The Kabbalah teaches us the three basic paradigms in holiness that one can use.
The first is the paradigm of Abraham, the quintessential lover whose goodness is so great that the goodness in Heaven states to God – “since I see all the goodness Abraham is contributing to the world I don’t know what I should do” – as such, we see perhaps, what could be the greatest ideal of unlimited love.
The second paradigm is Isaac, whose unrequsite self-discipline is a marvel, for he immerses himself in God’s truth, never leaving Israel, ready to sacrifice his life; (it must have been just as hard, if not harder for him – for he was a mature adult – to be ready to be slaughtered on the altar in the Akedia story;) so perhaps here too we see an incredible dedication, passion, commitment to truth.
But finally, we have the paradigm of Jacob, who seems actually to be just a normal guy; he gets in a spat with this crooked father-in-law, he mourns indefinitely over his favourite son’s murder, he seems to have this normal balance between getting angry at injustice and unconditional love towards those who deserve it.
Jacob is the paradigm of truth for truth is relative.
Should I give a drug addict money – perhaps Abraham in his great love would; for love satisfies itself ultimately; should I be aesthetic, removing myself from the pleasure of love – perhaps Isaac would, for ultimate self-discipline may lead to that.
Hence Jacob is the paradigm of compassion – now compassion is selective, for unlike love or strong self-discipline it is based not on the giver, but on the receiver!
Both love and self-discipline are primarily what I want to do, but compassion is primarily what shouldbe done.