Thursday, November 8, 2018

To Bring Out The Potential

It is quite interesting that all the Torah records in great detail all the events regarding Yitzchak's digging of wells.  Why is this the hallmark of Yitzchak?  Why is it that only in regard to Yitzchak that he has a special blessing that his field produced extra crops?  The first time we find Yitzchak praying (in last week's parsha) the Torah uses the terminology of שיחה.  Why is that language used to describe his prayer?
The power of Yitzchak was in the middah of gevurah.  The ability of gevurah is to bring out the potential that exists within the person.  The language of שיחה, explains Rav Kook (in his commentary to Berochos 26b) is related to the word שיחים, grass and vegetation.  The growth of vegetation is the outgrowth of the potential put into the ground.  Similarly, the prayer service of mincha instituted by Yitzchak, comes at the end of the day when generally the daily troubles are coming to an end and the bottled up holy emotions within a person can come to the surface.
It is this ability to bring out potential that is represented by Yitzchak's digging of the wells.  When one digs a well they bring out the water stream that exists underground to come above ground.  Besides the physical digging of the wells the Torah is describing the entire avodah of Yitzchak which was to bring to fruition all the abilities that a person already has within himself.
That's why it is specifically Yitzchak who we are told about that he had a special bracha in the growth of his field for it is Yitzchak who had this ability to bring out the potential of the field to fruition (based upon intro. to Otzar Mifarsha Hatalmud on Challah by Rav Yonason David.)     

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