In Transit
During the brief “intermission” between levels and worlds, the souls of the righteous become disoriented. In the words of Kabbalah, they then are characterized as being in a state of “katnus-lowness.” True, their state of “lowness” is higher than their former state of “highness,” nevertheless, because they are in a state of flux, they are still on the way, and they require special divine protection. Not being “home,” in the lower sphere or higher, is an invitation for a mishap. The security afforded by a spiritual domicile parallels the security that we enjoy when we are home. This divine protection, however, must be earned. It is the profound faith and trust in G-d that the righteous exhibit even when they are “on the road” that gets them over the crisis in their transitional period.
Humbled
Jacob is returning to his homeland after being 22 years away. He originally had to flee from his parent’s home because his brother, Esau, sought to kill him for having taken the blessings intended for him. Twenty-two years later, after having established a family and amassing great wealth, Esau’s anger had not subsided.
Upon his return, Jacob is concerned with the prospects of a conflict with his brother Esau.
In Jacob’s prayer to G-d to save him from his brother, Esau’s desire for vengeance, Jacob recounts all of the blessings he has received from G-d and says, “I have been humbled (literally: made small) by all the kindness and truth that you did with your servant.”
What did Jacob mean by the words “I have been made small” and what relevance did it have to his return to the Land of Israel and his impending conflict with Esau?
Jacob’s Spiritual Travels
Chassidic literature explains that Jacob’s travels are more than just physical movement from one geographic location to another. Every move that Jacob made was indicative of a state of spiritual transition as well.
This concept, that the righteous are constantly “on the move” has been expressed by our sages in the Talmud when they said, “Torah scholars have no rest in this world or in the next world, as it says: They go from strength to strength, they appear before G-d in Zion.” This means that in their pursuit of getting closer to G-d there are infinite levels of change.
More specifically, there are different realms and “worlds” that the righteous go in and out of in their ascent. When they achieve all that there is to achieve in one realm –i.e., when they achieve a level of comprehension of G-d’s light on a specific level – they leave it and forge ahead entering into yet a higher realm of spiritual enlightenment..
Temporary Decline on the Way Up
However, during the brief “intermission” between levels and worlds, the souls of the righteous become disoriented. This can be compared to a phenomenon that cults very often prey on people when they are in a state of flux. In that state, the individual does not have the security of either the place from which he or she has come or the security of reaching and settling down in one’s destination.
In the words of Kabbalah, they then are characterized as being in a state of “katnus-lowness.” True, their state of “lowness” is higher than their former state of “highness,” nevertheless, because they are in a state of flux, they are still on the way, and they require special divine protection.
Not being “home,” in the lower sphere or higher, is an invitation for a mishap. The security afforded by a spiritual domicile parallels the security that we enjoy when we are home.
This divine protection, however, must be earned. It is the profound faith and trust in G-d that the righteous exhibit even when they are “on the road” that gets them over the crisis in their transitional period.
Jacob’s Vulnerability
Jacob’s actual travels were commensurate with and expressions of his spiritual growth. As he left Chutz L’aretz, the Diaspora, and approached the Holy Land, an ascent from a low level to a high level, he entered into a transitional state of “lowness.”
This was a time when he was most vulnerable. Thus Jacob exclaims “I have been humbled” – I am now in a state of “lowness” and feel very vulnerable. Despite all the assurances he had from G-d, the state of “lowness” he was in need of an extra measure of support. His feeling of vulnerability was a signal to enhance his faith and trust in G-d..
We are in the Transitional Period
The lesson from this episode for our times lies in the transitional nature of our generation.
The greatest Torah leaders of our time, from the Chafetz Chaim to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, have declared that we are living in the transitional period known in the Talmud as Ikvata d’m’shicha,” the Heels (or: footsteps) of Moshiach.”
During this threshold period, we are closer to the period of Redemption than ever before. Nevertheless, because we are in transition, it can be compared to the period the Jews were in just as they left Egypt, or the state Jacob was in when he arrived in the Land of Israel.
To cope with our state of Kotonti-we are lessened, or humbled, we must enhance our faith and trust in G-d that He will keep His many promises to bring the final redemption, a time of peace and holiness for all.
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Vayishlach by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
