Keep Digging!

Are you having a rough day? Keep digging!
Had a setback? Keep digging!
Things are going great? Keep digging!

There are many paths in life and many roads to G-d.  The commitment to digging is not always the preferred solution.  But some people are called upon to respond in this manner and others are hard wired for this approach.

Our forefather Isaac was spiritually hard wired to be a digger.  That is why Yitzchak’s profession in life and the few stories about him revolve around well digging. 

While Abraham’s approach was positive and abundant, Isaac had to dig to uncover the riches in the earth.

Sometimes we don’t naturally see the purpose in our business challenges.  Keep digging! Dig for the Mitzvah that is found in the workplace.

Sometimes we face challenges in relationships at home. Keep digging! Look for opportunities to enhance the purity of your marriage, enhance your Shalom Bayis, and put a mezuzah on your door.

Sometimes anxiety, self doubt, darkness surrounds us.  Keep digging! Anchor your day with morning Tefillin, or anchor your week with Shabbos candles.

And sometimes you slip up and have a set back.  Keep digging! It’s G-d’s way of telling you there are more gems to be found. You just need to keep digging. And if you find yourself at a place of peace, help someone else dig.

One of my favorite stories of the Rebbe is this one:

A hippie once came to a farbrengen in the 1950’s.  He stood in the doorway at the entrance to the gathering of a couple hundred people packed into a space with max capacity of 50.

At the intervals of farbrengens it is customary for the Rebbe to speak to individuals and for them in turn to speak to the Rebbe.

The motions to the hippie to come over to him. Asked him his name and he said Isaac. The Rebbe asked him what his Jewish name is? He answered that he doesn’t know but he was named for one of the Jewish forefathers. The Rebbe then clarified that his Hebrew name was Yitzchak. 

The Rebbe asked, “do you know what Yitzchak did? He dug wells. 

Isaac responded, “really? I thought he was a holy man. 

He dug wells meaning he uncovered the reservoirs that are in the earth.  Just as the earth contains treasures, precious minerals, stones and resources, so too Yitzchak’s job was to uncover the treasures found inside each human bing.

The Rebbe proceeded to tell Yitzchak that his job in life was to be a well digger. 

Isaac asked, “should I leave college and do it full time?”

The Rebbe replied. “no. However, when you meet someone who doesn’t put on Tefillin encourage them to do so (and encourage others to observe other Mitzvos”.

Isaac then says, “but I don’t put on Tefillin?!

The Rebbe replied, “why should that person miss out on this opportunity because you don’t put on Tefillin?”

Each of us have a purpose in this life.  We are not perfect but as long as we are on the journey we have the ability to make an impact.  To uncover the preciousness inside another. 

And if we feel we lack what it takes to be a good steward of this job, well, we can only look inward and grow to the task.

Have a great Shabbos!

(Thank you to Rabbi Dov Drizin for the Torah idea and my daughter Mira for bringing it to mind.)

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