VAYEIRA II | וירא ב
Adapted from a sichah delivered on 12 Tammuz, 5714 (1954)
Introduction
It’s natural for a father to desire that his son follow in his footsteps. He derives satisfaction from the fact his son is continuing the path that he charted. However, if a son takes off on a different course, the father and the people close to him begin to wonder: Is the son honoring or rejecting his father’s legacy? The relationship between Avraham and Yitzchak teaches a father to look positively at his son’s choice of a different path in life and the service of G-d, and not judge it as a weakness or cause of concern. The son’s mode and method may diverge from his father’s, but he will share perfect unity with his purpose.
Avraham’s life was defined by boundless outreach. He welcomed strangers into his tent, journeyed to Egypt, and brought an awareness of G-d even to those worshipping dust. Yitzchak, on the other hand, never left the Holy Land. He dug wells rather than host travelers, pursued depth rather than breadth, and focused on elevating what was already present rather than reaching for what was distant.
The lesson we derive from the lives of these patriarchs is that these weren’t competing approaches but complementary paths. Avraham drew G-dliness down into the world; Yitzchak elevated the world to G-dliness. Father and son both brought out different, but equally necessary, elements of Divine service.
This teaching speaks to every person’s spiritual journey. There are times when we must reach out to others and times when we must reach into ourselves. Avraham shows us how to draw down G-dly light into every situation we encounter. And from Yitzchak, we learn to dig deeply into every person and every situation we encounter to bring out the Divine purpose invested therein.
A Father’s Mission, a Son’s Path
The Prerequisite for a Holy Child
1. One of the virtues that Avraham, our forefather, attained through the mitzvah of circumcision is that he then became worthy of fathering Yitzchak. According to the teaching of our Sages,1 Yitzchak had to be born specifically from holy seed. This is also reflected in our Sages’ words regarding Yitzchak,2 “who sanctified the beloved from the womb.”
Therefore, although Avraham was a chariot to G-dliness3 – i.e., he was utterly devoted to G-d’s will, even before the mitzvah of circumcision – at that time, he was still not worthy of fathering Yitzchak. Only when he reached the state of “be[ing] perfect”4 through circumcision could Yitzchak be born.
From this, we also understand that Yitzchak possessed a certain advantage over Avraham, since we do not find that the aforementioned condition was necessary regarding Avraham’s birth. By contrast, Yitzchak’s birth – even after all of Avraham’s previous virtues – could not have occurred until Avraham reached the level of “be[ing] perfect.”
When a Son Charts a Different Course
2. This raises a question: Why did Yitzchak specifically have to be born from holy seed?
The difference between Avraham and Yitzchak is: Avraham’s Divine service involved drawing down G-dliness from above. By contrast, Yitzchak’s Divine service involves elevating the material world from below upward.5
As explained in many Chassidic discourses,6 Avraham’s Divine service was characterized by “love like water” – a love for G-d that is comparable to water. As we say in the prayer for rain recited on Shemini Atzeres, “Remember the father – Avraham – who was drawn after You like water.” The nature of water is to descend downward from above.7 Conversely, Yitzchak’s approach was characterized by love like flames of fire. The nature of fire is that it rises from below upward.
The difference between Avraham and Yitzchak went beyond a divergence in their individual Divine service. It was also reflected in the manner in which they influenced the world.
Avraham drew down G-dliness into the world from above downward, introducing G-dliness into the context of material reality. Yitzchak elevated the world itself. Working from below upward, he made it possible for materiality to become a conduit for G-dliness. This difference is also evident in the way they conducted themselves in their everyday lives, as the Torah relates.
Spreading Spiritual Awareness Through Boundless Hospitality
3. Avraham’s path of drawing down G-dliness from above downward was manifest in his efforts to spread the awareness of G-d to everyone, even those on the lowest levels. He carried out this service in the Land of Canaan – as it existed before its refinement and transformation into Eretz Yisrael – and also in Egypt, a place described as “the nakedness of the land.”8 Moreover, he drew down G-dliness even to Arabs who would bow to the dust of their feet,9 which represents the lowest spiritual level.
(A person’s body is divided into three parts: head, torso, and feet. The feet are the lowest limbs. The dust of the feet is even lower than the feet themselves. Those Arabs were on such a low spiritual level that they bowed to the dust of their feet. In other words, they lowered their heads, i.e., their minds, below the dust of their feet.)
Nevertheless, Avraham, our forefather, devoted himself to drawing down G-dliness even to such people. In this vein, our Sages10 interpret the verse,11 “And he proclaimed there in the name of the L-rd, the eternal G-d”: “Do not read vayikra (‘and he proclaimed’), but rather as vayakri (‘and he caused others to proclaim’).” Avraham’s Divine service involved motivating others to proclaim “the name of the L-rd, the eternal G-d.”12
Just as Avraham’s Divine service involved drawing down G-dliness from above, so too, the means and approach he used to communicate his message reflected this dynamic. As our Sages relate,13 Avraham spread awareness of G-d throughout the world by generously offering hospitality – welcoming guests.
He would receive travelers in the desert and provide them with everything they needed. Then, when they wished to thank him, he would instead tell them to “Bless the One from whose bounty you ate. Give thanks, bless, and praise the One who spoke and brought the world into being.”
Enabling Ascent
4. Yitzchak’s spiritual path – as mentioned earlier – involved ascending from below. Therefore, he was to live in an environment of holiness. Because he was designated as a perfect burnt offering,14 he could have no connection whatsoever to Egypt or to lands outside Eretz Yisrael in general. Even while in Eretz Yisrael, his energies were devoted to digging wells. This activity reflects his path and the manner in which he revealed G-dliness – elevating and lifting up the lower realms. This was representative of Yitzchak’s Divine service as a whole; his spiritual path was characterized by detachment from worldly concerns, ascending from the material, and withdrawing to a loftier realm.
Just as he himself embodied the quality of elevation, he also brought about this same dynamic in the world, transforming it into a conduit that is drawn upwards to G-dliness.15
Uncovering the Living Waters Within
5. As the Torah relates, Yitzchak’s Divine service involved digging wells. This involves revealing the living waters found deep within the earth and drawing them upward. He did not pour living waters there from another place; rather, he revealed the spring water that was already present in that place itself.
In truth, living waters are found everywhere. They are merely covered by earth, mud, and stones. When one removes the covering, the living waters surface.
This also reflected Yitzchak’s spiritual service: removing all the elements that cover and conceal the Divine spark within material reality, and, in that way, making the world a conduit for G-dliness. This path of Divine service exemplified the elevation of the below upward, just as the living waters themselves flow upward from below.
Undeterred by Opposition
6. Yitzchak not only paid no attention to the physical obstacles that covered the living waters, but even more, he was not sidetracked by any opponents who tried to prevent him from digging these wells.
As the Torah relates, when Avimelech’s shepherds came and drove away Yitzchak’s shepherds and stopped up his wells, Yitzchak was not discouraged and ordered his servants to continue digging.
Moreover, although the wells that Yitzchak’s servants had dug were taken from him and were confiscated by the Philistines, even then, Yitzchak was not discouraged and continued digging. Having the wells taken from him was not merely a physical matter. In a deeper sense, it means that the vitality and warmth that he had arduously uncovered were absorbed into the kelipah of the Philistines. [In a spiritual sense, the Philistines (פלשתים) were associated with negative conduct that knows no boundaries, a “thoroughfare that is open (מפולש) on both sides.”]16 Moreover, even after the second well was also taken from him, Yitzchak dug a third, continuing until he reached Rechovos, a state of expansiveness, as indicated by the verse,17 “G-d has granted us ample space (hirchiv lanu), and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
Beyond Reason – Service that Elicits Divine Joy
7. According to logic, there was every reason to be discouraged by Avimelech’s opposition. At a time when Avimelech is the ruler, sitting on his throne and preventing the digging of wells of holiness, and, moreover, the wells that were dug with the greatest effort are taken by Avimelech for himself, ordinary reason would lead one to give up.
However, Yitzchak did not concern himself with any logical calculations. He knew that his mission was to reveal living waters, and he carried out this task with self-sacrifice.
The service of making the world a conduit for G-dliness reaches the true boundlessness of the Ein Sof, (G-d’s ultimate infinity), because through such service, the ultimate Divine intent is fulfilled.18 This is reflected in the reason for Sarah choosing the name Yitzchak, “G-d (Elokim) has generated laughter (tz’chok) for me.”19 The refinement and purification of the elements that conceal the Divine – elements that derive from the name Elokim (א-להים), whose numerical value equals hateva (הטבע “nature,”)20 – is specifically what elicits laughter and delight Above.21
Born to Transcend
8. On this basis, we can understand why Yitzchak specifically had to be born from holy seed.22 Avraham’s inherent spiritual level was Atzilus, the highest spiritual world – that is, G-dliness as manifest within limitation. By fulfilling the charge “be perfect” through the mitzvah of circumcision, he reached the level of “perfection”, which represents G-dliness that transcends Atzilus.23 This generated the possibility for Yitzchak’s Divine service to be carried out without any limitations, not even the limitations of the intellect of holiness.24
Persisting When Logic Says Stop
9. The lesson from this is: Both Avraham and Yitzchak are called the forefathers of every Jew. That implies that every Jew must engage in both types of Divine service: the service of Avraham and the service of Yitzchak.
When a Jew is engaged with Torah, prayer, and fulfilling mitzvos, he finds himself in the luminous four cubits of holiness. At that time, he has nothing to do with the world at large. This is true not only when he is engaged with the two paths of Torah study and prayer, but even when he is engaged with the path of acts of kindness – fulfilling mitzvos – that involve engaging with material things. Nevertheless, even then, he is not dealing with materiality on its own terms; his focus is on fulfilling the supreme will of G-d.
He is merely drawing down G-d’s will into the framework of material things. He is not dealing with the material itself, certainly not with any opponent, and not even with obstacles that cover and conceal G-dliness.
Even a person on such a level must know that this is still not the ultimate purpose of our Divine service. This is merely the service of Avraham and – since Yitzchak is also one of our Patriarchs – we must also carry out Divine service that reflects his lifework,
We must also involve ourselves with those in whom, outwardly, we see nothing more than stones and mud that cover and conceal the living waters. Moreover, we must even engage with those who appear to be opponents of G-dliness, investing effort and developing relationships with people who are outwardly immersed in transgressions committed intentionally and defiantly.
We should invest ourselves in even such people, digging into their depths, removing from them those things that conceal their G-dly spark. We must persist in digging down to their very core, finding the living waters within them, uncovering them, and bringing them to the surface.
One might object: “I already tried digging once and then even again. Not only do I not see any results from my efforts, but moreover, they were counterproductive because the Philistines have taken the wells. Logically, is there any reason to continue digging?”
The answer to this claim is found in the words of the blessing recited at a bris,2 “Who sanctified the beloved from the womb... and his offspring are sealed with the sign of the covenant….” The Divine service of Yitzchak and his children, i.e., all of his descendents, must be carried out without any logical calculations.25 The fact that one has not been successful until now is the realm of G-d’s calculations, and as the Talmud states,26 “Why do you concern yourself with the hidden matters of the Merciful One?”
What is relevant to us is that we must dig and dig until we penetrate down to the living waters. Then, ultimately, we will reach a state where “G-d [will] grant us ample space and we will be fruitful in the land.”27
