We will begin by introducing what the brilliant author of the responsa Kol Aryeh says he heard from the sacred lips of his Rav, the Chasam Sofer, zy”a, regarding the passuk (Shemos 33, 23): וראית את אחורי ופני לא יראו—"you will see My back, but My face may not be seen." To interpret the passuk, he refers to a marvelous explanation of the Tzlach of the Gemara (Pesachim 50a): אמר רבי אחא ברבי חנינא, לא כעולם הזה העולם הבא, העולם הזה על בשורות טובות אומר ברוך הטוב והמטיב, ועל בשורות רעות אומר ברוך דיין האמת, לעולם הבא כולו הטוב והמטיב. R’ Acha bar Chanina said: Olam HaBa is unlike Olam HaZeh. In Olam HaZeh, upon hearing good tidings one says: Blessed are You... Who is good and does good; and upon hearing bad tidings one says: Blessed are You... the true Judge. But, in Olam HaBa, all of the blessings will be: Blessed are You... Who is good and does good.
The Tzlach takes issue with the Gemara’s statement that in the World to Come, all the blessings will be “hatov v’hameitiv.” After all, evil will no longer exist in the world. He presents an explanation that he heard in his youth from the renowned Maggid, Rabbi Ephraim of Brad, ztz”l. In truth, we believe that HKB”H is the source of all good, mercy, and kindness; nothing bad or evil emanates from Him; all that the Merciful One does is for the best. This is reflected by the passuk (Tehillim 145, 9): טוב ה' לכל ורחמיו על כל מעשיו—Hashem is benevolent to all, and His mercy encompasses all of His works. What appears to us as evil or negative in the world is merely due to our limited perception and understanding. The material physical aspects of Olam HaZeh blind us; so we do not always appreciate the fact that everything the Merciful One does is for our good. Hence, when bad things happen, we utter the berachah ברוך דיין אמת—i.e., we accept the legitimacy of the negative decree. In the future, however, in Olam HaBa, we will comprehend, retroactively, that all the suffering and travails we endured were actually manifestations of the Almighty’s benevolence. Then, even concerning negative events—over which we recited ברוך דיין האמת in Olam HaZeh—we will recite הטוב והמטיב ברוך. For, it will then be clear to us how everything that transpired was in our best interest.
Now, Moshe Rabeinu beseeched HKB”H (ibid. 13): ועתה אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך הודיעני נא את דרכיך ואדעך—now, if I have indeed found favor in Your eyes, please let me know Your ways, so that I may know You. In other words, since it will ultimately be revealed to everyone in Olam HaBa that everything the Merciful One did was for our benefit, please reveal this awareness and knowledge to me now in Olam HaZeh—הודיעני נא את דרכיך. To which HKB”H responded: וראית את אחורי—you will see My back.
According to the explanation of the Kol Aryeh, “You will see My back” means: When you see retroactively how everything was done benevolently for the good, know full-well: “My face may not be seen”—it is not possible to recognize ahead of time that this was in fact the case. Rather, it will presently appear as if what transpired was the execution of justice.
