We are honored to present to our esteemed, royal audience a fascinating interpretation of the statement in the Midrash that Rabbi Akiva was privileged to attain that which Moshe Rabeinu did not attain. The Yismach Moshe (Vayechi) cites the commentary of the Yoel Moshe on the Rama of Pano’s Asarah Ma’amaros regarding what they expounded in the Gemara (Berachos 7a) on the remark HKB”H makes to Moshe Rabeinu (Shemos 33, 23): אמר אמר רב חנא בר ביזנא "וראית את אחורי, רבי שמעון חסידא, מלמד שהראה הקב"ה למשה קשר של תפילין." “And you will see My back”: Rav Chana bar Bizna says that Rabbi Shimon Chasida says: This teaches that the HKB”H showed Moshe the knot of the tefillin (shel rosh).
Accordingly, the Yoel Moshe says that while Moshe Rabeinu only perceived the knot of the tefillin, Rabbi Akiva was privileged to perceive the actual tefillin shel rosh. Now, we find the following exposition in the Gemara (Megillah 16b) related to the passuk (Esther 8, 16): ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר, ויקר אלו תפילין—“the Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor,” and honor (יקר) refers to tefillin. This then is the interpretation of the Midrash: Things that were not revealed to Moshe were revealed to Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues. וכל יקר ראתה עינו refers to Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues. This teaches us that Rabbi Akiva was privileged to perceive even the tefillin shel rosh referred to as יקר.
We will now combine the two interpretations of the Midrash. The kabbalists taught us that Rabbi Akiva was privileged to attain the Sha’ar Hanun, which Moshe Rabeinu did not attain. The Yoel Moshe asserts that Rabbi Akiva was privileged to perceive the entire tefillin shel rosh, whereas Moshe only perceived its knot. We can posit that the knot of the tefillin represents the forty-nine levels of tumah, whereas the actual tefillin shel rosh represents the Sha’ar HaNun.
This explanation includes both teachings about Rabbi Akiva derived from the words: וכל יקר ראתה עינו. The words וכל יקר allude to the fact that he attained the Sha’ar HaNun—since the gematria of the word כל equals fifty—and that he perceived the tefillin shel rosh, which is called יקר.
The Yismach Moshe explains beautifully and in great depth the fact that Rabbi Akiva was privileged to perceive the actual tefillin itself, while Moshe Rabeinu only perceived its knot. This is clearly a divine enigma. Notwithstanding, I will make my own feeble attempt to shed some light on the matter based on several introductions from our sacred scholars and sefarim.
