Jewish legend has a beautiful answer.
The story goes that after Moses finished writing the Torah, he wiped his pen on his forehead. Now, this wasn't just any ink. This was heavenly ink, imbued with the divine light of the Torah itself! And, according to legend, this ink clung to his forehead, becoming the very source of the radiant beams that shone forth from him.
Isn't that a stunning image? It's a powerful symbol of how deeply connected Moses was to the divine word. It also fulfills God's promise to Moses: "Before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation" (Exodus 34:10).
But there’s more to the story. When Moses returned from heaven with his face shining, the people were, understandably, amazed. But their amazement was mixed with fear. Why fear?
Legends of the Jews explains that this fear was a consequence of their sin with the Golden Calf. Before that transgression, they could bear the sight of "the glory of the Lord that was like devouring fire" (Exodus 24:17) without fear. In fact, Midrash Rabbah describes this glory as consisting of seven layers of fire!
But after their transgression, they couldn’t even look upon the face of Moses, the very man who mediated between them and God. Think about that: their sin had created a barrier, a distance between them and the divine. They were no longer worthy to look upon the face of God.
Ultimately, Moses calmed their fears and immediately began teaching them the Torah he had received. He didn’t let their fear paralyze them. He gave them the tools to repair their relationship with God.
So, what can we take away from this legend? Perhaps it's a reminder of the power and responsibility that comes with closeness to the divine. Or maybe it's a message of hope – even after transgression, a path to reconciliation remains open. The light of the Torah, even when reflected in the face of a man, can illuminate the way.