איוב, פרק ח׳, פסוק ז׳

True restoration from deep brokenness is not an immediate return to former glory but a gradual journey where the ultimate future completely overshadows the past. The primary approach among commentators is that this promise of growth contrasts two distinct periods in a person's life. Whatever wealth, honor, and goodness were experienced in the past will eventually seem minor and insignificant when compared to the overwhelming abundance waiting at the end [רש״י, רמב״ן, מצודת דוד]. From another perspective, this dynamic applies directly to the process of rebuilding itself. Even if the first steps of recovery are marked by poverty and lowliness, the final outcome will be remarkably great [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This profound transformation is rooted in the purpose behind the hardship. Pain and brokenness are never random. Instead, they serve to purify the individual, preparing him to safely hold the immense good that is meant to establish him in ultimate glory [מלבי״ם, אלשיך]. However, achieving this extraordinary future depends entirely on how a person handles his current struggles. To unlock this abundance, a person must embrace his suffering with joy and love, maintaining a positive spirit while praying to God [חומת אנך, אלשיך].

There is also a highly practical reason why this blessing must unfold slowly rather than arriving all at once. If immense wealth and success were to suddenly fall into a person's lap in a matter of days, it would be vulnerable to the negative effects of the evil eye. By starting small and growing gradually, the blessing is protected, allowing it to safely expand into something monumental [אלשיך].