When I Wanted, You Refused, and the Knot of the Tefillin

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 396:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"And He said, You cannot see My face" (Exodus 33:20). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: When I wanted you to see, you did not want to; and now that you want, I do not want. But this disagrees with what Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: As a reward for three things he merited three things. As a reward for "And Moses hid his face" (Exodus 3:6) he merited a radiant countenance. As a reward for "because he was afraid" (Exodus 3:6) he merited "and they were afraid to come near him" (Exodus 34:30). As a reward for "from looking" (Exodus 3:6) he merited "and he beholds the form of the LORD" (Numbers 12:8). "And I will remove My hand, and you shall see My back" (Exodus 33:23). This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him the knot of the tefillin.

Themes

MosesDivine RevelationReward And Punishment

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