Returning to the fascinating insight of the Kol Aryeh, we will now try to understand the connection between “the knot of the tefillin” and Hashem’s remark to Moshe: “You will see My back”—which we have learned means that only after a deed has been done will a person be able to scrutinize it retroactively and realize that it was done entirely for one’s good.
Here is the explanation. If we examine the tefillin shel rosh, we find that it is a single, central structure. This represents the fact that the way everything is controlled and managed in Olam HaZeh—whether it appears to us to reflect midas hachesed, from the right, or midas hadin, from the left—they are one and the same at their heavenly source—i.e., everything is total “rachamim” (divine mercy and compassion).
When this divine management descends to Olam HaZeh, it splits into two manifestations—midas hachesed and midas hadin. This division is symbolized by the two straps that exit the central housing of the tefillin shel rosh—the one going to the right symbolizes midas hachesed and the one going to the left symbolizes midas hadin. For, to our material eyes, it appears that there is an enormous difference between midas hachesed and midas hadin.
In the back of the head, however, the two straps are united and tied together into a knot. This indicates that ultimately, in the end of days, these two manifestations of divine supervision will be united. It will become apparent to all human beings that everything HKB”H did for us in galus was total chesed without any din, at all. This is the implication of: וראית את אחורי ופני לא יראו. We will ultimately be able to comprehend retroactively that even what appeared to us to be a manifestation of midas hadin actually emanated from the source of chesed and rachamim—everything was an expression of divine benevolence.
We can now truly appreciate the exposition of Chazal: וראית את אחורי, מלמד שהראה הקב"ה למשה קשר של תפילין. HKB”H demonstrated to Moshe this fascinating phenomenon—“you will see My back”—by showing him the knot of the tefillin shel rosh. Just as the two straps are united and tied together in a knot, similarly, all human beings will ultimately recognize that everything was a manifestation of complete chesed. Hence: In Olam HaBa, all the Berachos will be “hatov v’hameitiv.”
