(ח) הֲרֵי מְפֹרָשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַנְּבִיאִים שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוּף וּגְוִיָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ב-יא) "כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הוּא אֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת". וְהַגּוּף לֹא יִהְיֶה בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת. וְנֶאֱמַר (דברים ד-טו) "כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כָּל תְּמוּנָה". וְנֶאֱמַר (ישעיה מ-כה) "וְאֶל מִי תְדַמְּיוּנִי וְאֶשְׁוֶה". וְאִלּוּ הָיָה גּוּף הָיָה דּוֹמֶה לִשְׁאָר גּוּפִים:
(ט) אִם כֵּן מַהוּ זֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו. (שמות לא-יח) "כְּתוּבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים". יַד ה'. עֵינֵי ה'. אָזְנֵי ה'. וְכַיּוֹצֵא בִּדְבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ. הַכּל לְפִי דַּעְתָּן שֶׁל בְּנֵי אָדָם הוּא שֶׁאֵינָן מַכִּירִין אֶלָּא הַגּוּפוֹת וְדִבְּרָה תּוֹרָה כִּלְשׁוֹן בְּנֵי אָדָם. וְהַכּל כִּנּוּיִים הֵן... וְהַכּל מָשָׁל. וַאֲמִתַּת הַדָּבָר אֵין דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מֵבִין וְלֹא יְכוֹלָה לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ וּלְחָקְרוֹ.
...The whole thing is composed with the understanding of human beings in mind; since they think in terms of bodily shape, the Torah speaks in the language of human beings. Rather, this is a metaphor...and these are all parables. The truth is the human mind cannot understand the divine; it cannot grasp or fathom it.
Onkelos: Then I will remove the guidance [i.e., My guidance] of My glory.
Rashi on Onkelos: When the guidance of My glory passes by your face, [it will not] go any further.
Netina LaGer on Rashi: This means that even Moses would not be permitted to grasp the essence of God, only God's attributes and deeds.
There are two levels of knowledge. The first is an accurate knowledge of an object’s true nature. The second is a limited knowledge, restricted by our intellectual or physical limitations. Regarding tangible objects, there may not be a significant difference between the two levels of knowledge. But when dealing with abstract concepts, especially with regard to the nature of God, the difference will be great — perhaps infinitely so.
The Torah is based on the second type of knowledge. It presents us with a perception of God according to our limited grasp, since only this type of knowledge can provide ethical guidance. Knowledge of God’s true nature, on the other hand, is not a form of comprehension at all. As God informed Moses: “Man cannot have a vision of Me and live.”
...The imagery of God’s ‘face’ and ‘back’ corresponds to... two levels of knowledge. ‘Face’ in Hebrew is panim, similar to the word p'nim, meaning inner essence. True knowledge of God’s infinite reality is God’s ‘face.’
Knowledge of God’s reality according to our limited understanding, on the other hand, is referred to as God’s ‘back.’ Moses was granted this partial, indirect knowledge — a grasp of the Divine that we are able to appreciate and apply in our finite world.
(Sapphire from the Land of Israel. Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. I, p.33)
One is only able to recognize God’s ways and his behavior after the fact. Only after time has passed and it is possible to link together all the facts, can one understand a little of the way God acts. At the time itself we cannot understand His deeds and we stand amazed. Thus, “you will see my back” – after some time has passed you will understand My actions, “but my face will not be seen” – at the time of the events themselves, you will not see Me.
God says to Moses “You cannot see my face, for man may not see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20). Perhaps the message is that we grow gradually more intimate with God’s face as we get older. When we glimpse as much as it is given to us as individuals to glimpse, we are through with our earthly mission. Moses died when he had at last seen God face to face. That is in some sense our task in life — to see God truly according to our capacity. When we have fulfilled that task, we are through.
Some of us see God’s face in the eyes of those whom we love. Others find it in the wonders of nature. Some see God in sacred books, or in ritual practices or in a mysterious but intense inner light. At different times in our lives all of these manifestations of God’s face may appear to us.