SAN DIEGO — Like it or not, the times we are living in dictate that the average person wear masks. While some love them, and some hate them, we are stuck with them for now. The notion of covering one’s face has more than just medical implications. Biblically, there are a whole host of meanings tied to both covering and exposing one’s face. What are those exactly?
In terms of covering one’s face, that can be due to anything from fear to hiding glory. When Moses encounters the burning bush and the mighty voice of G-d, he is initially afraid to look at G-d.
“Then He said, ‘I am the G-d of your father, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac and the G-d of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at G-d” (from Exodus 3).
This sentiment is repeated later in Exodus when G-d Himself says that no man shall see His face and live.
“Moses said, ‘Please show me Your glory.’ And He said, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you My Name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,’ He said, ‘you cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.’ And the LORD said, ‘Behold, there is a place by Me where you shall stand on the rock, and while My glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen” (from Exodus 33)
Yet, when we go all the way to the start of the Torah in Genesis, there are accounts of the patriarchs seeing G-d and surviving. So what is going on? Can man see G-d’s face or not? Does the word “face” have different meanings in different contexts? Does the word “face” mean something different, something metaphorical?
“Jacob named the place Peniel (literally ‘face of G-d’), for he said, ‘I have seen G-d face to face, yet my life has been spared’” (from Genesis 32).
One might surmise that when Moses spoke to G-d “face to face,” he did so with a covering on his own face. However, the next chapter paints a different story. In an fascinating turn of events, Moses goes from covering his own face around G-d to instead covering his face around his fellow man instead. Apparently, Moses’ face shone with a brightness that frightened others. Was this a radiance that physically hurt one’s eyes—similar to one looking directly into the sun?
“When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the LORD. So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called out to them and asked Aaron and all the leaders of the community to come over, and he talked with them. Then all the people of Israel approached him, and Moses gave them all the instructions the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking with them, he covered his face with a veil. But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the LORD had given him, and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face. So he would put the veil over his face until he returned to speak with the LORD” (from Exodus 34).
Fast forward in the Torah to Numbers and things take a whole another turn. First Moses was scared to look at G-d. Then the people were scared to look at Moses [who looked at G-d]. Then the priests are instructed to bless the people of Israel with a request that G-d smile on His people. While often translated as “smile,” the Hebrew is literally along the lines of “make His face shine upon you.” So people go from hiding from G-d’s face to wanting His face to shine upon them?
“May the LORD bless you and protect you.
May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace” (from Numbers 6).
The idea that having G-d’s face shine upon someone or “smile” on them is later noted as something desirable. So much so that the psalmists beg G-d to not hideHis face from them.
“My heart says of You, ‘Seek His face!’ Your face, LORD, I will seek” (from Psalm 27).
“Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress!” (from Psalm 102)
“Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes” (from Psalm 119).
While Jews know that G-d is neither a man nor a son of man (see Numbers 23), the allusions to His face cannot go unnoticed. Perhaps G-d doesn’t have a literal face. Perhaps the idea that people “die” after seeing G-d is similar to the idea that Adam and Eve would “die” after eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden Eden (we know they didn’t immediately drop dead). Maybe something deep inside of us changes when we see G-d. Maybe we die a little spiritual death to ourselves in order to become newer, better, holier versions of ourselves. Perhaps we lose our hearts of stone and get them replaced with hearts of flesh (see Ezekiel 36). Is it possible that we all can look upon G-d’s “face” but are too afraid to? Too afraid of what we might see in the “eyes” of G-d reflecting back at us? Even the mighty prophet Elijah hid his face from G-d.
“And G-d said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave” (from 1 Kings 19).
Maybe, just maybe, if we have the courage to look at G-d, we will find more love than the judgment we expect.
“I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die” (from Esther 4).
“On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace. The king was sitting on his royal throne. When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter. Then the king asked her, ‘What do you want? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!’” (from Esther 5).
“Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (from Exodus 33).
Whenever you do take your mask off, show someone your smile. They’ll be glad you did. 🙂
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Teresa Konopka is a freelance writer based in San Diego.