וזו היא גם כן מדתו של יעקב

This [humility born of kindness] is also the characteristic trait of Jacob,

ובזאת התנצל על יראתו מפני עשו, ולא די לו בהבטחתו: והנה אנכי עמך גו׳

and therewith he justified himself for his fear of Esau, and did not regard the [Divine] promise given to him as being sufficient:17 “And behold I am with you [and I shall protect you wherever you go].”

מפני היות קטן יעקב במאד מאד בעיניו, מחמת ריבוי החסדים

[This was so,] because Jacob regarded himself as utterly insignificant on account of the multitude of [G‑d’s] favors,

כי במקלי גו׳

[as he said,]18 “for [only] with my staff [did I cross the Jordan, and now I have [enough property for] two camps],”

ואינו ראוי וכדאי כלל להנצל כו׳

and he considered himself as being utterly unfit and unworthy to be saved, and so on.

וכמאמר רז״ל: שמא יגרום החטא

As our Sages, of blessed memory, expressed it,19 “[Jacob was apprehensive] lest sin would cause [him not to be saved],”

שנדמה בעיניו שחטא

for it appeared to him that he had sinned.

“I have become small” thus means that the multitude of kindnesses bestowed upon Jacob caused him to feel so small and insignificant that he feared that he had sinned, and hence needed once again to beseech G‑d that He save him from his brother Esau. And, indeed, every Jew would do well to follow in the footsteps of his father Jacob, becoming ever more humble with every successive act of kindness that G‑d shows him.

The Rebbe once explained why at the outset of this epistle the Alter Rebbe uses an expression in which the word Chesed is repeated: בכל חסד וחסד. (This is translated above, “with every single favor [that G‑d bestows upon man].”) In general, there are two modes of Divine kindness: (a) that which descends to man within the ordered framework of created worlds and becomes manifest in a natural manner; and (b) that which transcends the conventions of the created universe and whose manifestation is supernatural.

This is why the Alter Rebbe there goes on to say that (a) “Chesed is the right arm,” as well as (b) “His right arm embraces me.” The former phrase alludes to the Chesed of the Supernal Sefirot, a finite mode of Divine kindness that is analogous to the finite degree of life-force that is clothed in the human arm; the latter phrase alludes to the infinite mode of Divine kindness that is analogous to the infinite degree of life-force that transcends the limitation of being clothed in a particular organ, and is thus said to be “encompassing” (makkif) or “embracing”.

מה שאין כן בזה לעומת זה, הוא ישמעאל, חסד דקליפה

It is different, though, with the [unholy] counterpart [to the attribute of kindness that belongs to the holy “side” of the universe]; i.e., [it is different] with Ishmael, [who personifies] the attribute of Chesed that belongs to the kelipah.

The counterpart to Abraham, who personifies the attribute of “Chesed (kindness) that belongs to holiness,” is Ishmael, who personifies “kindness that belongs to unholiness”; the opposite of Isaac, who represents the attribute of “Gevurah (severity) that belongs to holiness,” is Esau, who represents the attribute of “Gevurah that belongs to unholiness.”

כל שהחסד גדול, הוא הולך וגדל בגובה וגסות הרוח ורוחב לבו

The more kindness [shown to Ishmael and to his ilk], the more he grows in pride, arrogance and self-satisfaction.

A Jew must thus be on guard against the “Chesed of kelipah,” and ensure that G‑d’s acts of kindness will lead him to cultivate the traits of Abraham and Jacob, the “Chesed of holiness,” so that his response will be humility rather than pride.

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