JUDAH, THEE SHALL THY BRETHEN PRAISE, THY HAND SHALL BE ON THE NECK OF THY ENEMIES R. Jose discoursed here on the verse: He made the moon for seasons (Ps. 104, 19). ‘God’, he said, ‘made the moon for us to sanctify by it new moons and new years. Now the moon never shines except from the reflection of the sun, and when the sun is aloft the moon does not appear, but only when the sun is gathered in does the moon rule the heavens, and the moon is of no account save when the sun is gathered in.
God made both of them to give light and also “for signs”, to wit, Sabbaths, “and for seasons”, to wit, festivals, “and for days”, to wit, new moons, “and for years”, to wit, New Year days, so that the Gentiles should reckon by the sun and Israel by the moon.
This accords with R. Eleazar’s exposition of the verse: “Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy” (Is. 9, 2), where he refers “nation” to Israel and “it” to the moon, which gained accession of light for the sake of Israel. Which are superior, Israel or the Gentiles? Assuredly, the moon is highest, and the sun of the Gentiles is under this moon, and this sun derives light from this moon. See, then, the difference between Israel and the nations. Israel cling to the moon and are linked with the supernal sun, and are attached to the place which gives light to the supernal sun, as it is written: “But ye who cleave to the Lord, are alive every one of you this day” (Deut. 4, 4.’
יְהוּדָה אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אוֹיְבֶיךָ וְגו'. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח, (תהילים ק״ד:י״ט) עָשָׂה יָרֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִים וְגו'. עָשָׂה יָרֵחַ בְּגִין לְקַדְּשָׁא בֵּיהּ רֵישׁ יַרְחִין, וְרֵישׁ שַׁתִּין. וּלְעָלְמִין סִיהֲרָא לָא נָהִיר אֶלָּא מִשִּׁמְשָׁא, וְכַד שִׁמְשָׁא שַׁלִּיט, סִיהֲרָא לָא שָׁלְטָא. כַּד אִתְכְּנִישׁ שִׁמְשָׁא, כְּדֵין סִיהֲרָא שָׁלְטָא, וְלֵית חוּשְׁבַּן לְסִיהֲרָא אֶלָּא כַּד אִתְכְּנִישׁ שִׁמְשָׁא.
JUDAH, THEE SHALL THY BRETHEN PRAISE, THY HAND SHALL BE ON THE NECK OF THY ENEMIES R. Jose discoursed here on the verse: He made the moon for seasons (Ps. 104, 19). ‘God’, he said, ‘made the moon for us to sanctify by it new moons and new years. Now the moon never shines except from the reflection of the sun, and when the sun is aloft the moon does not appear, but only when the sun is gathered in does the moon rule the heavens, and the moon is of no account save when the sun is gathered in.
וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַנְהָרָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית א׳:י״ז) וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ וְגו'. וְהָיוּ לְאוֹתוֹת, אִלֵּין שַׁבָּתוֹת, דִּכְתִיב, (שמות ל״א:י״ג) כִּי אוֹת הִיא. וּלְמוֹעֲדִים, אִינוּן יוֹמִין טָבִין. וּלְיָמִים, אִלֵּין רֵישֵׁי יַרְחִין. וּלְשָׁנִים, אִלֵּין רִישֵׁי שְׁנִין. דְּלֶהווֹן אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם עָבְדִין חֻשְׁבַּן לְשִׁמְשָׁא, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְסִיהֲרָא.
God made both of them to give light and also “for signs”, to wit, Sabbaths, “and for seasons”, to wit, festivals, “and for days”, to wit, new moons, “and for years”, to wit, New Year days, so that the Gentiles should reckon by the sun and Israel by the moon.
וְאָזְלָא הָא, כִּי הָא דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו ט׳:ב׳) הִרְבִּיתָ הַגּוֹי לוֹ הִגְדַּלְתָּ הַשִּׂמְחָה. הִרְבִּיתָ הַגּוֹי, אִלֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ (דברים ד׳:ז׳) כִּי מִי גּוֹי גָדוֹל. וּכְתִיב, (דברי הימים א י״ז:כ״א) גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ. לוֹ, בְּגִינֵיהּ. הִגְדַּלְתָּ הַשִּׂמְחָה (ממש), דָּא סִיהֲרָא, דְּאִתְרְבִיאַת בִּנְהוֹרָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לְשִׁמְשָׁא, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְסִיהֲרָא, הֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ עָדִיף. וַדַּאי סִיהֲרָא לְעֵילָא, וְשִׁמְשָׁא דְּאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, תְּחוֹת הַאי סִיהֲרָא הוּא, וְהַהוּא שִׁמְשָׁא מֵהַאי (ס"א סטרא) סִיהֲרָא נָהִיר. חָמֵי מַה בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְהוּ. יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲחִידוּ בְּסִיהֲרָא, וְאִשְׁתַּלְּשְׁלוּ בְּשִׁמְשָׁא עִלָּאָה, וְאִתְאַחֲדוּ בְּאֲתַר (ביה) (ס"א דנהיר לשמשא) דִּנְהִירָא מְשַׁמְּשָׁא עִלָּאָה, וּמִתְדַּבְּקָן בֵּיהּ, דִּכְתִיב, (דברים ד׳:ד׳) וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיְיָ אֱלהֵיכֶם חַיִּים כֻּלְּכֶם הַיּוֹם.
This accords with R. Eleazar’s exposition of the verse: “Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy” (Is. 9, 2), where he refers “nation” to Israel and “it” to the moon, which gained accession of light for the sake of Israel. Which are superior, Israel or the Gentiles? Assuredly, the moon is highest, and the sun of the Gentiles is under this moon, and this sun derives light from this moon. See, then, the difference between Israel and the nations. Israel cling to the moon and are linked with the supernal sun, and are attached to the place which gives light to the supernal sun, as it is written: “But ye who cleave to the Lord, are alive every one of you this day” (Deut. 4, 4.’