Nosson Schlanger presents as a typical Chabad teenager. He attends a mesivta in Arizona and wears the typical Chabad garb consisting of a white shirt, dark jacket, and pants and no tie (ever). He is sweet, articulate, and driven.

But there is nothing ordinary about Nosson. Four years ago, in honor of his 10^th birthday which coincided with what would have been the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s 120^th birthday, he decided to purchase and help 120 unaffiliated Jewish families put up Mezuzos on their homes. Nosson Schlanger is also the son of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Chabad rabbi in Bondi Beach, Australia who was murdered on first night of Chanukah last year.

This past Sunday, Nosson stood before 7,000 people at the Kinus Hashluchim, the annual gathering of Chabad emissaries, and shared a simple but profound message: one need not be an adult to be a shliach (an emissary). Even at the young and tender age of ten, one can make a difference.

The Parsha devotes much time to wells. The Torah tells us how the wells dug by Avraham were filled in by the Philistines. Yitzchak re-dug those very same wells only to have them filled in again by the Philistines. Again, Yitzchak’s servants dug wells and again, there was contested ownership. Finally, they dug one last well and called it Rechovos. What’s the message? Why all this information?

The great Chassidic masters explain the metaphorical message contained in this holy narrative. We dig wells, meaning, we put in effort to make our dreams come true. We dig the wells of our personal goals and aspirations only to find the well filled back in with the very dirt we toiled to remove. At times, others throw dirt in my well and at times, the walls just collapse on their own. Staring out at our filled in well, we often want to give up. I worked so hard, I can’t do it again! But in that very moment there is only one choice – dig it again. The Torah tells the entire story of wells being dug and wells being filled in – because this is the story of life.

Nosson Schlanger will observe the first yartzheit of his beloved father on the first night of Chanukah. I am sure he will shed tears and at the same time feel blanketed by the beautiful memories. But as he recites the Kaddish, I am sure one thought will continuously race through his mind – I will keep digging.

I had the privilege to be in the audience as Nosson shared his story. As I rose to my feet together with 7,000 other people to give this sweet boy the honor and love he deserved, I was introduced to another young man, Moshe Holzberg. Moshe, known to many of us as “baby Moshe” was two years old when his holy parents, Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holzberg were murdered in their Chabad House in Mumbai. We remember the images of this precious little boy heroically rescued by his nanny, Sandra Samuel. The little boy is now a young man studying in yeshiva and readying himself for a life dedicated to the service of his people, just like his parents of blessed memory. I stood there, to my left, Nosson Schlanger on the stage and to my right, standing right next to me, Moshe Holzberg. This is who we are. We are nation who keeps digging. We are individuals who keep digging.

I have wells which have collapsed, as I suspect we all do. If I’m honest, there are some which I have given up on. The dirt now covers and obscures the beautiful waters of holiness and accomplishments which once flowed. These two precious boys have inspired me. I will dig new wells of accomplishment and self-actualization. I will find the strength to re-dig the wells which have collapsed. I will dust off those dreams and goals I have given up on.

Life may bury our dreams beneath layers of pain and disappointment. But the beracha is still there. And we will keep digging until we find it.