Wells and mitzvos reveal the inner point

בזוה"ק על ענין הבארות ונחך ה' תמיד כו'.

In the Zohar HaKadosh, regarding the matter of the wells (be'eros), [and the verse] "And Hashem will guide you continually (tamid)…"

The Sefas Emes opens by connecting the Zohar's treatment of Yitzchak's wells to the verse promising Hashem's continual guidance.

ושיכולין עתה לתקן במצות ציצית ותפילין ג"כ זה.

And that we are able now to accomplish this rectification (tikkun) as well, through the mitzvos of tzitzis and tefillin.

What the Avos achieved through digging wells, we can now achieve through mitzvos like tzitzis and tefillin.

דהנה בכל דבר יש נקודה פנימיות ונק' תמיד.

For behold, in every thing there is an inner point (nekudah penimiyus), and it is called "tamid" (continual).

Within everything lies a hidden inner point of Divine vitality, which is termed "tamid" because it never ceases.

וע"ז נא' מחדש בכ"י תמיד מ"ב.

And about this it is said, "He renews in His goodness each day, continually (tamid), the work of Creation (ma'aseh Bereishis)."

This inner point is the channel through which Hashem continually renews creation every single day.

ונק' מנוחה כי שם שורש הכל שממקום זה מתפרדין אח"כ כ"ד כפי כח התפשטות שלו.

And it is called "rest" (menuchah), for there is the root of everything, from which place [all things] then branch off, each according to its power of expansion.

This inner point is a place of "rest" because it is the unified root from which all the diverse forces of creation spread out, each to its own measure.

אך כפי מה שאדם דבוק בשורש מקומו הנ"ל כמו כן יכול להרחיב התפשטות זאת הנקודה.

But according to how much a person is attached to the root of his place mentioned above, so too is he able to widen the expansion of this point.

The more deeply a person cleaves to that inner root, the more he can extend and spread the influence of this holy point outward.

וג"כ זה אמת שכפי מה שמתפשטת זאת הנקודה יותר נפתח מקור המעיין.

And this too is true: that the more this point expands, the more the source of the wellspring (mekor hama'ayan) opens up.

There is a reciprocal flow: spreading the inner point outward causes its very source to open and flow more abundantly.

וע"ז נאמר ברחובות תתן קולה במקום שמרחיבין אותה כו'.

And about this it is said, "in the broad places (rechovos) she gives forth her voice" — in the place where they widen her…

Wisdom "gives forth her voice" precisely where there is breadth — where the inner point is expanded and broadened.

וכן ענין הבאר שמה ששואבין בו יותר נפתח יותר מקור המעיין כנ"ל.

And likewise the matter of the well: the more one draws from it, the more the source of the wellspring opens up, as above.

A well behaves the same way — the more water is drawn, the more freely its source flows.

וזה הי' עבודת האבות לפרסם כבוד מלכותו ית'.

And this was the avodah of the Avos: to publicize the honor of His kingship (kvod malchuso).

The Avos' lifework of digging wells was really the spiritual work of revealing and spreading awareness of Hashem's sovereignty in the world.

וזה עצמו ניתן לנו ע"י המצות שאין דבר בעולם שלא יהי' בו מצוה אחת וע"י המצוה נמשך לה ממקור החיות שפע קדושה כנ"ל.

And this very thing was given to us through the mitzvos, for there is nothing in the world that does not have in it some mitzvah, and through the mitzvah a flow of holiness is drawn to it from the source of life (mekor hachiyus), as above.

We accomplish the Avos' work through mitzvos: everything in the world has some mitzvah attached to it, and performing that mitzvah draws a flow of holiness into it from the Divine source.

ובזה מובן לשון הפסוק וכל הבארות כו' סתמום פלשתים כו' ויאמר אבימלך לך מאתנו כו'.

And with this, the language of the verse is understood: "And all the wells… the Pelishtim stopped up… and Avimelech said, 'Go away from us…'"

This explains the narrative of the Pelishtim sealing the wells and Avimelech distancing Yitzchak.

כי ע"י שנסתמו הארות המתפשטין ממעיין הקדושה לכן נתרחקו פלשתים.

For because the illuminations that spread from the wellspring of holiness were stopped up, therefore the Pelishtim became distanced.

When the channels through which holiness spread were blocked, the natural consequence was estrangement — the Pelishtim pushing Yitzchak away.

וכשחזר יצחק וחפר הבארות נתגלה כבוד מלכות שמים והכירו אבימלך וכו' האמת ונכנעו ליצחק אבינו ע"ה:

And when Yitzchak went back and dug the wells [anew], the honor of the kingship of Heaven (kvod malchus Shomayim) was revealed, and Avimelech and his company recognized the truth and submitted to Yitzchak Avinu, peace be upon him.

By re-digging the wells, Yitzchak reopened the channels of holiness, revealing Hashem's sovereignty so clearly that even Avimelech acknowledged the truth and humbled himself before him.

Summary: Within every thing lies an inner point ("tamid") that is the root of all and through which Hashem continually renews creation. The more a person cleaves to this root, the more he expands the point outward — and the more it expands, the more its very source opens and flows. This was the Avos' avodah in digging wells: to reveal Hashem's kingship in the world. We accomplish the same through mitzvos, since everything contains some mitzvah that draws holiness from the source of life. When these channels are blocked (the Pelishtim stopping the wells), estrangement follows; when Yitzchak re-dug them, Hashem's sovereignty shone forth and even Avimelech submitted to the truth.