ספר בראשית

With G-d's Blessing

"And he saw, and behold, there was a well in the field" (Bereishis 29:2). The phrase "and he saw" seems redundant; it could have simply stated, "And there was a well in the field." However, the stone covering the well symbolizes the evil inclination, which blinds us and blocks the Torah's life-giving water. This obstruction prevents us from seeing the water except during special times when the well's opening is revealed.When we gather for the sake of Heaven, as the pasuk states, "They (the shepherds) would gather together and unroll the stone from the well," unity overcomes the evil inclination. Similarly, on Shabbos, when all creation is unified, the well's opening is revealed. One of the ten things created on Erev Shabbos was the "mouth of the well," symbolizing this revelation. Yaakov, representing the unity of Bnei Yisrael, existed in a state of unification, with his form carved below the Heavenly throne. Therefore, he could unroll the stone, seeing through the confusion of the evil inclination.The Torah emphasizes "and he saw the well" to highlight Yaakov's elevated state. The pasuk in Yeshaya (58:13), "If you refrain from trampling the Shabbos...", signifies the elevation from lower stages to higher stages on Shabbos. Yaakov’s journey to the land of Bnei Kedem alludes to the gate in the Beis Hamikdash facing “Kedem,” which remained closed during the week but opened on Shabbos. The heavy stone on the well represents the days of the week, which receive sustenance from Shabbos, hiding all blessings within them.