The Secret of the Diminishing Moon: How Salvation Grows from the Darkness of the Mind

Lesson No. 4 | *Sunday, Parshas Emor, 1st of Iyar 5755 *Monday, Parshas Emor, 1st of Iyar 5755

The article explains the spiritual essence of Rosh Chodesh (the New Moon) and the diminishing of the moon as a metaphor for states of 'katnus' (spiritual smallness or constriction) in a person's life. The Rav teaches that specifically through the withdrawal of intellect and desire, by crying out and weeping to Hashem, a person builds new and immense vessels capable of containing the Ohr Ein Sof (Infinite Light).

During Rosh Chodesh, when the moon is at its absolute point of diminishing, we touch upon a deep secret that accompanies the service of Hashem of every Jew. Sometimes, specifically when the sun does not shine and the moon is reduced to a thin point, the 'Sod Ha'ibur' (Secret of the Conception/Intercalation) is revealed. This is the state where a person feels in the greatest entanglement—he experiences a descent, a histalkus hamochin (withdrawal of the intellect), and a feeling that his mind has completely vanished from him.

However, we must know that specifically in those moments of darkness, a person completes the intention of creation. When the intellect withdraws and the heart becomes blocked, and all that remains for a person is to cry out and weep to Hashem Yitbarach, he creates new vessels with his own hands. These cries, which burst forth from within the diminishing and the concealment, are what ultimately illuminate the entire creation.

The Secret of the Conception and the Withdrawal of the Intellect

Many experience this reality at turning points in life, such as after a wedding. A young man who was a master of intellect and attainment suddenly feels that everything has vanished. He has no desire to learn, no will to pray, and he stands at a loss. Why does Hashem do this? So that the person will accustom himself to crying out. So that he will know that even when he has no intellect and no 'light,' he does not abandon the battle.

This is a fearsome secret that was entrusted only to the Sanhedrin (the supreme rabbinic court): specifically when one reaches the ultimate point of diminishing, that is the moment when the greatest salvation will grow. Hashem closes the person's intellect and takes away his will in order to build for him entirely new 'mochin' (intellect/consciousness).

"And this is the Sod Ha'ibur, specifically a secret... how is it possible that specifically from the ultimate diminishing, the absolute end of diminishing, specifically from there the salvation will grow?"

Building Vessels for the Ohr Ein Sof

Reb Noson explains that the purpose of all these 'diminishings' and falls is to prepare us for the light of the future to come. The Ohr Ein Sof (Infinite Light) is so powerful that if it were revealed all at once, it would 'burn' the world. In order for us to receive this light without being nullified from existence, we must undergo a process of tzimtzum (contraction) and katnus (smallness).

When a person feels he has no brain and no heart, he becomes like 'kelim avim' (thick/coarse vessels). These are immense vessels that can contain the highest spiritual temperatures. The moon diminished so that it could eventually rise to the Infinite, and attain a light that is even higher than the light of the sun.

The great test is not to fall into despair. Even if the mind withdraws, do not seek other occupations. Do not say 'I am not learning so I will go for a walk.' Instead, sit with the book, weep, and cry out 'Master of the Universe, return my intellect to me!'. One who insists on remaining within holiness even when it is dark for him will ultimately merit an attainment greater than all those of his generation.

Self-Sacrifice for Prayer in a Minyan

Prayer is the central vessel for raising the moon. On Rosh Chodesh, we lengthen our prayer to rise above the sun, beyond the limitations of nature. A person who wants to merit this light must accustom himself to mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) for every prayer and for every holy custom.

It is told of Chassidim and men of action who would spend a fortune just to merit praying in a minyan (quorum of ten) or to hear Parshas Zachor (the special Torah reading regarding Amalek) with excellence. One traveled in a special taxi to the Hebron Yeshiva just so as not to miss Ma'ariv (evening prayer) with the yeshiva's minyan, and another paid hundreds of dollars to reach a place where there was a proper Haredi minyan.

"Prayer is a vessel for the Ohr Ein Sof. Prayer is the moon; we must raise the moon up to the Ohr Ein Sof."

The message for us is clear: do not be less than a 'Litvak' (Lithuanian-style scholar) in your diligence. If you want to be a true Breslov Chassid, you must add to your study and prayer, not subtract from them. If another learns 16 hours, you should learn 17. Do not use the concept of 'bitul' (nullification) to be idle from the service of Hashem, but rather to nullify your ego before the Creator.

The Modesty within the Secret of Diminishing

Reb Noson connects the diminishing of the moon to the attribute of tzniut (modesty). The moon asked Hashem to diminish her so that she could serve Him 'from herself,' out of choice and effort, and not as a force that is operated only from Above.

When a person is in darkness, he operates in the aspect of 'walking humbly' (hatzne'a leches). No one sees his struggle, no one understands how hard it is for him to open the book or to focus in prayer. But specifically this work, done in secret and in contraction, is the most beautiful and important before Hashem.

Therefore, when Rosh Chodesh arrives and the moon disappears, we do not become weak. On the contrary, we increase our prayers, our cries, and the saying of Hallel (psalms of praise). We prove to Hashem that even at the peak of contraction, we do not abandon Him. Aside from the Torah and prayer, we have nothing in this world, and everything else is a passing imagination. Through this stubbornness, we create the vessels that will allow us to merit the great light of the Geulah Sheleimah (Complete Redemption).

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