רָ בוּעַ יִהְיֶה כָּפוּל זֶרֶ ת אָרְ כּוֹ וְזֶרֶ ת רָ חְבּוֹ (כח, טז)
It shall be square and doubled; its length one span and its width one span. (28:16)
Later Generations’ Actions are More Valuable Than Actions of Previous Generations:
Sefer Ohr L’Shomayim explains this pasuk by quoting the explanation of Sefer Bris Menucha on the Gemara (Shabbos 112A) that says: “If the earlier generations were like angels, we are like human beings. If the earlier ones were like human beings, we are like donkeys.” He explains that this was said in regards to the times of the Gemara. Our generations, however, are even greater than the early ones.
He uses this idea to explain the words “ravuah yihiye kaful” (it shall be squared and doubled). The word “ravuah” can be a reference to a student, as is seen from the Targum Sheni on Megiles Esther: “Iy lo chazi l’Aryeh chazi m’rebeisah.” (If I did not see the lion, I saw the double.) This was said about Benayahu ben Yehoyada, who was a student of Shlomo Hamelech. Accordingly, the pasuk can be translated as saying that someone who is “a student”, meaning that he is a member of a later generation, is “doubled”, meaning that he receives twice as much Divine influence.
On this topic, Rav Chaim Vital zy”a writes in Shaar Hagilgulim (Hakdamah 38): “I once asked my teacher (the Arizal) how he could tell me that my soul is so lofty. Isn’t it true that the smallest person in the early generations was such a tzadik and chasid that I couldn’t even reach his heel? He told me, ‘You should know that the greatness of the soul is not based on the actions of a person. Rather, it is based on the time and generation he lives in. Even a very small good deed in this generation is equal numerous big mitzvos of earlier generations because there are many klipos in our generation that are very powerful which were not around in earlier generations.’”
Sefer Yismach Yisroel (Parshas Vayeishev) adds that since the time of Rav Chaim Vital, our suffering has greatly increased and, therefore, it is certain that a cry from the depths of the heart is very precious to Hashem, even more than the fasts and afflictions of the earlier generations.
It is related in Sefer Siach Sarfei Kodesh (Erech Golus, Ois 10) that a group of chasidim once came to Rav Bunim of Peshischa zy”a during a drought and asked him to daven for rain. He replied, “Before Moshiach’s arrival, there will be a time when there will be learners without Torah, chasidim without chasidus, wealthy men without money, summer without heat, winter without coldness, and plants will grow without rain.”
