The moon shines only when the sun sets

Synopsis

We are told that God told Moses he could not enter the promised land because he was the sun, and the sun and the moon could not stand together since the moon would not shine while the sun was present. God suggested that Moses send men to spy out the land if he wanted to know about it. Moses was shown the land from Mount Avarim and he was also shown all the leaders who would arise in every successive generation. Finally we are told that Moses asked his spies to find out whether there was a tree in the land, for he wanted to see if it contained the Tree of Life.

Astrology Moon Moses Sun Zeir Anpin

8. Come and see, Moses was THE ASPECT OF the sun, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and he wished to enter the land of Yisrael. The Holy One, blessed be He, told him, 'Moses, when the sunlight arrives, the moon, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is included in it AND HER QUALITY IS INVISIBLE. Now, you are the sun, AND IF YOU ENTER THE LAND WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE MOON, MEANING MALCHUT, how can the sun and the moon stand together if the moon shines only when the sun is gathered in? However, now you cannot ENTER THE LAND, and if you wish to know about it, "send you men" (Bemidbar 13:1), MEANING for your sake, so that you shall know.'

8. ת"ח, מֹשֶׁה הֲוָה שִׁמְשָׁא, וּבָעָא לְאַעְלָאָה לְאַרְעָא. אָ"ל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מֹשֶׁה, כַּד אָתֵי נְהוֹרָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, אִתְכְּלִיל סִיהֲרָא בְּגַוֵּויהּ, הַשְׁתָּא דְּאַנְתְּ שִׁמְשָׁא, הֵיךְ יְקוּמוּן כַּחֲדָא שִׁמְשָׁא וְסִיהֲרָא, לָא נָהִיר סִיהֲרָא אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְכְּנִישׁ שִׁמְשָׁא, אֲבָל הַשְׁתָּא לֵית אַנְּתְּ יָכִיל. אִי תִּבְעֵי לְמִנְדַּע מִנָּהּ שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים, לְגַרְמָךְ, בְּגִין לְמִנְדַּע.

Abarim Moses Spies Zeir Anpin

9. Come and see: If you think Moses did not know at that time that he would not enter the land of Yisrael, it is not so. He most certainly knew and he wished to know about it before he departed; therefore, he sent spies. Since they did not report to him properly, he did not send more until the Holy One, blessed be He, showed IT to him, as it is written: "Go up into this mount Avarim...and behold the land" (Devarim 32:49), and: "And Hashem showed him all the land" (Devarim 34:1). Not only WAS HE SHOWN this, but Moses was shown all those LEADERS who were destined to arise in each successive generation, as we have learned. This was already explained by the friends.

9. ת"ח, מֹשֶׁה, אִי תֵּימָא דְּהוּא לָא יָדַע דְּלָא יֵיעוּל לְאַרְעָא בְּזִמְנָא דָּא. לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא יָדַע, וַהֲוָה בָּעֵי לְמִנְדַּע מִנָּהּ, עַד לָא יִסְתָּלַק, וְשִׁלַּח לְאִלֵּין מְאַלְלֵי, כֵּיוָן דְּלָא אָתִיבוּ מִלָּה כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת, לָא שָׁלַח זִמְנָא אַחֲרָא, עַד דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְזֵי לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִּיב עֲלֵה אֶל הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה וּרְאֵה אֶת הָאָרֶץ. וּכְתִיב וַיַּרְאֵהוּ יְיָ' אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ. וְלָא דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, אֶלָּא כָּל אִינּוּן דִּזְמִינִין לְמֵיקָם בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא, כֻּלְּהוּ אַחְזֵי לֵיהּ לְמֹשֶׁה. וְאִתְּמַר, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא.

Garden of Eden Moses Spies Tree Tree of Life Zeir Anpin

10. As soon as Moses began to send out the spies, what did he say to them? "Whether there is a tree in it" (Bemidbar 13:20). What is the reason that he said this? Do you think that he did not know IF THERE WAS A TREE THERE? However, this is what Moses said: If "there is a tree in it," I know that I will enter the land. What tree? That is the Tree of Life. It was not there, but rather in the terrestrial Garden of Eden. MOSES said to himself: If that tree is in it, I will enter there and if not, I cannot enter.

10. כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁארִי מֹשֶׁה לְמִשְׁלַח, מַה אָמַר לוֹן. הֲיֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ. וְכִי מַה הוּא דְּקָאָמַר, וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּלָא יָדַע. אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, אִם יֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ, הָא יְדַעְנָא דַּאֲנָא אִיעוּל לְתַמָן. מַאי עֵץ. דָּא אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי. וְתַמָּן לָא הֲוָה אֶלָּא בג"ע דְּאַרְעָא. אָמַר אִם יֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ דָּא, אֲנָא אִיעוּל לְתַמָן. וְאִי לָא, לָאו אֲנָא יָכִיל לְמֵיעַל.