Lavan was certainly justified in his trepidation over Yaakov leaving him heavily laden with such immense wealth. Aside from forfeiting this wealth, how could someone who had come with only the shirt on his back be leaving with such treasures. And in truth, how did he do it? A cursory glance through the verses will lead us to the incorrect conclusion that hard work and carved sticks made Yaakov rich. A deeper understanding will , however, open up significant pathways in understanding the Tzaddik's mission in this world.
Laden with his father's holy blessings, Yaakov left his home to bring these blessings to fruition. On the way, his nephew caught up with him and stripped him of all his physical belongings, allowing him to thereby start off with a completely clean slate, untainted by gifts or inheritance. Continuing towards Charan (the place of fury), he was shown a vision of the ladder that his grandfather had descended and his father ascended, the ladder that connects Heaven and Earth. From this ladder he experienced full comprehension that all the forces in the universe, even the seemingly opposing forces of his fore-bearers, are really just elements of the ultimate One; the oil of Wisdom poured down on him and made all the stones which he had placed around his head become one. This was forever the gateway to Heaven where matter and spirit meet. Now the penniless Yaakov could materialize the spiritual bounty he was blessed with, without his physical possessions obstruct his predestined goal.
Arriving at the well he found multiple flocks of sheep. Realizing that the rock on the mouth of the well was waiting for the individual shepherds to converge, Yaakov, who was totally unified internally, removed it on his own, like the Tzaddik who accomplishes in his prayers what only an assembled congregation can do. Like a prism that splits the light into many colors, so were his children varied, yet Yaakov was the first patriarch whose offspring were all holy, for all their facets were united in him. Similarly, he took Lavan's white (lavan) sheep and brought multi-colored herds from them by uncovering the white shaded innards of various colors of wood. When Lavan insisted on changing the color of the sheep Yaakov would keep, it did not matter, since he knew all colors come from the same source. Even in the foreign Charan, under the careful scrutiny of jealous Lavan, Yaakov was busy getting rich off air, because even under those conditions he was steadfast in his understanding that everything comes from Hashem.
Yes, his broken spirit was justified, for Yaakov had exposed the spark of truth hidden behind his life of falsehood, robbing him of his very existence.
Adapted from Rabbi Vali's book on Bereishis. Questions and subscriptions can be mailed to: the Yeshiva