Patience is a Virtue
I can tell you it is not a virtue that I have naturally or that I have mastered. It is though something I strive for :-).
Some people are just more patient, they are “gelasin” that’s a yiddish word for even-keeled. It sounds better in Yiddish. Others are “farhitzed” also a yiddish word, that means cooked or shvitzed (oy vey with these yiddish words). They can’t sit still and need it to happen now! They need the next challenge, next opportunity!
The fact is that both are necessary qualities at various times and it’s important to know what is needed and at what time.
After Jacob encounters his brother, Esau tells Jacob, why don’t I help you out and we’ll travel together.
Jacob, tells his brother, that he’d rather his brother go ahead and he’ll meet up with him in Seir. Jacob tells Esau that there are many people, many cattle and it will take time, you can’t rush them.
Our Sages tell us that there is a cosmic event transpiring in this encounter. Jacob meets Esau hoping that Esau is ready for refinement and ready to enter into the Messianic Utopian Era. As it turns out Esau is far from ready. And so Jacob tells him, that there is more work to do before Moshiach can come. Esau says to Jacob, so get on with it. Let’s get it done, now!
Jacob tells him in a word, “patience”! This is not work that can be done overnight or rushed. We have much refining to do with the people and possessions of the world. You go ahead and we’ll meet up with you once we have refined the world.
Rashi the foremost commentator on the Torah tells us that when will Jacob meet up with Esau, that will be when Moshiach arrives.
For the millennia this has been our calling, to find the Divine sparks in the physical world around us, to find the G-dliness in the Esau around us. Slowly, but surely.
The Rebbe taught that this work is completed, it is time for Moshiach to come and the only thing left to do is for us to greet Moshiach. So, we’ve entered into an era of no patience. No more being cool and chilled. Now it’s time to act! To do everything we can within ourselves to find the missing sparks inside of us and to be ready to welcome Moshiach, Now! Amen!
