת הגדולים שָׁוִים נִבְרְאוּ וְנִתְמָעֲטָה הַלְּבָנָה עַל שֶׁקִּטְרְגָה וְאָמְרָה אִ”אֶ לִשְׁנֵי מְלָכִים שֶׁיִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּ בְכֶתֶר אֶחָד:

(יז) ואת הכוכבים עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמִּיעֵט אֶת הַלְּבָנָה הִרְבָּה צְבָאָיהָ לְהָפִיס דַעְתָּהּ:

Rashi on Genesis 1:16:1-2

(16) המאורות הגדולים THE GREAT LUMINARIES — They were created of equal size, but that of the moon was diminished because she complained and said, “It is impossible for two kings to make use of one crown” (Chullin 60b).

(17) ואת הכוכבים AND THE STARS — Because He diminished the moon, He increased its attendant hosts to mollify it (Genesis Rabbah 6:4).

חולין ס׳ ב:ה׳-ט״ו

רבי שמעון בן פזי רמי כתיב: (בראשית א, טז) ״ויעש אלקים את שני המאורות הגדולים״ וכתיב ״את המאור הגדול ואת המאור הקטן״.

אמרה ירח לפני הקב"ה, ״רבש"ע אפשר לשני מלכים שישתמשו בכתר אחד?״

אמר לה: ״לכי ומעטי את עצמך.״

אמרה לפניו: ״רבש"ע הואיל ואמרתי לפניך דבר הגון אמעיט את עצמי?״

אמר לה: ״לכי ומשול ביום ובלילה.״

Chullin 60b:2-3
...
רש"י על במדבר כ״ז:כ׳:א׳-ב׳

(כ) ונתתה מהודך עליו. זֶה קרוּן עוֹר פָּנִים: (כא) מהודך. וְלֹא כָּל הוֹדְךָ, וּמָצִינוּ לְמֵדִין פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה כְּחַמָּה פְּנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כַּלְּבָנָה (ספרי; בבא בתרא ע"ה):

Rashi on Numbers 27:20:1-2

(20) ונתתה מהודך עליו AND THOU SHALT PUT SOME OF THY GLORY UPON HIM — This refers to the shining of the skin of his countenance (see Exodus 34:29—30).

(21) מהודך SOME OF THY GLORY, and not all thy glory; consequently we learn from this: Moses’ face beamed like the sun, Joshua's face only like the moon (Sifrei Bamidbar 140:2; Bava Batra 75a).

(22) למען ישמעו כל עדת ישראל THAT ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHOULD BE OBEDIENT TO HIM — that they should comport themselves towards him with respect and reverence, in the same way as they comport themselves towards you (cf. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 776).

שמות י״ז:י״ב

(יב) וִידֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

Exodus 17:12
(12) But Moses’ hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands remained steady until the sun set.
שמות י״ז:י״ג-י״ד

(יג) וַיַּחֲלֹ֧שׁ יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֥ק וְאֶת־עַמּ֖וֹ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃

(יד) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאָזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Exodus 17:13-14
(13) And Joshua overwhelmed the people of Amalek with the sword. (14) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Inscribe this in a document as a reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven!”
כלי יקר על שמות י״ז:ח׳:ד׳-ה׳

יב) ויהי ידיו אמונה עד בא השמש. כי עמלק בא עליהם בימי משה שהיה זמן בוקרן ותחילת זריחתם של ישראל, ואח"כ בימי מרדכי ואסתר בקום עליהם המן מזרע עמלק והוא זמן הערב שמשן של ישראל, כמו שפירש"י על פסוק ולערב יחלק שלל זה בימי מרדכי (בראשית מט כז) לכך נאמר ויהי ידיו אמונה עד בא השמש, כי עמדה זכותו של משה לישראל גם בימי מרדכי, כארז"ל (מגילה יג:) כיון שנפל הגורל להמן בירח אדר שמח שמחה גדולה לפי שבו מת משה והוא אינו יודע שבאדר נולד משה, עיין בילקוט דמגילה, ש"מ שהמן סבור שמשה מת ותמה זכותו, וטעה כי מאחר שנולד באדר זכות זה עמד לישראל בחודש ההוא, לכך נאמר ויהי ידיו אמונה עד בא השמש. ...

(יב) ד"א עד בא השמש. ...

ויש רמז גם על ימות המשיח, כארז"ל (דב"ר ג טז) ה' בסופה ובסערה דרכו (נחום א ג) בסופה זה משה שנאמר ותשם בסוף, ובסערה זה אליהו שעלה בסערה, ולמדו מזה שגם משה יבא עם אליהו כשיבא משיח שנאמר בו (תהלים פט, לז) וכסאו כשמש נגדי, לכך נאמר ויהי ידיו אמונה עד בא השמש עד שיבא משיח וכאור בוקר יזרח שמש.

Kli Yakar on Exodus 17:8:4-5
...

אור החיים על שמות י׳׳ז:י׳׳ד:

ושים באזני וגו'. צריך לדעת למה נתיחד מאמר זה ליהושע לבד?

ואולי כי לצד שראה יהושע עוצם הכעסת עמלק ותוקפו ולא היה בו כח לעשות בו כליון אלא שהחלישם לבד, ויש בלבו של צדיק איך לא עשה ה׳ מה שראוי לעשות ברשע זה?

לזה בא ה' להפיג צנתו, וצוה למשה לאמר לו באזנו, פירוש, כי הדבר הוא להשיב למה שבלבו של יהושע. ואמר לו כי לא ידאג על הדבר ״מחה אמחה וגו'״ ודבר ה׳ כאילו כבר היה ותהיה -- זאת נחמתו.

וטעם כפל מחה וגו' אולי שרמז לנו זמנים שימחה בהם, א' בימי שאול, וכנגדו אמר ״מחה״, ב' בימי מרדכי, וכנגדו אמר ״אמחה״, ואחת לעתיד, וכנגדו אמר ״מתחת השמים״:

מכות כ״ד א:ל״ג-כ״ד ב:ד׳

... וכבר היה ר"ג ורבי אלעזר בן עזריה ורבי יהושע ורבי עקיבא מהלכין בדרך ושמעו קול המונה של רומי מפלטה [ברחוק] מאה ועשרים מיל והתחילו בוכין ורבי עקיבא משחק. אמרו לו, מפני מה אתה משחק? אמר להם, ואתם מפני מה אתם בוכים?

אמרו לו, הללו כושיים שמשתחוים לעצבים ומקטרים לעבודת כוכבים יושבין בטח והשקט ואנו בית הדום רגלי אלקינו שרוף באש ולא נבכה?!

אמר להן, לכך אני מצחק. ומה לעוברי רצונו כך לעושי רצונו על אתת כמה וכמה.

שוב פעם אחת היו עולין לירושלים. כיון שהגיעו להר הצופים קרעו בגדיהם. כיון שהגיעו להר הבית ראו שועל שיצא מבית קדשי הקדשים התחילו הן בוכין ור"ע מצחק. אמרו לו, מפני מה אתה מצחק? אמר להם, מפני מה אתם בוכים?

אמרו לו, מקום שכתוב בו (במדבר א, נא) "והזר הקרב יומת" ועכשיו שועלים הלכו בו ולא נבכה?!

אמר להן, לכך אני מצחק, דכתיב (ישעיהו ח, ב) ״ואעידה לי עדים נאמנים את אוריה הכהן ואת זכריה בן יברכיהו״. וכי מה ענין אוריה אצל זכריה? אוריה במקדש ראשון וזכריה במקדש שני. אלא תלה הכתוב נבואתו של זכריה בנבואתו של אוריה.

באוריה כתיב (מיכה ג, יב) ״לכן בגללכם ציון שדה תחרש״ [וגו']. בזכריה כתיב (זכריה ח, ד) ״עוד ישבו זקנים וזקנות ברחובות ירושלם״.

עד שלא נתקיימה נבואתו של אוריה הייתי מתיירא שלא תתקיים נבואתו של זכריה. עכשיו שנתקיימה נבואתו של אוריה, בידוע שנבואתו של זכריה מתקיימת.

בלשון הזה אמרו לו: עקיבא ניחמתנו, עקיבא ניחמתנו:

Makkot 24a:33-24b:4
six hundred and eleven. "I am..." and "There should not be to you.." were heard directly from The Mighty. (A mnemonic: Dmasma"k Sa"k) Dovid came and established them on eleven, as it is written, (Psamls 15,1) "A psalm of Dovid. Hashem, who shall dwell in your live? Who will dwell upon your holy mountain? One who walks upright, and works righteously, and speaks truth in his heart, That has no slander upon his tongue, nor does evil to his fellow, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those that fear Hashem; He swears to his own hurt, and does not changes; one who doesn't lend out his money on interest, Nor take a bribe against the innocent. He that does these things shall never falter. "One who walks upright", this is Avraham, as it is written (Genesis 17,1) "Walk before me and be perfect. "Who works righteously", like Rav Safra. "has no slander upon his tongue" this refers to Yakov, our forefather, as it is written (Genesis 27,12) "Maybe my father will feel me and I will be in his eyes like a deceiver". "Has done no evil to his fellow" that he doesn't enter his fellows trade. "Who does not takes up a reproach against his neighbor" This refers to one who brings his relatives near him. "In whose eyes a vile person is despised" This refers to King Chizkiyahu who dragged the bones of his father on a bed of ropes. "But he honors those that fear Hashem" This refers to Yehoshafut the King of Yehuda, who whenever he would see a Torah scholar would get up from throne, embrace them and kiss them, and call them (my father, my father), my Rebbi, my Rebbi, my master, my master. "He swears to his own hurt, and does not changes" like Rebbi Yochanon. That Rebbi Yochanon once said, I will be fasting until I reach my house. "Who doesn't lend out his money on interest" even with interest to an idol worshiper. "Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent" like Rebbi Yosi It is written, "He that does these things shall never falter" Whenever Raban Gamliel would reach this verse, he would weep. He would say one who does all of these is the one who will not falter, but if he only does one of them, then he will falter. They told him is it written "who does all of these things"? it is written, "one who does these things" which would imply even one of them. That if you will not say this, it is written elsewhere (Leviticus 18, 24) "Do not contaminate yourself with all of these". There also, is only one who touches all of the things one who becomes tamai, but if he only [touched] one of them not? Rather it refers to one of these. So too here it refers to one of these. Yeshaya came and established these on six, as it is written (Issiah 33,15) "He who walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; He who despises unlawful gain, who shakes his hands from accepting a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil." "He who walks righteously", this refers to Avraham our forefather, as it is written (Genesis 18, 19) "For now I known that he may command etc.". "And speaks uprightly" this refers to one who does not embarrass his fellow in public. "He who despises unlawful gain", like Rebbi Yishmael ben Elisha. "Who shakes his hands from accepting a bribe", like Rebbi Yishmael b'Rebbi Yosi. "Who stops his ears from hearing bloodshed", that he does not hear a degradation of one of the Rabbis and remain silent, like Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Shimon. "And shuts his eyes from seeing evil" this is like what Rebbi Chia bar Aba said. That Rebbi Chia bar Aba said this refers to one who does not gaze at woman at the time that they are doing their laundry. And it is written [about one who does these six things], (Issiah 33,16) "He will dwell on high, etc." Micha came and established them on three, as it is written "It has been told to you, O man, what is good, and what does Hashem require of you?: Only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk discreetly with your God." "To do justly", this refers to laws. "To love mercy", this refers to kind deeds. "And to walk discreetly with your God" this refers to bringing out the dead and bringing in the bride. And is it not a kal v'chomer? If matters which are usually not done discretely [like funeral and bridal processions], the Torah says to perform them with discretion, then matters which usually are done discreetly [like charity], how much more so [should they be performed discreetly. Yeshaya returned and established these on two, as it is said (Issiah 56,1) "So says, God, guard justice, and do righteousness". Amos came and established these on one, as it is said (Amos 5,4) "Thus said Hashem to the house of Israel: Seek me Me, and live." Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak challanged this, maybe it means to seek out the entire Torah? Rather, Chabakuk came and established these on one as it said (Habakkuk 2,4) "The righteous shall live by his faith." Rebbi Yosi bar Chanina says, four decrees were decreed by Moshe Rabainu on Israel. Four [later] prophets came and nullified them. Moshe said (Deuteronomy 33,28) "And Israel dwells in safety, The fountain of Yakov alone". Came Amos and nullified it as it is said, (Amos 7,5) "Please now, How can Yakkov stand? etc." And it is written later, (Amos 7,3) "God repented concerning this etc.". Moshe said (Deuteronomy 28, 65) "and among these nations you shall have no rest". Came Yirmeyah, and said, (Jeremiah 31,2) "Proceed to bring peace to Israel". Moshe said (Exodus 34,7) "visiting the sins of the fathers on their children". Came Yechezkal and nullified it, (Ezekiel 18,4) "The soul that sins, it shall die.". Moshe said (Leviticus 26,38) "And you will become lost among the nations". Came Yeshaya, and said, (Issiah 27,13) "And it shall come to pass in that day that a great horn will be blown". Rav said, I am worried from that verse, "and you will become lost among the nations". Rav Pappa challenged him, Perhaps, it refers to a lost article that one searches for, as it is written, (Psalms 119, 176) "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant". Rather, [Rav was worried] from the later part of the verse. (Leviticus 26,38) "And you will be consumed in the land of your enemies". Mar Zutra challenged him, Perhaps it refers to the eating of cucumbers and gourds [which still survive after some of them are consumed]. And once Rabban Gamaliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Joshua, and Rabbi Akiva, were traveling together, when they heard the sound of the crowds of Rome from the plaza one hundred and twenty mil away. They started to cry, but Rebbi Akiva was laughing. They said to him Because of why are you laughing? He said to them And you, why do you weep? They told him, these Goyim that bow down to wood and burn frankesense to the wrship of the stars are living in peace and tranquility. While us, our house - the footstool of our God is burnt in fire, and we should not cry!? He responded to them, that is why I am laughing. If this is what happens to those who transgress His will, how much so to those who fulfill His will! Another time, they were ascending to Jerusalem, .When they came to Har haTzofim, they tore their clothes. When they reached the Temple Mount, they saw a fox emerging from the place of the Holy of Holies. They started to cry, but Rabbi Akiva was laughing. The other sages said to him, Why are you laughing? He said to them, Why do you weep? They replied The place about which was written (Numbers 1,51) "and the non-Kohen that draws near shall be put to death", is now a haunt of foxes and we should not weep!? He replied That is why I laugh. It is written (Isaiah 8,2) "and I will take unto Me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Yeberechiahu." Now what was the connection between Uriah and Zechariah? Uriah was during the period of the First Temple, and Zechariah was during the period of the Second Temple. Rather, the verse was making the prophecy of Zechariah dependent on the prophecy of Uriah. Regarding Uriah, it is written, (Micah 3,12) Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed etc.". Regarding Zechariah it is written (Zechariah 8,4) "There shall yet old men and old women sit in the broad places of Jerusalem. Until the prophecy of Uriah was fulfilled, I was afraid that the prophecy of Zechariah would likewise be unfulfilled. Now that the prophecy of Uriah was fulfilled, I know that the prophecy of Zechariah will be fulfilled. In this way they answered him, Akiva, you have consoled us. Akiva, you have consoled us. We will return to you and we have acquired Tractate Makkos.