At a bris milah, after the naming of the baby, the mohel says, “Zeh hakatan gadol yee’yeh – this small one [katan] will become big [gadol]”; and immediately afterwards, everyone present says, “k’shem she’nich’nas l’bris, kain yee’ka’nais l’Torah, u’l’chuppah, u’l’ma’a’sim tovim – just as he has entered into the Covenant [bris], so may he enter into Torah [i.e. learning and observance], into marriage [chuppah] and into good deeds [ma’asim tovim]”.

Earlier this year, I heard R’ Shmuel Silber shlit”a ask the following question regarding these blessings which are given to the newborn child: The spiritual blessings for good mazal are assuredly in order, since it is not a ‘given’ that this young infant will be zocheh [merit] to learn and observe Torah, to find a great shidduch (and build a family), and/or become a mentsch; these things are not part of the ‘natural order’. But, why the blessing that “this small one will become big”? Of course, nothing should be taken for granted, including physical growth and maturity. But, as the child grows, will he not become ‘bigger’; why state the ‘obvious’ here during this decidedly spiritual ceremony? Is there a deeper meaning to this seemingly relatively mundane bracha?

Rav Yissocher Frand shlit”a has also considered this question and has offered the following answers: On the one hand, a katan is a child and represents an individual who is concerned only about himself and his own needs; however, a gadol represents one who is concerned about his fellow man and the needs of others. We express our hope and prayer that this helpless and dependent infant who can now think only of his own needs will one day grow up and mature into one who is able to be concerned with and will help provide for the needs of others.

This is a good p’shat answer to our question. However, R’ Frand also brings down an answer suggested by HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, zt”l, who uses the following pasuk in Bereishis to give a deeper meaning of what it means to be both a katan and a gadol. We read that on the fourth day of creation, “G-d made the two great lights – the greater light [ha’ma’or ha’gadol] to dominate the day and the lesser light [ha’ma’or ha’katon] to dominate the night …” [Genesis 1:16].

Rav Soloveitchik asks, what is the essential difference between the sun and the moon? Is the sun called “big” because it physically much, much bigger than the moon, which is therefore relatively “small” in comparison? Rav Soloveitchik suggests a more nuanced reason why one luminary is called ‘greater’ and the other is referred to as ‘lesser’ – which has nothing to do with their physical size. Rather, it is because the sun generates its own light, illuminating the space and planets which comprise the solar system, the ultimate source of growth for all living things; whereas the moon only reflects the light which is generated by the sun.

A person who is a katan is thus someone who reflects the light which is generated by others. He is cared for by others and does not take the initiative in providing for himself (or his family). He is a good worker and fulfills his responsibilities, satisfying the directives given to him by those in charge. He may be a good learner and fulfill his daily quota of Torah and mitzvos, perhaps doing what is minimally expected. He is reflective of what others expect of him, fulfilling quotas, optimally rising to a comfortable level of competence.

But a gadol is someone who takes responsibility for his family and for others, providing for them even when it is difficult to do so. He is an innovator and a leader, a visionary who looks into the future and makes decisions as to where the company/family/society is going. He is always trying to extend himself beyond the call of duty – thinking of novel solutions to problems effecting his community and society. He may be a teacher, a writer, somehow creative in all the ways that he is able by using the gifts granted to him by the Creator … a ma’ayan ha’mis’gaber [an overflowing spring] A gadol is someone who aspires to be all that he/she can be; who is not satisfied with just getting by or riding a comfortable wave from one day to the next.

The bracha which is said over to the rach ha’nee’mol (the newborn baby, just inaugurated into our holy Covenant) is to be all that you can be – to be an illuminator of light, and not a reflector of the light of others. Very few actually achieve such a true level of gadlus, but this is our wish to this newborn babe – to every Jewish child who comes into this world with unique capabilities and gifts bestowed upon him/her by the Creator. Each one of us has a unique mission to fulfill, which can only be done by us without any substitution.

A famous story is told of Reb Meshulam Zusha of Anipoli (born in Galicia, Southeast Poland, 1718 • died in Hanipol, 1800). Reb Zusha was laying on his deathbed surrounded by his disciples. He was crying and no one could comfort him. One student asked his Rebbe, "Why do you cry? You were almost as wise as Moses and as kind as Abraham." Reb Zusha answered, "When I pass from this world and appear before the Heavenly Tribunal, they won't ask me, 'Zusha, why weren't you as wise as Moses or as kind as Abraham,' rather, they will ask me, 'Zusha, why weren't you Zusha?' Why didn't I fulfill my potential, why didn't I follow the path that could have been mine?" [from the Tzadikim website, dailyzohar.com].

This idea is reminiscent of the siman which we enact and say over every Rosh Hashanah: We point to a fish head on the table, eat a small amount of fish, and say, “nee’yeh l’rosh v’lo l’zanav – let us be at the head and not at the tail!” At the onset of the New Year, our fervent hope is that we come closer to fulfilling the ultimate spiritual goal of realizing the vision of gadlus that is ours to attain, both on an individual and communal level (i.e. for klal Yisrael). Is not the birth of every child the beginning of his/her ‘New Year’ in life? Perhaps the siman which we reenact on Rosh Hashanah is a virtual renewal of that directive which we first received after making our entrance into this world.

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“Zeh hakatan gadol yee’yeh” – the one who is small has a directive to become great. Any yet, once a level of greatness has been achieved, there is a new directive to remain ‘small’ in your own eyes i.e. to be humble.

We see this clearly from the opening narrative in this week’s parshah. Yaakov Avinu is returning from working for his father-in-law Lavan for twenty years. After a harrowing escape from Charan, Jacob sends messengers to his brother, Esau, in Israel, trying to make peace with his violent twin – remembering Esau’s vow to kill him after Jacob stole the special blessing of inheritance from their father, Isaac, twenty years earlier. Now, “the messengers return to Jacob, saying, ‘We came to your brother, to Esau, and he is heading toward you with four hundred men!’” [Genesis 32:7]. Jacob, fearing the worst, prepares for war (dividing all he has into two camps), eventually sends elaborate gifts (bribes) to his brother, and prays to G-d for deliverance.

Within this special prayer [ibid. vs. 10-13], Jacob says, ”Katonti mikol ha’cha’see’dim u’mikol ha’emes asher ah’see’sa es av’deh’cha … I have been diminished [katonti] by all the kindnesses and by all the truth that You have done Your servant … [Genesis 32:11]. In other words, I don’t deserve Your protection! Why not? Rashi zt”l explains that Jacob is worried that his merits have been reduced through the kindnesses and truth which G-d has already done for him i.e. there has already been too many withdrawals from his celestial bank account! Alternatively, Rashi suggests that Jacob is worried that he has become ‘soiled with sin’ and that his misdeeds will have cause to cancel out any further kindness that G-d might show him.

This narrative and accompanying Rashis are truly amazing! Do you hear what they are saying? We are learning that Yaakov Avinu – a bona fide tzaddik and a gadol by anyone’s definition – is afraid that G-d will not protect him because he is not worthy. Even though Yaakov knows about his special position within the nascent Jewish people and that he has already achieved a level of gadlus – he nevertheless sees himself as a katan. His gadlus has not gone to his head; he is truly humble.

In Jewish tradition, none of our tzaddikim or gedolim are truly great … unless they have also achieved a level of humility, of being small, in their own eyes. Of Avraham Avinu, the midrash tells us that he carried two pieces of paper in two opposing pockets: On one piece was written, “beesh’vili ha’olam nivrah – for me alone the entire world was created” while on the other piece there was written, “hee’nei’ni afar v’efer – behold, I am nothing but dust and ashes” [based on Genesis 18:27 and Sanhedrin 37b]. Of Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest of all the prophets, the Torah tells us his supreme attribute: “Moses was the most humble of all men…” [Numbers 12:3].

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How can a person become a gadol but nevertheless retain an attitude of being katan? Both concepts are associated with the number “8”, which in Judaism stands for something which is “l’ma’alah min ha’teva – above and beyond the natural order”. A baby’s bris is on the eighth day after birth. The pasuk describing Yaakov Avinu’s humility is the eighth verse in the eighth parshah – based on this, the gemarah tells us that a person is only allowed to have 1/8 of 1/8 (1/64) of arrogance [Sotah 5a]. In other words, even for a gadol, humility is the order of the day. There is a clear allusion here that in order to achieve a level of gadlus and in order to remain humble, one needs seyata d’shemaya i.e. Divine assistance, which is “above and beyond the natural order. [There is also an allusion here to the eight days of Chanukah … to be continued].