Home Stretch Torah “And of Zevulun [Moshe] said: Rejoice Zevulun when you go out, and Yissachar in your tents.” (Deut. 33:18) At the end of the Torah, Moshe blesses and foretells the future of the various tribes. Zevulun and Yissachar made a deal. The tribe of Zevulun would engage in maritime commerce and support the tribe of Yissachar so they could study Torah without the worry of earning a livelihood. Because Yissachar’s Torah was made possible by Zevulun, Zevulun was listed first even though Yissachar was older. Rashi explains the word, “Rejoice” to mean, “Be successful in your going out,” and for Yissachar, “Be successful in your studies.” In fact, the tribe of Yissachar would have 200 members of the Sanhedrin who would rule in the complex matters of calendric math, establishing leap months and years. Why, though, did the Torah use the word “rejoice” to convey success here? While one can understand that Yissachar should rejoice in his successful mastery of Torah, can the same be said of Zevulun’s business? Of course, he could be happy with his financial success, but that does not fit with the wording here which applies this blessing to the BEGINNING of the trip. Were it to mean success in business, it should have said, “Rejoice upon your return [from the sea.]” The Torah instead is teaching us the true meaning of success. When Zevulun left for his trips, whether he was successful financially or not, he could already be pleased with his success. The fact that he set out to earn money not just for himself, but to support his brother and enable him to learn Torah, means that even his going out was already a successful undertaking. He went out for a mitzvah, with generous intent, and a realization of what money is for. THAT is the Torah’s definition of success. When one acts, he must make sure that he is doing something that he can be proud and happy of, no matter how it turns out.
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 15:51:38 +0000
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