Kabbalah Ulangan 26:5: Zohar & Sha'arei Orah

R. Abba said: ‘It is written of Jacob that he was “a perfect man, dwelling in tents” (Gen. 25, 27). The designation “perfect man” was given him because he resided in the two supernal Tabernacles and embodied in himself both this side and that side, and thus was made complete. His language must not be construed into an admission that he had contaminated himself with the enchantments of Laban, and, with all due respect to R. Judah, his heart was pure and full of thankfulness for the kindness and the truth that God had shown him. Thus Jacob’s message to Esau amounted to saying: “Everyone knows what kind of a man Laban is, and that no one can escape him. Yet I stayed with him twenty years, and though he contended with me and sought to destroy me, yet God delivered me from his hand.” Jacob’s purpose in all his words was to prevent Esau from thinking that the blessings had been fulfilled, and so from nursing a grudge against himself. Regarding such conduct Scripture says: “For the ways of the Lord are right, etc.” (Hos. 14, 10), also: “Thou shalt be whole-hearted with the Lord thy God” (Deut. 18, 13).’

This is the Divine quality that our forefather Yitzchak, peace be upon him, adhered to, for it is on the left, the side of great judgment-Din, and thus is called the Dread of Yitzchak-Pachad Yitzchak-פחד יצחק, as it states,¹⁵⁸Genesis 31:53 “And Yaakov swore by the Dread of his father Yitzchak-Pachad Yitzchak-פחד יצחק.” Know that when Lavan pursued Yaakov, seeking to uproot everything, this quality came to wage war against Lavan and uproot him. That is, Lavan the Aramean came with very great supernal strength. Do not take lightly what the Torah states,¹⁵⁹Deuteronomy 26:5 “An Aramean tried to destroy my forefather.” For, Lavan sought to destroy everything, both root and branch. However, when Yaakov saw that the quality of Terror-Pachad-פחד was coming to his aide, he became encouraged and realized that he had the strength and fortitude to stand up to Lavan. About this the verse states,¹⁶⁰Genesis 31:36 “Yaakov then became angry and quarreled with Lavan.” If Yaakov was weak, how could he have quarreled with Lavan? Rather, know that the quality of Terror-Pachad-פחד came to Yaakov’s assistance. Where is the proof? From what Yaakov said to Lavan,¹⁶¹Genesis 31:42 “Had the God of my father – the God of Avraham and the Dread of Yitzchak-Pachad Yitzchak-פחד יצחק – not been with me, you surely would have now sent me away emptyhanded.” That is, “The Dread of Yitzchak-Pachad Yitzchak-פחד יצחק certainly came and assisted me.”