Why the Stars Escort the Moon and the Reward of Smallness

"And the stars" - a parable of a king who had two governors, one ruling the city and one ruling the province. The king said: Since this one made himself small, to rule only the city, I decree concerning him that when he goes out, the council and the populace shall go out with him, and when he comes in, the council and the populace shall come in with him. So said the Holy One, blessed be He: Since the moon made herself small, to rule by night, I decree concerning her that when she goes out the stars shall go out with her, and when she comes in the stars shall come in with her. And like this: "and the name of his brother was Joktan" (Genesis 10:25), for he made himself and his affairs small [maktin]. And if the small one, who made his affairs small, merited to establish thirteen families, the great one who makes his affairs small, how much more so. And like this: "And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger" (Genesis 48:14). But do we not know from the genealogy that he was the younger? Rather, he made his affairs small [matzir], and therefore he merited the birthright.