Ahavas Yisrael
Hashem promised Yitzchak that a large nation would come from him and that this nation would inherit Eretz Yisrael (26:5) עקב ותורתי חקותי מצותי משמרתי וישמר בקלי אברהם שמע אשר , "because Avraham obeyed my voice, and performed My mission, My commandments, My chukim, and My Torah."
On the word חוקים, the Ramban explains this to mean that Yitzchak will bear children, and they will inherit Eretz Yisrael because of the deeds of chesed that Avraham performed. We quote the Ramban:
"חוקתי means that Avraham went in Hashem's ways to be kind and compassionate to all and to do tzedakah and judgment, and he commanded his family to follow in that path."
Reb Shimon Shwab zt'l asks, a chok always refers to a mitzvah for which we don't know the reason. But to do chesed and to be kind to others is logical and humane. Why are such deeds called חקותי in this pasuk?
Reb Shimon Shwab answers that there are some people about whom you think there is no mitzvah to help them. You focus on their faults and feel that they aren't the type of people you are obligated to help. The Torah says that Avraham did chessed with all, even when it was like a chok, and logically, he didn't understand why he should be compassionate towards these people.
The Difference Between Tefillin Shel Yad and Shel Rosh
The difference between the tefillin shel yad (that is worn on the arm) and the tefillin shel rosh (that is worn on the head) is that the tefillin shel yad is one box, while the tefillin shel rosh has four compartments. This hints that the minds of people may be divided. Each person is entitled to his opinion. However, when it comes to the heart, people must be united. Their difference in opinion shouldn’t divide their hearts.
Perhaps this is the explanation: Tzaddikim say that the path to attain love of Hashem is to love one's fellow man. Tefillin is about being attached to Hashem with love. To love Hashem, one must first love his fellow man.
When people put on tefillin, they often count the straps (silently) to be sure that they have wrapped the straps around the arm seven times. When Rebbe Itzekel of Pshevorsk zt'l would check his tefillin and count to seven, he would count by having in mind the seven words of the Mishnah (Avos 1:6) לכף האדם כל את דן הוי זכות, "Judge every Yid favorably." Once again, we see the connection between unity and loving one's fellow man to putting on tefillin.
Reb Isaac of Kamarna said that זכות לכף האדם כל את דן הוי is gematriya אחד 'ה אלקינו 'ה ישראל שמע. Others count to seven with the pasuk (Devarim 4:4) היום כולכם חיים אלוקיכם 'בה הדבקים ואתם, "But you, who are davuk (connected) to Hashem, your G-d – you are all alive today." This hints at the deveikus with Hashem we achieve when we don tefillin.
The Meaning of Tefillin and Its Universal Message
The Gemara (Sanhedrin 4:) says that the word טטפת is a combination of two words in different languages: טט שתים באפריקי פת שתים בכתפי. טט means two in the Katfi language, and פת means two in the African language." So, טטפת is twice two, hinting at the four parshiyos of tefillin.
We wonder why the number of parshiyos of tefillin should be hinted at through foreign languages. The Sfas Emes answers that the purpose of tefillin is to reveal Hashem's oneness. The use of foreign languages in connection with tefillin is thus a demonstration that even foreign languages are from Hakadosh Baruch Hu. When people say טט in Katfi, it is also from Hakadosh Baruch Hu. It is all part of Hashem's oneness.
The Smag (Sefer HaMitzvos, Mitzvas Asei 3) writes, "I taught the following in a drashah: Hakadosh Baruch Hu desires the mitzvah of tefillin of a rasha more than the mitzvah of tefillin of a tzaddik. This is because the primary purpose of tefillin is to remind resha'im that they should go on a good path. They need this reminder more than those raised with yiras Shamayim all their lives. I brought strong proof to this because there are four parshiyos in the tefillin. Each parashah states לטוטפות, except for one that changed it to (Shemos 13:9) זכרון. This tells us that the purpose of the tefillin is to serve as a reminder."
