Finding The Balance

Chesed alone is dangerous because the chesed can go too far. Incest is called by the Torah "chesed". It is a chesed that extended beyond it's boundries. In life it is dangerous to do chesed because there is always a risk that it will go overboard. Some boys sincerely want to do kiruv. What a chesed! Giving somebody meaning and a reason to live and showing them the richness of a Torah lifestyle. But in some instances their target audience is teenage girls. Chesed gone overboard. Let him instead visit an old age home and learn gemara with an elderly man. Avraham the paradigm of chesed had a Yishmael which is chesed gone awry. He and his descendants are notorious for their sexual impurity, without going into the gory details [don't be fooled by the apparent "modesty" of the women]. Too much chesed. 

Strict judgement, din,  is also dangerous. It can lead one to being an excessively critical, unloving person. If gone overboard it can make one a murderer. Esav was an extreme overdone expression of the strict judgement that was Yitzchak.

When one finds the proper balance and harmony between chesed and din there is no more danger. Yaakov personified this harmony and merged the characteristics of chesed and din. That is why he inherited not only Eretz Yisrael but also every area outside of Eretz Yisrael that is captured by the Jews and thus becomes sanctified. His inheritance is without borders - נחלה בלי מצרים [see Rashi Beraishis 49/26 and the commentary of the Brisker Rov thereon]. Yaakov doesn't need borders.

In davening we say לך אתן ארץ כנען חבל נחלתכם  - To you [singular] I will give the Land Of Kenaan the portion of your inheritance [plural]. Why does the pasuk open with the singular and close with the plural? Did you ever think of that question? I didn't. Psukei D'zimra is too quick to think much about anything...

The answer suggested by the Rinas Yitzchak [עמ' סה] is that the first part of the pasuk is discussing the inheritance of Avraham Avinu which only includes Eretz Yisrael proper. Since Avraham was chesed he only inherits a limited inheritance with BORDERS. The latter part of the pasuk is referring to the limitless inheritance of Yaakov Avinu which includes any land that is captured by the Jewish people as a community and is then annexed to Eretz Yisrael proper with its attendant sanctity.

Mussar haskel: Make sure that your chesed and din are both within their respective borders and try to find that Yaakovian balance.

Torah is deeeeeeppppp!

Love and blessings:-)