Digging Deep

In the Messianic Age, when the light of G-d will pervade the world and the attribute of kindness will extend to all, we will then be able to focus all of our energies to the Isaac modality of gevurah, digging deep to ensure that the purist and holiest energies are exposed. Even the “outsiders” will appreciate the pure and refreshing waters of Torah.

What do we Know about Isaac?

This week’s Parsha devotes more space to the Patriarch Isaac than any other Parsha. Nevertheless, Isaac’s life and accomplishments remain an enigma because of the relatively scant treatment his life receives in the Torah. We know that Abraham was a man of great faith in G-d, and obedience to His will. Abraham also devoted his life to justice and righteousness. He traveled from place to place teaching monotheism to the world. Abraham was a generous and gracious host to all who built an inn at Beer Sheba from which to proclaim G-d’s mastery and unity to the world.

Similarly, Jacob’s life is discussed at great length. Jacob is praised as a diligent student. His dialogues with and promises to G-d are recorded in the Torah, demonstrating his profound faith and devotion to Him.

When we read what the Torah has to say about Isaac, however, not only do we a dearth of information about his life and accomplishments, but even what we do find are enigmatic.

A Well Digger

Isaac, the Torah recounts in this week’s Parsha, would dig wells. Some of his wells were contested by the Philistines who claimed them as their own. Isaac, however, persisted until he would dig a well that was not contested.

What is going on here? Why does the Torah not speak about Isaac’s kindness, his piety, his devotion to G-d? What is so significant about the digging of wells? And how do we apply the digging of wells to our own spiritual lives?

In Chassidic literature we are taught that everything the Patriarchs did - even their material and “secular” activities were in actuality reflections of deep spiritual experiences. While it is certainly true that Isaac literally dug wells to find fresh water, he was simultaneously going through a profound spiritual quest that was consistent with his unique spiritual composition.

While Abraham is identified with the Divine attribute of Chesed, which means kindness, Isaac is identified with the Divine attribute of Gevurah, which is usually translated as severity. How does this trait manifest itself?

The Gevurah Personality

Gevurah, is the very opposite of Chesed. Chesed is outward bound. The Chesed individual reaches out to extend a helping hand to another. Chesed oriented individuals are usually extroverted, who seek out people on whom to shower their love and generosity.

Gevurah oriented people, by contrast, are inward bound. No, they are not selfish or self-centered. They do strive to remove any superficial or ulterior motives that may sully the purity of their actions. They, therefore, reach in to themselves, digging deeper and deeper into their soul’s interior to find the pure and unadulterated “waters.” They are naturally inclined to introspection and demanding higher standards for themselves and others. By nature they are also very often harsh and judgmental of others, not because they are cruel or unkind, G-d forbid, but because they seek to purify and help the others discover their inner G-dly nature.

This is why the Torah describes Abraham as one who would constantly travel and meet with others, while Isaac rarely traveled and even when he did, G-d told him to restrict his movements to the Land of Israel. Isaac’s role and legacy to us is to spend time with ourselves and on deepening the level of devotion of others.

While we give precedence to the Abraham model of showing kindness and reaching out to others, we must also devote some time to the Isaac modality of digging deeply within ourselves; peeling away the layers of negativity and superficiality from our and other’s souls, until we find the refreshing pure waters within.

Isaac Will Dominate in the Future

The Talmud relates that in the Messianic Age, the Patriarch who will stand out will be Isaac. Today, in the period of exile that leads to the Messianic Age, we must put the emphasis on the Abraham model of kindness and reaching out, even at the expense of the exercise of “digging wells.” True, the product might not be as pure, but we cannot wait to help another until they are pure. We cannot spend all of our time digging a few wells here and there when we can be reaching countless number of people with the message of Torah and kindness.

With the advent of the Messianic Age, when the light of G-d will pervade the world and the attribute of kindness will extend to all, we will then be able to focus all of our energies to the Isaac modality of gevurah, digging deep to ensure that the purist and holiest energies are exposed. Even the Philistines, who were identified Biblically as the ultimate cynics and skeptics, will concede that the well belongs to Isaac. Even the outsiders (the Hebrew word Philistines is cognate to the word that means to invade) will appreciate the pure and refreshing waters of Torah. And that is the time of which the Psalmist sang: “Then we will fill our mouths with schok-laughter,” the very meaning of the word Isaac-”he will laugh.”

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Toldos by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.