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Save "Toldot ~ the tzadik and the 100 gates"
Toldot ~ the tzadik and the 100 gates

(ו) וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִצְחָ֖ק בִּגְרָֽר׃ (ז) וַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא כִּ֤י יָרֵא֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֔י פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה כִּֽי־טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽוא׃ (ח) וַיְהִ֗י כִּ֣י אָֽרְכוּ־ל֥וֹ שָׁם֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים בְּעַ֖ד הַֽחַלּ֑וֹן וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה יִצְחָק֙ מְצַחֵ֔ק אֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ (ט) וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְיִצְחָ֗ק וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַ֣ךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ הִ֔וא וְאֵ֥יךְ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ יִצְחָ֔ק כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת עָלֶֽיהָ׃ (י) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ כִּ֠מְעַ֠ט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם׃ (יא) וַיְצַ֣ו אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ אֶת־כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃ (יב) וַיִּזְרַ֤ע יִצְחָק֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיִּמְצָ֛א בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַהִ֖וא מֵאָ֣ה שְׁעָרִ֑ים וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ ה׳׃ (יג) וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙ וְגָדֵ֔ל עַ֥ד כִּֽי־גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד׃ (יד) וַֽיְהִי־ל֤וֹ מִקְנֵה־צֹאן֙ וּמִקְנֵ֣ה בָקָ֔ר וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֑ה וַיְקַנְא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ (טו) וְכׇל־הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י אָבִ֔יו בִּימֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יו סִתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיְמַלְא֖וּם עָפָֽר׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל־יִצְחָ֑ק לֵ֚ךְ מֵֽעִמָּ֔נוּ כִּֽי־עָצַ֥מְתָּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מְאֹֽד׃ (יז) וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֖ם יִצְחָ֑ק וַיִּ֥חַן בְּנַֽחַל־גְּרָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב שָֽׁם׃ (יח) וַיָּ֨שׇׁב יִצְחָ֜ק וַיַּחְפֹּ֣ר ׀ אֶת־בְּאֵרֹ֣ת הַמַּ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָֽפְרוּ֙ בִּימֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יו וַיְסַתְּמ֣וּם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶן֙ שֵׁמ֔וֹת כַּשֵּׁמֹ֕ת אֲשֶׁר־קָרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ן אָבִֽיו׃ (יט) וַיַּחְפְּר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־יִצְחָ֖ק בַּנָּ֑חַל וַיִּ֨מְצְאוּ־שָׁ֔ם בְּאֵ֖ר מַ֥יִם חַיִּֽים׃ (כ) וַיָּרִ֜יבוּ רֹעֵ֣י גְרָ֗ר עִם־רֹעֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק לֵאמֹ֖ר לָ֣נוּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּקְרָ֤א שֵֽׁם־הַבְּאֵר֙ עֵ֔שֶׂק כִּ֥י הִֽתְעַשְּׂק֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ׃ (כא) וַֽיַּחְפְּרוּ֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וַיָּרִ֖יבוּ גַּם־עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמָ֖הּ שִׂטְנָֽה׃ (כב) וַיַּעְתֵּ֣ק מִשָּׁ֗ם וַיַּחְפֹּר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר אַחֶ֔רֶת וְלֹ֥א רָב֖וּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ רְחֹב֔וֹת וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־עַתָּ֞ה הִרְחִ֧יב ה׳ לָ֖נוּ וּפָרִ֥ינוּ בָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כג) וַיַּ֥עַל מִשָּׁ֖ם בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃ (כד) וַיֵּרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו ה׳ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָנֹכִ֕י אֱלֹקֵ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֑יךָ אַל־תִּירָא֙ כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֣ אָנֹ֔כִי וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יךָ֙ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֣י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֔ בַּעֲב֖וּר אַבְרָהָ֥ם עַבְדִּֽי׃ (כה) וַיִּ֧בֶן שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֗חַ וַיִּקְרָא֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם ה׳ וַיֶּט־שָׁ֖ם אׇהֳל֑וֹ וַיִּכְרוּ־שָׁ֥ם עַבְדֵי־יִצְחָ֖ק בְּאֵֽר׃ (כו) וַאֲבִימֶ֕לֶךְ הָלַ֥ךְ אֵלָ֖יו מִגְּרָ֑ר וַאֲחֻזַּת֙ מֵֽרֵעֵ֔הוּ וּפִיכֹ֖ל שַׂר־צְבָאֽוֹ׃ (כז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ יִצְחָ֔ק מַדּ֖וּעַ בָּאתֶ֣ם אֵלָ֑י וְאַתֶּם֙ שְׂנֵאתֶ֣ם אֹתִ֔י וַתְּשַׁלְּח֖וּנִי מֵאִתְּכֶֽם׃ (כח) וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ רָא֣וֹ רָאִ֘ינוּ֮ כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה ה׳ ׀ עִמָּךְ֒ וַנֹּ֗אמֶר תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א אָלָ֛ה בֵּינוֹתֵ֖ינוּ בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה בְרִ֖ית עִמָּֽךְ׃ (כט) אִם־תַּעֲשֵׂ֨ה עִמָּ֜נוּ רָעָ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א נְגַֽעֲנ֔וּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשִׂ֤ינוּ עִמְּךָ֙ רַק־ט֔וֹב וַנְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֖ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם אַתָּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה בְּר֥וּךְ ה׳׃ (ל) וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וַיֹּאכְל֖וּ וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃ (לא) וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ לְאָחִ֑יו וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֣ם יִצְחָ֔ק וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ מֵאִתּ֖וֹ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (לב) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י יִצְחָ֔ק וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ ל֔וֹ עַל־אֹד֥וֹת הַבְּאֵ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑רוּ וַיֹּ֥אמְרוּ ל֖וֹ מָצָ֥אנוּ מָֽיִם׃ (לג) וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ שִׁבְעָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֤ן שֵׁם־הָעִיר֙ בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ {ס}

(6) So Isaac stayed in Gerar. (7) When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say “my wife,” thinking, “The local leaders might kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful.” (8) When some time had passed, Abimelech king of the Philistines, looking out of the window, saw Isaac fondling his wife Rebekah. (9) Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is your wife! Why then did you say: ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.” (10) Abimelech said, “What have you done to us! One of the people might have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” (11) Abimelech then charged all the people, saying, “Anyone who molests this man or his wife shall be put to death.” (12) Isaac sowed in that land and reaped a hundredfold the same year. ה׳ blessed him, (13) and the man grew richer and richer until he was very wealthy: (14) he acquired flocks and herds, and a large household, so that the Philistines envied him. (15) And the Philistines stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, filling them with earth. (16) And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you have become far too big for us.” (17) So Isaac departed from there and encamped in Nahal Gerar, where he settled. (18) Isaac dug anew the wells which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham and which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham’s death; and he gave them the same names that his father had given them. (19) But when Isaac’s servants, digging in the wadi, found there a well of spring water, (20) the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” He named that well Esek, (contention) because they contended with him. (21) And when they dug another well, they disputed over that one also; so he named it Sitnah (harassment). (22) He moved from there and dug yet another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he called it Rehovot (large spaces), saying, “Now at last Ad-nai has granted us ample space to increase in the land.” (23) From there he went up to Be'er-sheva. (24) That night Ad-nai appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Fear not, for I am with you, and I will bless you and increase your offspring for the sake of My servant Abraham.” (25) So he built an altar there and invoked Ad-nai by name. Isaac pitched his tent there and his servants started digging a well. (26) And Abimelech came to him from Gerar, with Ahuzat his councilor and Pikhol chief of his troops. (27) Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you have been hostile to me and have driven me away from you?” (28) And they said, “We now see plainly that Ad-nai has been with you, and we thought: Let there be a sworn treaty between our two parties, between you and us. Let us make a pact with you (29) that you will not do us harm, just as we have not molested you but have always dealt kindly with you and sent you away in peace. From now on, be you blessed of Ad-nai!" (30) Then he made for them a feast, and they ate and drank. (31) Early in the morning, they exchanged oaths. Isaac then bade them farewell, and they departed from him in peace. (32) That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water!” (33) He named it Shiv'ah (oath or seven); so the name of the city is Be'er-sheva to this day.

~ This is a rich chapter, that inspires naming: Meah Shearim (1874) and Ahad HaAm (1856-1927, adopted the name on 1886).

~ What do you make of Isaac's actions regarding the wells of Avraham?

~ How many new wells are we reading about in this story?

~ This is the second naming of Be'er Sheva. The first one was also with an oath involving Avimelech and Pichol, that time involving Avraham.

(א) וישב ויחפר. הַבְּאֵרוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָפְרוּ בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיו וּפְלִשְׁתִּים סִתְּמוּם, מִקֹּדֶם שֶׁנָּסַע יִצְחָק מִגְּרָר, חָזַר וַחֲפָרָן:

(1) וישב ויחפר AND ISAAC DIGGED AGAIN — those wells which they had dug in the days of his father Abraham and which the Philistines had stopped up, [this was] before Isaac left Gerar, he came back and dug them.

~ What is Rashi pointing out regarding the chronology of the story?

(יא) א֭וֹר זָרֻ֣עַ לַצַּדִּ֑יק וּֽלְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵ֥ב שִׂמְחָֽה׃

(11) Light is sown for the righteous, joy for the upright in heart.

ויזרע יצחק בארץ ההיא כו'. דהנה דוד המלך ע"ה אמר "אור זרוע לצדיק כו'", יש לפרש דאור הוא זרוע אצל הצדיק, דהיינו הקדושה והאור שבו הוא כמו זריעה שעושה פירות, שהוא גורם בקדושתו התעוררות יראה על כל העולם וזורע בבני אדם האור הקדושה, "ולישרי לב שמחה" ר"ל ואותם שאינם רק ישרי לב, יש להם מדרגת שמחה, דהיינו שבני אדם שמחים עמהם בראותם אותם, אבל אינם יכולים להזריע אורות קדושות באחרים. וזהו "ויזרע יצחק בארץ ההיא" כנ"ל, שהזריע בבני אדם יראה וקדושה, "וימצא בשנה ההיא מאה שערים", דחייב אדם לברך מאה ברכות בכל יום. והם נתקנו נגד מאה נפשות שהיו מתים בכל יום ותיקן דוד המלך ע"ה נגדם מאה ברכות, והצדיק הזה המזריע קדושה ויראה בבני אדם הרי הוא כאילו מחיה אותם, ועל ידי זה הוא גורם תיקון למאה שערים הידועים, כי לכל איש ואיש יש שער מיוחד לו, והמקיימו הוא מתקן אותו השער המיוחד.

And Yitzchak sowed in that land and attained 100 measures (Gen. 26:12) - behold, King David PBUH said: "a light is sown for the righteous" (Ps. 97:11). One can explain that the light is sown in the tzadik's sphere, that is, the light and the holiness that are in the tzadik are like a seedling that makes fruit, since the tzadik causes the awakening of awe in all the world because of the tzadik's holiness, and the light of holiness is sown in people. "And joy for the upright in heart" - meaning, and for those, who are merely upright in heart, they have the level of joy, meaning, that all humans are joyful when they see them, yet they can't sow holy lights on others. And this is "Yitzchak sowed in that land", as we explained, he sowed awe and holiness inside people. "And he attained one hundred measures" since a person is obligated to say a hundred blessings every day. And they correspond to the hundred people that died every day, and King David PBUH established one hundred blessings corresponding to them. This tzadik, sowing awe in people, is as if he was giving them life. Through this he caused a fixing to the known 100 gates, since every person has their own gate, and one who sustains a person fixes that person's specific gate.

~ Commentaries on the Talmud (Rashi on Deut. 10:12, Tosafot on Menachot 43b) talk about our obligation of saying 100 brachot every day. Later commentators (Maadaney Yom Tov on Brachot, quoting Natronai Gaon) connect that with the idea that during King David's time a plague was killed 100 people every day, until the obligation of 100 blessings a day was established.

~ The Noam Elimelech offers a reading in which Itzchak is a symbol for the tzadik.

~ How does the Noam Elimelech read this question regarding the 100 measures/gates and the tzadik?

~ What is the tzadik's main job in the world? How do you think a tzadik goes about doing that?

"וכל הבארות אשר חפרו עבדי אברהם כו'", ולכאורה האיך מקושר הפסוק הזה לכאן? וגם מה בא להשמיענו בזה? וגם יש לדקדק שאמר לו אבימלך לך מאתנו כו', ונאמר בפסוק וילך משם יצחק ויחן בנחל גרר, ונמצא איך מובן הפסוק וישב ויחפור את בארות המים כו' הלא הלך משם. ורש"י ז"ל הרגיש בזה ע"ש. ועל פי דרכינו הנ"ל הורה לנו התורה הקדושה דרכי בני אדם הנתעוררים ביראה ע"י הצדיק. ואח"כ אם תסור מהם היראה ע"י שלא התמידו עליה בתמידות להתגבר בדרכי השם, אזי נדמה להם שהם יראים ושלימים יותר מהצדיקים העובדים באמת, וזהו הפירוש כאן, שראו שיצחק היה מתגבר ביראתו וקדושתו, היה נדמה להם שאין מעשיו כראוי ואינם כמעשיהם שהם טובים ממנו, וזה הטעות בא להם מחמת שהחזיקו ביראה בימי אברהם ואח"כ היו נרפים ממנה, וזהו שאמר הכתוב "וכל הבארות" דהיינו מעיינות היראה והקדושה אשר נתעוררו ונחפרו ונפתחו ע"י אברהם אביו, "סתמום פלשתים" דהיינו אח"כ נסתם מהם המעיינות היראה, "וימלאום עפר" ר"ל בגשמיות, [שמילאו] את היראה במצות אנשים מלומדה.

"And all the wells that the servants of Avraham had dug" (Gen. 26:15) - at a first glance, how does this verse connected to this part? And also - what does this come to teach us? And we also have to understand why Avimelech said to him "go from us" (Gen. 26:16). And the verse says "And Itzchak went from there, and encamped in the river Gerar and settled there" (Gen. 26:17). And we need to understand how the verse understands that he settled and dug the wells, etc, wasn't he gone from there? And Rashi felt something here, see his commentary. And according to our way, the holy Torah is teaching us the ways of the people who are awakened to awe through the tzadik. And after that, if awe leaves them due to the fact that they were not persistent with it, with the clear goal of conquering the ways of Hashem, then it looks to them that they are full of awe, and even more complete than the tzadikim that serve God in truth, and this is the explanation for here. They saw that Yitzchak was conquering his awe and his holiness, and it appeared to them that his deeds were not proper, and were not like their own deeds, which were better than his. This mistake came to them because they stuck with the awe from the days of Avraham, and after that, they were exhausted due to it, and this is what the Text says "all the wells", meaning, the springs of awe and holiness that were awakened and dug and opened through Avraham Avinu, "the Philistines had stopped up" meaning, after that the springs of awe were stopped up "filled them with dust" meaning, with physicality, that is, people had lost the awe when doing mitzvot, as they did them just as a matter of course.

~ Just as Yitzchak is a symbol for the tzadik, the Philistines are also a symbol. Of whom?

~ What is the relationship of the "Philistines" with the awe of Avraham? Are the deeds of the "Philistines" really better than Yitzchak's? What is Yitzchak to do?

~ What is the danger, to us as observant Jews, that the Noam is pointing out?

לכן "ויאמר אבימלך לך מעמנו כי עצמת כו'", ר"ל שהיה נראה להם יראת יצחק דבר חדש ותימה ואינו מתוקן כמעשיהם, מה עשה יצחק? "וילך משם ויחן בנחל", דהנה צדיק הנ"ל שיש לו אור גדול בכדי שיוכל להזריע באחרים, אזי עליו הדבר מוטל להתאמץ בכל אופן בכל יכולתו כדי להכניס יראה בלב בני אדם.

Therefore "and Avimelech said 'go from us because you have grown too much' etc" (Gen. 26:16) - meaning, that the awe of Yitzchak was seen by them as a new thing. And is this surprising? Yitzchak's deeds were not conforming to their deeds from the outset. What did Yitzchak do? "he went from there and encamped in Nahal" - since the tzadik, who has a great light to the point that the tzadik can sow it in others, then it is on the tzadik to strengthen him/her/themselves in any way possible, with all their ability, so as to introduce awe in the hearts of people.

~ How does the Noam Elimelech teach that the tzadik has to be a non-conformist?

(לג) וְכִֽי־יִפְתַּ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ בּ֗וֹר א֠וֹ כִּֽי־יִכְרֶ֥ה אִ֛ישׁ בֹּ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יְכַסֶּ֑נּוּ וְנָֽפַל־שָׁ֥מָּה שּׁ֖וֹר א֥וֹ חֲמֽוֹר׃ (לד) בַּ֤עַל הַבּוֹר֙ יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם כֶּ֖סֶף יָשִׁ֣יב לִבְעָלָ֑יו וְהַמֵּ֖ת יִֽהְיֶה־לּֽוֹ׃ {ס}

(33) If a person uncovers a pit/well, or if any person digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, (34) the one responsible for the pit must make restitution—paying the price to the owner, but keeping the dead animal.

וזה יש לומר רמז הכתוב "כי יפתח איש בור כו'", "כי" הוא לשון "אשר", דהיינו שהחיוב מוטל על הצדיק הנקרא "איש" שיפתח את ה"בור", רמז למעייני היראה והקדושה, לפתוח לבות בני אדם ביראה וקדושה רבה, "או כי יכרה איש בור", "יכרה" הוא לשון חפירה, שמתחיל לחפור ולחקוק בלבות בני אדם יראה וקדושה, "ונפל שמה שור או חמור" ר"ל אז בוודאי יפול שמה הקליפות, "בעל הבור ישלם" ר"ל זה שכרו של הצדיק הזה, שהשי"ת ב"ה שהוא בעל ואדון לכל הקדושות והיראות ישלם לו שכרו לעוה"ב, ולא עוד אלא "כסף ישיב לבעליו" פירוש דגם זה שכרו, שהיראה והקדושה הזאת שגורם לבני אדם תשוב אליו ויוסיף בו עוד יראה ואהבה ותשוקה לעבודתו ית"ש, וזהו "כסף" כו' לשון נכסף נכספת, דהיינו התשוקה והאהבה ישיב לבעליו. ועל דרך הזה פרשתי "דברים היוצאין מן הלב נכנסים ללב", פירוש לאותו לב עצמו שיצאו ממנו באמת, אותן הדברים חוזרים ונכנסים בלבו ומוסיפים לו עוד קדושה. ומקשו בגמרא "אם על הפתיחה חייב על הכרייה לא כל שכן", פירושו לפי דרכינו הנ"ל, אם החיוב על הצדיק לפתוח לבות בני אדם במעייני היראה כ"ש על הכריה, ומשני "להביא כורה אחר כורה", דהיינו אם בפעם אחד לא יפעול לעורר לבם, יחזור ויוכיח ע"ד הוכח תוכיח.

And regarding this one should point out that there is a hint in the Text "if a person uncovers a well" (Ex. 21:33) - 'if' implies the expression 'when' that is, the obligation is with the tzadik, who is called 'person', that uncovers a "well" which is a hint to the springs of awe and holiness, to open the hearts of people in greater awe and holiness. "Or when a person digs a well" - "dig" is an expression of excavation, that one begins excavating and carving into the hearts of people awe and holiness. "And a bull or a donkey falls into it" - meaning that then obviously the externalities (kelipot) will fall in it. "The owner of the well will pay", meaning, this is the reward of the tzadik, that the Holy One of Blessing, the owner and master of all holiness and awe, will reward the tzadik in the world to come. And not only that but also "the worth in silver will pay to the owner" meaning that this is also the reward, that this awe and this holiness that cause people to return to God, and add more awe and love and desire to serve God, and this is "silver" [kesef] from the expression "truly longing for" [nikhsof nikhsafta, see Gen. 31:30] that is, the desire and the love go back to the Owner. And it is through this that I explained "words that come from the heart enter in the heart": they enter back into they heart from which they came in truth, those words come back and enter the heart, and add to the heart more holiness. And in the Gemara (Bava Kamma 50a) they asked a difficult question: "if regarding the uncovering of a well there is obligation, all the more so there should be obligation for digging one!" this can be understood as we explained above, if the obligation of the tzadik is to open the hearts of the people with/in the springs of awe, all the more so it is to dig. "To bring a digger after a digger" (Bava Kamma 50a) meaning, if at the first time the tzadik is unable to awaken the heart, the tzadik should go back and try, through the way "you will surely admonish" (Lev. 19:17).

~ The Noam connects the tzadik's being in the world with the concept of obligation towards others. In the web of responsibility, where is the tzadik, according to the Noam Elimelech?

~ What is the difference between uncovering the well of awe and holiness, and digging a well of awe and holiness?

~ Note the connection of "truly longing" with the story of Yaakov running away from Lavan and Yedid Nefesh: uncovering the desire for Home.

וזהו "ויחן בנחל גרר" ר"ל כאשר ראה יצחק שאינם פונים אל יראתו ללמוד ממנו, היה הוא מתגבר והולך בקדושתו עד הנחל העליון שהוא נחל ה׳ והמשיך משם יראה והתעוררות עליהם, כי כן דרך הצדיק להמשיך התעוררות יראה רוממות מעולמות העליונים על כל בני אדם, וזהו "וישב יצחק ויחפור את בארות המים אשר חפרו בימי אברהם ויסתמום פלשתים", היה הוא חוזר והעיר את רוחם ביראה שלימה, והעיר היראה הקודמת שהכניס בהם אברהם אבינו ע"ה.

And this is "and he encamped in Nahal Gerar" (Gen. 26:17)- meaning, when Yitzchak saw that they did not turn to his awe to learn from him, he strengthened himself and continued in his holiness until the Upper River, which is the River of the Living Presence, and continued from there to show awe and to awaken them, as it is the way of the tzadik to continue the awakening of awe, the [awareness of] the exaltedness of the Higher Worlds to all human beings. And this is "and Yitzchak encamped, and he dug the wells of water that were dug in the days of Avraham and the Philistines stopped up": he went back and awakened their spirits in complete awe, and awakened the previous awe that Avraham Avinu PBUH inserted in them.

~ Can the tzadik give up on people?

~ How is Yitzchak both an ongoing and a renewing force, in this reading?

או יאמר "ויזרע יצחק בארץ כו' מאה שערים", רמז לעולמות העליונים כאשר מבואר לעיל, דהיינו ע"י שהיה משפיע לעולמות העליונים, "ויברכהו ה׳", עי"ז היה גורם שיתברך ע"י השם הקדוש, דעיקר ההשפעות באים ע"י שם הקדוש, וזהו "תהילה לדוד ארוממך כו'", פירוש ע"י שאני מרומם אותך וגורם השפעה בעולמות, עי"ז "ואברכה שמך לעולם" אני גורם שיתברך שמך להשפיע ע"י השם הקדוש. וק"ל.

Or, one could say: "Yitzchak sowed in that land etc one hundred gates" (Genesis 26:12) - this is a hint to the Upper Worlds, as explained above, meaning that he was influencing the Upper Worlds, "and Ad-nai blessed him" through this he was able to cause himself to be blessed through the Holy Name, since the essence of the Flows come through the Holy Name, and this is "a psalm of David, I will exalt You etc" (Ps. 145), meaning, through my exalting You and causing the Flow [to flow] on the worlds, through this "I will bless Your Name forever" - I cause Your Name to be blessed so as to influence through the Holy Name. And this is easy to understand.

~ How does the work of the tzadik, of awakening or uncovering or digging awe and holiness in the hearts of people affect the upper worlds, according to the Noam Elimelech?

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