In our Parashah appears the extraordinary blessing with which the Most High blessed the Patriarch Jacob:1 "And you shall break forth with strength to the West, to the East, to the North, and to the South." It is a blessing for "an inheritance without borders"2 - "he will inherit the world without any measure."3 Abraham and Isaac were also blessed by Hashem with the blessing of inheriting the land (of Israel), but those blessings were with a measure, whereas Jacob was told: "and you shall break forth with strength” - in an unlimited way.
By what merit did Jacob become worthy of this blessing? The Midrash says that the blessing was due to his observance of Shabbat. It is true that Abraham and Isaac also kept the entire Torah, including the observance of Shabbat, but the Torah does not explicitly emphasize this. Unlike with Jacob, where it clearly states: "And he encamped before the city," about which our Sages said that it was the eve of Shabbat and "Jacob entered with the last rays of the sun and set up his dwelling while it was still day.”.
THE SHABBAT OF JAAKOV
The very fact that the Torah explicitly highlights Jacob the Patriarch's observance of Shabbat indicates that his observance of Shabbat was unique and superior to his observance of the other commandments. And for this reason, he earned the blessing of "you shall break forth with power.".
From this our Sages Z"L2 deduced that: "whoever gives pleasure to Shabbat, gives it an unlimited inheritance," as it is written5 'then you shall delight in God...and He will feed you with the inheritance of Jacob...' about whom it is written 'and you shall break out to the West, to the East, to the North, and to the South'5.
ALL ARE EQUAL
We must understand two things here: 1) What is the relationship between observing Shabbat and the blessing of 'you will break forth with strength'? 2) Even if Jacob earned this blessing through his observance of Shabbat, how can we learn from the sublime Shabbat observance of Jacob the Patriarch and apply the same blessing to the observance of Shabbat by every Jew, as our Sages teach when they say, "everyone who gives pleasure to Shabbat"?
However, this is precisely where the special virtue of Shabbat observance is reflected, compared to other commandments. In every mitzvah, there are differences in how it is fulfilled by great Tzaddikim (righteous people) and by ordinary people, since when it involves active action, it can be carried out at different levels of perfection and spirituality. In contrast, in observing Shabbat, which consists of ceasing work and non-action, in not doing, everyone is equal, and there are no different levels.*5.
THERE ARE NO LIMITS
The mystical motive underlying this characteristic of equality in Shabbat is that Sabbath rest is related to the essence of the soul "which transcends and is not revealed in the mind and heart."6 The differences between people are in the mind and heart—in the measure of intellect and feelings—but in the essence of the soul, all are equal. Therefore, in the cessation of activity on Shabbat, which emanates from the essence of the soul, there is no difference between one Jew and another.
Therefore, the reward for observing Shabbat is also "an inheritance without limits.".
Measure and limits exist only in the external aspects of the soul, but the essence of the soul is limitless. When a Jew observes Shabbat and reveals the limitless essence of his soul, this is also expressed in the world as receiving an "inheritance without borders," an unlimited reward.
(Likutei Sichot Volume 15 Page 226)
NOTES: 1. Our Parashah 28:14 2. Shabbat 118, final pg. a onwards 3. Bereshit Rabbah Parashah 11:7. Pesikta Rabbah final pesikta 23 *3. On the day of Shabbat, it is forbidden to leave the city more than 2000 cubits (960 meters). When one is outside the city, the permitted radius is calculated from where one "established one's settlement" at sunset. 4. Bereshit 33:18 5. Isaiah 58:14 *5. Although all prohibitions are also prohibitions against doing something, the very purpose of Shabbat is cessation, rest, while in other prohibitions their purpose is to prevent or achieve something (See Likutei Sichot vol. 15 p. 227 note 17*) 6. Maamarei Admur Haemtzai- Kuntreisim. See in Likutei Sijot the special relationship of the revelation of the essence with Yaakov.