Sign up for Weekday J and get the latest on what's happening in the Jewish Bay Area.

The Torah column is supported by a generous donation from Eve Gordon-Ramek in memory of Kenneth Gordon.

Rosh Hashanah
Genesis 21:1-34
Genesis 22:1-24

This past year has been a difficult one for the Jewish people, and for Israel. But as we reflect on these struggles, it’s worth looking at a source as ancient as it is relevant: the Torah readings for Rosh Hashanah. One story in particular stands out: the episode of Abraham’s wells.

In the ancient world, wells were everything. They weren’t just a source of water; they were the lifeblood of communities. Water was survival — for people, crops and livestock. Without it, life couldn’t thrive.

It was this precious resource that led to conflict, as others sought to claim it for themselves.

When Abimelech’s men seized one of Abraham’s wells, Abraham did not yield. He turned to Abimelech, confronted the injustice, and the well was restored to him.

But that wasn’t the end. As time passed, Isaac, Abraham’s son, prospered greatly. His success, however, did not bring him peace. The Philistines, seeing his prosperity, were consumed by envy. The Torah succinctly captures it: “And the Philistines envied him.”

And here lies the critical turning point.

Instead of digging wells of their own — an act that would have required initiative and effort — the Philistines chose a path of destruction. They filled Isaac’s wells with dirt, blocking them entirely.

This ancient narrative isn’t just a story about wells. It’s a timeless commentary on human nature. In every age, we see the same dynamic. When faced with the achievements of others, there are those who rise to the challenge, who strive to build something better. And then there are those who, driven by envy, choose to tear down what others have created, finding a perverse satisfaction in destruction rather than creation.

Antisemitism, has often been fueled by this very impulse. The accomplishments of the Jewish people, from Abraham and Isaac to the modern state of Israel, have too often been met with resentment rather than respect.

This ancient narrative isn’t just a story about wells. It’s a timeless commentary on human nature.

Today, we see it in the actions of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah — entities that could work toward building thriving societies but instead direct their energies toward the destruction of Israel.

George Gilder, a respected economist who isn’t Jewish, explores this in his book “The Israel Test.” He poses a question: How do you respond to Israel’s success? Do you admire it, or do you resent it? Gilder says that your answer will determine whether you succeed or fail. Those who resent Israel’s achievements are destined to fail — morally, economically and socially. But those who admire and seek to emulate Israel are on the path to creating their own thriving, prosperous societies.

The story of Abraham’s wells is not merely a tale of individual perseverance; it is a reflection on the Jewish experience itself. Abraham and Isaac’s commitment to building, even in the face of obstruction and envy, mirrors the enduring resilience of the Jewish people throughout history. For centuries, Jews have faced forces that sought to destroy their achievements, yet they have continued to dig deeper, to rebuild and to thrive.

It is an iron law of history that civilizations rise, achieve greatness and then, inevitably, decline. But Judaism is the exception to that rule. For while others build monuments of stone and empires of power, Judaism builds something far more enduring: communities of faith, families of learning and a covenant of responsibility to the future.

The wells of Abraham and Isaac were not merely physical. They were symbols of life itself — of renewal in the face of hardship and of hope in the face of despair. The Jewish people have always been well-diggers, finding new sources of life, even when others sought to bury them.

Today, Israel stands as a living testament to that ancient truth. Surrounded by threats, facing adversaries who seek its destruction, Israel responds not with despair but with hope, not by retreating but by building.

Just as our ancestors redug the wells, Israel today redigs the wells of creativity, innovation and faith. It is a nation that defies the odds, turning obstacles into opportunities and adversity into strength.

The wells of life and hope still flow in Israel, reminding us all that, with faith and determination, there is no limit to what can be achieved.