קול רם - 13:16
“והיה לאות על ידכה ולטוטפות בין עיניך, כי בחוזק יד הוציאנו ד' ממצרים” – “And it shall be a sign upon your arm, and an ornament between your eyes, for with a strong hand Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim.” In the Gemara in Meseches Menachos 37b it says regarding the Posuk, “והיה לך לאות” – that it is to be a sign for you, and not for others. We learn from this that the Tefillin Shel Yad is supposed to be covered, a sign for ourselves, and not for others to see. Rashi here on the Posuk says that one who sees the Tefillin bound between the eyes, will remember the miracle of Yetzias Mitzrayim, and speak about it. Why is it the Tefillin Shel Yad is to be covered and a sign only for the one wearing it, while the Tefillin Shel Rosh is to be uncovered, and a sign to all? The way that one can cause others to remember the miracle and speak about it is only if one has the sign by himself first. This is as Chazal Darshen in Meseches Bava Metzia 107b on the words, “התקוששו וקושו” – that one should first adorn himself and then adorn others. In order for one to have Hashpa’ah, a positive influence, on others, one must first be an אדם שלם, a complete person. One who is complete, can have a Hashpa’ah on others without even saying words of Musar. One’s proper and complete actions will cause others to learn from it, to remember and speak about the miracles of Hakodosh Boruch Hu. One who is not an אדם שלם, all of his words of Musar will go nowhere, as it will not be accepted. This is as it says in Yechezkel 24:24 “והיה יחזקאל לכם למופת ככל אשר עשה תעשו” – that from the actions of Yechezkel, from his good deeds, all will learn from them.
