Shmuel I 20:18–42

This Shabbos, Parshat Bereishit and the haftorah of Machar Chodesh bring us two pairs who face a question of how to share the same space: the sun and the moon, and David and Yonatan.

In Bereishit, the Torah tells us that Hashem created “the two great luminaries,” yet calls one the greater light and the other the lesser light. The Gemara explains that they were originally equal. When the moon asked, “Can two kings wear one crown?” Hashem told the moon to diminish itself.

The moon’s question speaks to a challenge we know well. When two people each have something meaningful to contribute, how do they make room for one another? In families, friendships, and communities, we may wonder whether another person’s success leaves less space for our own.

That question stands at the heart of this week’s haftorah, Machar Chodesh. Yonatan, Shaul’s son, is heir to his father’s throne. David’s rise threatens the future Yonatan might have expected for himself. Shaul sees David as a rival and cannot understand why Yonatan protects him. Yet Yonatan remains loyal to David, warning him of the danger he faces and affirming their enduring bond.

Yonatan’s friendship is remarkable precisely because he understands what is at stake. He does not need to deny David’s gifts in order to recognize his own worth. He makes room for David even when doing so costs him something precious. Pirkei Avos holds up their friendship as the greatest example of ahavah she’einah teluyah bedavar, a love that does not depend on personal gain.

On the eve of Rosh Chodesh, the moon is barely visible, yet we know it will shine again. Its changing light reminds us that making room for another person does not mean that our own light is lost. Yonatan shows us what this can look like in a relationship: supporting someone else without measuring every step against the place we had hoped to hold.

As we begin the Torah anew, Bereishit invites us to consider the world Hashem created. Machar Chodesh asks us to consider the world we create between one person and another. Where might we listen more generously, share the stage more readily, or celebrate another person’s light? Making room for someone else may allow both of us to shine.