(2003/5764)

 “Vayetzei Yitzchak Lasuach Basadeh,”  “Yitzchak went out to supplicate in the field” (24:63).  Chazal believe that this refers to Yitzchak going out to the field to pray.  The Sefer Lekutei Amarim asks, if Yitzchak’s intentions were to go out in the field and pray why does the Torah not just simply use the word Lehitpallel, “to pray,” instead of Lasuach? 

Rashi answers his question by saying that the good deeds of righteous people are done with modesty.  When Yitzchak went out in the field his intentions were to have a conversation with someone.  Anyone who would have walked by Yitzchak while he was in the field would have thought that Yitzchak was just going for a walk. However, because of Yitzchak’s modesty the stranger would have missed the point that Yitzchak was having a conversation with the King of Kings.  The Gemara in Berachot 26b and the Midrash learn from this Pasuk that Yitzchak established the custom of Minchah.  The Seforno states that Yitzchak went to the field, which was away from everyone else, to pray so that he would not interrupt anyone walking by.  In addition, because Yitzchak prayed in the location from where Hagar was sent away, Avraham and Yitzchak did not think that Hashem would accept Yitzchak’s prayer. Nevertheless, Yitzchak was still able to pour out his heart to Hashem.  This shows just how holy and special Yitzchak was; he really had a conversation with Hashem.

Even though Yitzchak was on such a high spiritual level, we can still learn that if a person pours out his heart to Hashem, Hashem will listen.