The twilight of human life brings a profound and melancholy fading of vitality. As youth slips away, the inevitable onset of old age and the approach of death cast a shadow over the human experience. The primary approach among commentators views this decline through the psychological and physical suffering of the elderly. As vision weakens and pain increases, the world seems to plunge into darkness. It is as though the celestial bodies, including the sun, the dawn's early light, the moon, and the stars, have all lost their brilliance, leaving the individual in perceived obscurity [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This dimming effect is so severe that even the artificial glow of a candle appears dark to failing eyes [רלב״ג]. The relentless nature of this decline is likened to clouds returning immediately after a heavy rain. Just as a brief break in the weather is quickly swallowed by returning storm clouds, a sick individual might experience a fleeting moment of relief before weakness completely overtakes them again, ultimately leading to the final dimming of the world in the moments of death [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא].
Beyond the subjective experience of illness, this imagery serves as a precise anatomical map of the aging human face and body. In youth, the forehead radiates with vitality, but with age, it becomes etched with wrinkles and loses its former glory. The nose, which gives the face its defining shape, grows sharp and elongated over time. The glowing light of the eyes, illuminated by the soul, begins to wane, and the once-full cheeks and jaws sink inward, appearing hollow [רש״י, תורה תמימה, צאינה וראינה]. The lingering clouds following the rain symbolize the cloudy, dimmed vision caused by a lifetime of weeping over earthly troubles. Furthermore, it reflects the physical vulnerabilities of old age, such as the loss of bodily control and the involuntary tears that flow from sheer weakness.
On a more philosophical and spiritual level, the fading celestial bodies represent the inevitable stages of the human lifespan. Life begins with the upward trajectory of youth and growth, peaking in the brilliant midday light of adulthood. This is eventually followed by the onset of decline, culminating in the faint, distant glimmer of extreme old age. The final moments of life are understood as a gradual separation of the soul from the physical form. The highest level of the soul departs first, followed by the lower life force, until only the physical limbs remain. At the very end of this process, the body is left completely depleted of its natural fluids and vitality, much like clouds that have emptied all their rain and remain dry and hollow in the sky [תעלומות חכמה, חומת אנך].
Finally, these poignant metaphors extend beyond the individual to capture a profound national and historical tragedy, specifically the destruction of the Temple. In this broader context, the extinguishing of the great lights represents the collapse of the Davidic monarchy and the dimming of the Torah's influence. It also reflects the loss of the Sanhedrin, the high court that traditionally sat in a semicircle resembling a half moon, and the scattering of Torah scholars. The fierce, pouring rain symbolizes the catastrophic destruction itself, while the stubborn clouds that return afterward represent the lingering, unyielding suffering and hardships that plagued the Israelites in the long, dark aftermath of their exile [תורה תמימה].