There is a Possuk in this week’s Parsha that states: אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹּב יוֹסֵף וְגוֹ׳ “These are the children of Yaakov Yosef etc.” It is brought down in the Medrash 'Tanchumah' and quoted in the older additions of Rashi; “When Yaakov saw all the 'Chiefs' of Eisov as written above (at the end of the previous Parsha - Parshas VaYishlach) he wondered and said: "Who can conquer all these Chieftains"? To which it is written below: אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹּב יוֹסֵף וְגוֹ׳ and elsewhere it is written וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹּב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶּהָבָה וּבֵית עֵשָו לְקַשׁ “The house of Yaakov shall be fire and the house of Yosef a flame and the house of Eisov shall become straw [and] a fiery spark comes out from Yosef that consumes and burns them all.”
But seemingly, since Yaakov epitomizes the attribute of 'Truth' [we can see that] judging from the fact that he is scared of the chiefs of Eisov, it would mean that there truly is reason to fear since they are many and mighty. For if this weren’t the case Yaakov would not have been scared of them. If [this is] so, why then is the house of Eisov only compared to 'Straw' so that one spark would consume and burn them all up?
Furthermore, the fact that the Possuk differentiates between the house of Yaakov and the house of Yosef, saying that the house of Yaakov is like fire and the house of Yosef is like a flame - implies that there are two isolated entities here and a combination [would be] needed in order to annihilate Eisov. Yet, this is different from the end of the maxim which says that a spark will go out from Yosef and will consume and burn them all. Just one spark. So why did the Medrash need to highlight two different concepts of Yaakov's fire and Yosef's flame?
BEIS
To comprehend all this better, it would help to introduce something which has been explained earlier regarding to an explanation given in the second chapter of 'Igeres Hakodesh' of Tanya with the opening word: "Kotonti" which the 'Alter Rebbe' wrote upon his arrival from 'Petersburg' where he explains the difference between the 'Chessed' of holiness as opposed to the 'Chessed' of the other side. On the one side there is 'Chessed' of Avrohom and on the other side the 'Chessed' of Yishmoel. The 'Chessed' of holiness operates within the perspective of 'Bittul' as Avrohom said about himself: וְאָנֹּכִי עָפָר וָאֵפֶּר “I am but dust and ashes”. Also the manner in which Avrohom operated in his giving and his 'Chessed' was through his own 'Bittul' whereas with the 'Chessed' of the other side the 'Chessed' of Yishmoel the ‘greater’ the kindness the ‘greater’ the increase in pride - the greater the haughtiness and the more big headed.
The reason for this is because the reason he is doing kindness is also due to the vigour and haughtiness. This means that just as in holiness the 'Chessed' effects an inspiration of 'Bittul', because the cause of the flow of the 'Chessed' was itself also coming from a perspective of 'Bittul', so too with the ‘Le’umas Zeh’ the reason why the 'Chessed' here has an effect of vigour etc. is because he was motivated in this fashion.
The 'Hamshocha' from the state of 'Chessed' from the 'Ze'eir Anpin' which is called 'Chessed from outside' is because this 'Hamshocha' comes from its 'Bittul'. (This is why it is referred to by the name of 'Chessed of Mah', meaning that it can affiliate with created beings that they are a consideration from its perspective, and it is a consideration from their perspective, and therefore it can influence and transmit to them etc.)
As can be seen with people, that people who do kindness in general are not naturally harsh people, and because of the nature of their gentleness and their 'Bittul' - someone else's pain affects them, and it awakens them to give that someone else his kindness. Whereas someone who is ‘naturally’ determined the nature of the resoluteness does not allow such a person to become affected by someone else’s pain.
From this we can also understand above in G-dliness, that the outpouring of 'Chessed' from 'Ze'eir Anpin' specifically comes because of 'Bittul'. Furthermore, the whole existence of 'Chessed' from 'Ze'eir Anpin' itself came about because of the attribute of diffidence since the creation of the worlds (starting with the spiritual world of 'Atzilus') only happened as a result of the ‘Tzimtzum' as is brought down in the writings of the holy AriZal in 'Eitz Chayim' that in the beginning the infinite light of the 'Ein Sof' filled the whole existence (of everything) and in order for the possibility of 'Worlds' to exist there first needed to be a ‘Tzimtzum' of some of the infinite Divine light so Hakodosh Boruch Hu removed His great light to the side so the withdrawal of this light is a matter of 'Bittul' so to speak of negating His supernal will.
So, what transpires is that the creation of 'Chessed' of 'Ze'eir Anpin' (just like the entire spiritual world of 'Atzilus') is all as a result of diffidence and 'Bittul'. And therefore, the issue of 'Bittul' is also a part of the 'Chessed' of 'Ze'eir Anpin' itself, so that the 'Avodah' from below shall be able to reach it in order for it to transmit to them according to their 'Avodah' etc.
And because of this, those who receive this 'Chessed' also receive it in a manner of 'Bittul' as Yaakov said in the Possuk: “I have become small from all the kindnesses and from all the truth that You have rendered Your servant”.
