The Torah tells us about such a person: Moses. When he descended from Mount Sinai after those momentous forty days and nights, he was… different.
The text says his body was bathed in invisible light, a radiant aura emanated from his face, surpassing even the sun's brilliance. Imagine the sheer awe, maybe even terror, that would inspire. The text in Exodus 34:29 tells us, "the skin of his face was radiant, since he had spoken with Him."
But where did this incredible radiance come from? The biblical commentators, as we find in Exodus Rabbah, have wrestled with this question for centuries.
Some say the radiance clung to Moses after his intimate conversation with God. Others suggest it emanated from the very cave where God shielded Moses with His hand, as it's written, "And I will shield you with My Hand" (Exod. 33:22). Rashi, citing Midrash Tanhuma, explains that God covering Moses' face with His hand was the direct cause.
Then there's the mystical perspective. Some say this light was none other than the light of the first day of creation – a primordial light that God restored to Moses on Mount Sinai, and which sustained him for the rest of his life. The Zohar, that foundational text of Jewish mysticism, identifies it as the very light of the first day, a light said to exist in the World to Come. We explored this light in more detail earlier. Interestingly, the Zohar also says that this light actually shone from Moses' face during the first three months after his birth, only to be withdrawn when the infant Moses was taken to Pharaoh's palace. It was then returned to him when he stood on Mount Sinai.
And then there's a truly fascinating, almost whimsical explanation found in Exodus Rabbah 47:6. Rabbi Yehudah bar Nachman suggests that after Moses finished writing down the Torah, a tiny drop of ink remained on his quill. He touched his forehead with it, and that's what caused his face to shine!
Whatever the source, the effect was undeniable. The light was so intense that the Israelites couldn't even approach him. Aaron and the others were afraid. So, Moses had to wear a veil. He only removed it when he met with God or taught the Torah.
Ibn Ezra notes that the light that shone from the face of Moses shone like the light of the firmament. Rabbi Hayim ben Attar, author of Or ha-Hayim, emphasizes that the light continued to shine, making Moses a permanent source of light. The fact that the veil was lifted when Moses taught Torah is particularly poignant. It suggests that in teaching Torah, he revealed unveiled truth, giving those who learned from him a glimpse of the Divine radiance.
So, what does this all mean for us? Is it just a fantastical story about a distant figure from the past? Or is there something deeper here? Perhaps the story of Moses' radiant face reminds us that encounters with the Divine – however we experience them – can transform us, leaving a lasting mark on our very being. Maybe, just maybe, by studying Torah, we too can come face to face with that divine radiance, even today.