Beneath the Surface of Eisav

 

 וַיִּקְרָא אֶת עֵשָׂו בְּנוֹ הַגָּדֹל וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו . . בַּעֲבוּר תְּבָרֶכְךָ נַפְשִׁי בְּטֶרֶם אָמוּת

 "And he summoned his elder son Eisav and he said to him, ..So that I may grant you my soul's blessing before I die."
(Beraishis 27:1-4) .

Beneath the surface of Eisav Yitzchak was blind in his old age, but he couldn't have been completely oblivious to Eisav's unrefined character and conduct. His intentions to bless Eisav, nonetheless, must have been based not only on what he didn't see or know about Eisav, but on what he did see in him. The Torah relates that Yitzchak devoted a lot of energy to digging water wells; he restored old wells and also searched for and developed several new sources for fresh water.

Chassidus explains that this was not a meaningless detail in Yitzchak's life, but a reflection of his distinctive nature, and his unique path in the service of G-d. Digging wells was Yitzchak's calling. Where others saw dirt and gravel, Yitzchak dug deeply to reveal springs of life-giving water that ran beneath the earth. In spiritual terms, this means that Yitzchak devoted himself to refining the unrefined, unearthing and cultivating the potential within all of creation to recognize its G-dly source.

 This explains why Yitzchak desired to bless Eisav. Despite Eisav's disreputable behavior, Yitzchak had the ability to see the great spiritual potential associated with his soul. Yitzchak hoped that his powerful blessings would successfully excavate the spiritual treasures that lie hidden in his child.

 Today, there are no Eisavs. But like Yitzchak, who labored to reveal the connection to G-d buried even within the wicked Eisav, we too must endeavor to affect and draw near those who seem distant from the life-giving waters of the Torah, revealing within them their precious and vital connection to the Source of Life.
Likutei Sichos vol. 15, pp. 195-98