The Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of Midrashic teachings on the entire Hebrew Bible, offers us a glimpse into that world. In section 786, commenting on the Torah, we find a beautiful analogy: "Just as sheep do not gather treasures, only the shepherd in the wilderness, so too, Israel lived for forty years without gathering treasures." Think about that. For forty years, the Israelites wandered, their focus not on material wealth, but on something far greater – their relationship with God and the forging of their national identity. It’s a powerful image, isn’t it? A people wholly reliant on divine providence, like sheep guided by their shepherd.
But the Yalkut Shimoni doesn't stop there. It continues, "Just as in a place where the shepherd leads, the flock follows, so too, Israel would travel to any place that Moses and Aaron guided them." Imagine the unwavering trust required to follow leaders into the unknown, across the harsh desert landscape. Moses, we are told, even hinted at this journey when he wrote, "And they journeyed from Raamses in the first month" (Exodus 12:2). The Yalkut Shimoni points out that the numerical value of the word "and they journeyed" is 318, an allusion to the long and arduous journey ahead.
And then we shift our gaze to the celestial. "He made the moon for festivals; the sun knows its setting" (Psalm 104:19). Rabbi Yochanan, a prominent sage of the Talmudic period, weighs in, stating, "The sun was created only to illuminate during the day." So, if that’s the sun’s primary purpose, what about the moon? The Yalkut Shimoni answers: "To sanctify the beginnings of months and years."
The Jewish calendar, as you likely know, is lunisolar – meaning it's based on both the cycles of the moon and the sun. This creates a beautiful dance between the celestial bodies, with the moon governing our months and festivals, and the sun anchoring us to the seasons.
Rabbi Shila of Kfar Tamarta, citing Rabbi Yochanan, adds a layer of nuance: "Even though the sun knows its setting, we learn from here that we do not count the moon unless the sun has set." This seemingly simple statement has profound implications for how we determine the start of a new month.
To further illustrate this point, Yusta Haverya, quoting Rabbi Berachya, brings us back to the Exodus: "And they journeyed from Raamses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the month." (Numbers 33:3). He observes, "If you count the moon until that point, there are only fourteen (heard or measured)." The conclusion? “From here we learn that we do not count the moon unless the sun has set.” In other words, our lunar calculations begin with the setting of the sun, a crucial detail for establishing the Jewish calendar and observing our festivals at the right time.
So, what does all this tell us? The Yalkut Shimoni, through these seemingly disparate observations about sheep, shepherds, the sun, and the moon, paints a picture of a people deeply connected to their environment and to their God. It reminds us that even the smallest details – like when we begin to count the moon – can have profound spiritual significance. And it encourages us to see the divine hand at work in every aspect of creation, from the vast expanse of the desert to the gentle glow of the moon. It’s a powerful message, isn't it? One that resonates even today.