Why the "Why Not" message hurts

As my first experience with applying to YC, I just received the Why Not (rejection) email. Above everything, after researching a lot for the past month or so on the YCombinator funding and application process, I fell in love with the aura of its community. As something YC itself didn't expect, this community is probably a golden by-product that is worth a lot more than their actual ownership in the startups they fund(1). Information on how to make money (no matter how difficult) is much better than direct access to money(2). Even though supposedly the goal of most applicants is money, I would estimate there are a lot that would just give a portion of their company as a membership fee in order to join the YC process and community. I am not surprised with my reaction to the "rejection" as funding was of secondary importance to me, and that's why it hurts. I do not wan't to join or create another YC reject group, I wan't YC to keep doing what they're doing and try again. You can find the equivalent money anywhere, but you cannot find the equivalent YC aura. (1) just how I feel - its hard to make this estimation on paper. (2) this goes for those who admire the YC process more than the monetary funding they receive.