It is interesting how Yosef HaTzaddik appears to be telling his father that he made a mistake. And when Yaakov had all the children stand behind their mothers, Yosef changed the order and went in front of his mother. He even said that he had a dream in which both his parents were bowing down to him (along with his siblings) and Yaakov reprimanded him for this.
He was also always praising himself as being on top wherever he was, and he was also: מְסַלְסֵל בְשַׁעֲרוֹ styled his hair. He also wasn’t fazed by other people’s opinions, and when his brothers were against him, it didn’t stop him from continuing to speak of his own Gadlus and superiority. So we have two major forms of kosher Ga'ava. 1. Praising himself and self-aggrandizement, at the cost of making himself superior to everyone else (“I’m the best”). 2. Not Chapping Hispa'alus from serious adversity, and to continue with his Ga'ava despite the whole world being against him. Just like Avraham Ha'Ivri’, which means that he was: רבֶעֵ to the “other” side and “against” the whole world (Chazal); except that Yosef went against the entire Klal Yisroel (i.e., the Shivtei Ka).
He even went against his own father. Although we have no understanding of a giant like Yosef, his actions can very well be used by so many of us in Avodas Hashem. And of course, with a Rebbe’s guidance. We all know that Yaakov was very involved with Yosef, & they had similar lives. (Chazal).
When Eisav came with 400 people to kill Yaakov, Yaakov told him: כִּי עַל כֵן רָּאִּיתִּי פָּנֶיךָ כִּרְאֹת פְנֵי אֱלֹקִּים וַתִּרְצֵנִּי Looking at you is like looking at Hashem Himself. We can suggest that Yaakov was trying to inspire Eisav to realize his own greatness. People who are involved with the realization of their own greatness, are void of Kin'ah and Sin'ah, since they are “on top” anyway; so they don’t need to outdo others and compete with humans.
Perhaps Yaakov was very strong in being M’chanech Yosef in this area. By Yaakov it says that all the stones were fighting: יחַנִּי יָּלַעָּ דִּצַיק זֶה רֹאשׁוֹ for Yaakov to lay his head on them. Yaakov’s image was on the Kisei HaKavod, and all the Malachim were in awe of him. He overcame Eisav’s Malach, and his Shluchim (messengers) to Eisav were...
