Franklin D. Roosevelt said “Only thing we have to fear, is fear itself” and the Netziv uses this idea to explain a number of verses. The spies who entered the land pronounced and we were in our own eyes like grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes. When the spies realized they were afraid, they knew that others would see them that way too. Similarly, prior to meeting Esau, we are told Jacob was greatly afraid, and he was distressed. His own fear distressed him; for he knew that if felt fear, his brother would sense his fear. To change how others view us, we must first change how we view ourselves.