Digging for Secrets

"And Abimelech commanded all his people, saying, 'He that touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death'". (Gen. 26:11) Come and see!! How long G-d refrained from avenging the wicked, for as a result of the good Abimelech did with the first patriarchs [Abraham and Isaac], the children of Israel did not rule over the Philistines until generations later [during the time of King David]. Abimelech did well to act properly toward Isaac, as he said to Abraham, "Now my land is before you: dwell where it pleases you". (Gen. 20:15) [Isaac was included in this, and this counted as merit stood for for Abimelech and his descendants.]

Rabbi Yehuda said: Woe to the wicked whose goodness is not complete. Come and see! Efron first said [to Abraham], "My lord, hear me: the field I give you, and the cave that is in it". (Gen. 23:11) Later he said, "four hundred shekels",(Ibid. 23:14), and then, "and Abraham weighed to Efron...current money with the merchant". (Ibid. 23: 16) Here too, it is written at first "Behold, my land is before you." Then he said "Go from us; for you are much mightier than we". (Ibid. 26:16) Rabbi Elazar said to [Rabbi Yehuda]: This is the goodness that Abimelech did for Isaac. He took nothing from him and sent him away with his money and possessions. Then, he went after him to make a covenant with him.

And Rabbi Elazar said that Isaac did well [in making a covenant with Abimelech so he would not stop him from digging wells that were connected to a great secret that the Shechinah is called a "well". This is connected with two interpretations. Firstly the wells were prepared and dug in order to cause abundance to flow in the world and secondly that Abraham and Isaac symbolize chesed and gevura. They each dug wells, symbolically rectifying the sefira of malchut (the Shechinah) and binding each of their respective attributes to her. Jacob, representing the middle column – the sefira of tiferet – then found that the Shechinah was rectified on both sides, chesed and gevura, and was now ready for union.] Isaac knew the secret of wisdom. He strove and dug a well of water (the secret of the Shechinah] so as to be properly invigorated by faith [to rectify the Shechinah in gevura of Zeir Anpin]. Abraham also strove and dug a well of water [to rectify chesed]. Jacob found it completed and sat by it. [Jacob found them already prepared; since he represented tiferet, it was his job to unite the two in the secret of unification.] All [of the forefathers] went after it [the Shechinah] and strove by it, so as to be strengthened by the true faith, as is proper.

And nowadays, the children of Israel are strengthened by the secret of keeping the commandments of the Torah. Everyday a man is strengthened and enveloped by the commandment of the tzitzit as he also is by the tefilin he puts on his head and arm. This is as it should be, for they are the supernal secret [of rectifying the Shechinah] for G-d dwells with the man who is crowned by tefilin and clothed with tzitzit. All is in the secret of the highest faith.

Therefore, whoever does not wear tzitzit and is not invigorated by tefilin daily, appears as if faith does not dwell with him. The fear of his Master is removed from him, and his prayer is no proper prayer. For this reason, the fathers were strengthened by the supreme faith, since within the supernal well dwells whole faith.

BeRahamim LeHayyim: Why did the Ari and Chida include this section? What do they want us to learn?

Faith. It all depends on faith. Not the "blind faith" bombasted by the self-righteous. Rather, the Faith of Inner Knowledge. Faith is simple. It stands for the most "simple" of the emanations, that of malchut, Nobility. Our ancestors' faith was of the highest supreme quality. "The righteous live by their faith" is the one-sentence summary of how to live in this world. We demonstrate our faith by surrendering our will to G-d. We do mitzvahs first and foremost because we were commanded, and then we achieve a connection higher than we can imagine. For the Divine Will represents the beginning of All, and the most Supreme of Supreme. To nullify our own egos, to realign ourselves with Holiness, the Sky is the limit to what we can achieve. Water in the desert, Clouds sheltering blistering sun, Manna from Heaven. These are the daily gifts that a life of connection can bring forth.

What does the above mean to YOU? And why is the text being revealed to you right NOW?!