It starts with the verse "This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2), which marks the beginning of the Hebrew month of Nissan, the month of Passover, the month of our freedom. But the Rabbis see so much more in those few words.
Imagine a king, they say. He's betrothed to a woman and gives her a modest marriage contract – a ketubah – just the basics, enough to seal the deal. But when the wedding day arrives? He showers her with gifts, a bounty beyond anything she could have imagined.
This, the Rabbis suggest, is like our relationship with God. Right now, we're in a state of betrothal. The prophet Hosea (2:21) even says, "I will betroth you to Me forever." We have a connection, a promise. And what's the initial gift? Well, according to Shemot Rabbah, it's symbolized by the moon: “This month shall be for you.” The moon, beautiful as it is, is but a reflection of a greater light. It’s a taste of something more.
But hold on, because the story doesn’t end there.
The real wedding, the ultimate union, is yet to come. It will happen in the days of the Messiah, when, as Isaiah (54:5) proclaims, "For your Husband is your Maker." Think about that for a moment. The connection we have now, this "betrothal," is just a prelude to an unimaginable closeness with the Divine.
And what will that wedding be like? What gifts await us then? Daniel (12:3) offers a breathtaking image: "The wise will shine like the brightness of the sky; and those who lead the many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” Not just a dim reflection, like the moon, but the full, radiant glory of the heavens.
What does this all mean? Maybe it's about perspective. Maybe it's about recognizing that the world we see, with all its challenges and limitations, isn’t the final word. It’s a stage, a preparation. We're in a period of anticipation, of building, of striving to become worthy of the ultimate union.
So, the next time you look up at the moon, remember this story. Remember that it’s a beautiful gift, but it’s also a promise. A promise of a future where the light shines brighter, where our connection to the Divine is deeper, and where the wedding feast is beyond anything we can imagine. The best is yet to come.