There were some “enlightened” people who claimed that the moon contained life like that on earth (cf. Sefer HaBrit 3:4). They said they could see trees and other terrestrial creatures on the moon. The Rebbe ridiculed this greatly, saying it is absolute foolishness.
The moon is like a mirror. The things people claim to see on the moon are actually reflections of things here on earth. These “intellectuals” therefore open their mouths in vanity (Job 35:16).
וְהִתְלוֹצֵץ מְאֹד מֵהַמְחַקְּרִים, שֶׁאוֹמְרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּהַלְּבָנָה יִשּׁוּב כְּמוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת. עַל שֶׁרוֹאִין שָׁם בְּתוֹכָהּ כְּמוֹ אִילָנוֹת וּשְׁאָר בְּרוּאִים שֶׁבְּזוֹ הָאָרֶץ, וְהָיָה מִתְלוֹצֵץ מִזֶּה, וְאָמַר שֶׁהוּא שְׁטוּת גָּדוֹל.
There were some “enlightened” people who claimed that the moon contained life like that on earth (cf. Sefer HaBrit 3:4). They said they could see trees and other terrestrial creatures on the moon. The Rebbe ridiculed this greatly, saying it is absolute foolishness.
כִּי הַלְּבָנָה הוּא כְּמוֹ אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא שֶׁכָּל דָּבָר שֶׁעוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדּוֹ נִרְאֶה בְּתוֹכוֹ. וְעַל כֵּן נִרְאֶה בְּתוֹךְ הַלְּבָנָה דְּבָרִים שֶׁבְּזֹאת הָאָרֶץ, אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת אֵין שָׁם דָּבָר מֵאֵלּוּ הַבְּרוּאִים, וְהֶבֶל יִפְצֶה פִּיהֶם שֶׁל הַמְחַקְּרִים.
The moon is like a mirror. The things people claim to see on the moon are actually reflections of things here on earth. These “intellectuals” therefore open their mouths in vanity (Job 35:16).