Our ancestors certainly did. And in Devarim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Deuteronomy, we find a beautiful explanation of why Moses chose the stars as a metaphor for the Jewish people.

"The Lord your God has multiplied you," Moses says in Deuteronomy 1:10, "and, behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance." But why stars? Why not something else?

The answer, according to Devarim Rabbah, is multi-layered. Just as among the stars, there are levels upon levels – faint pinpricks of light alongside blazing giants – so too are there different levels among Israel. We have our Kohanim (priests), our Levi’im (Levites), and the Israelites themselves, each with their unique roles and responsibilities.

And it doesn't stop there. Just as the stars are uncountable, beyond our ability to truly grasp their number, so too is the potential of the Jewish people. We are a people whose impact cannot be easily measured or quantified.

Furthermore, Devarim Rabbah says that just as the stars shine their light from one end of the world to the other, so too does Israel exert influence across the globe.

But here's where it gets really interesting. Moses himself questions God! He asks, "Master of the universe, why didn’t you liken them to the sun and the moon, which are so much bigger and brighter than the stars?"

God’s answer is profound. "The sun and the moon will have shame in the future." What does that mean? We find the answer in Isaiah 24:23: "The moon will be disgraced and the sun will be ashamed, for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem." The sun and moon, symbols of earthly power and constancy, will eventually fade in comparison to God's glory.

But the stars? They will never have shame. As it says in Joel 2:27, "You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and I am the Lord your God, and there is no other, and My people will nevermore be ashamed."

So, what's the takeaway? The stars, unlike the sun and moon, represent an enduring light, a constant presence. They are a symbol of hope and resilience that will never fade. They are a reminder that even the smallest light can shine brightly in the darkness, a promise that the Jewish people, like the stars, will endure.

Think about that the next time you look up at the night sky. We are all connected, just like the stars, each of us playing a part in the grand tapestry of the universe. And our light, no matter how small it may seem, is essential.