The Yissachar-Zevulun Arrangement: Between Charity and Contract

After its beginnings in Parashash Vayeitzei, the rest of Sefer Bereishis focuses on Yaakov’s family.

In this week’s article we wish to discuss the relationship between two of Yaakov’s twelve sons: Yissachar and Zevulun.

On the verse, “Zevulun will dwell at the shore of the sea, and he will be a shore for ships, and his flank will be upon Zidon,” Rashi comments: “He will regularly be found at the harbor, where ships bring in their merchandise. This is because Zevulun deals in business, and provides sustenance for the tribe of Yissachar, who studies the Torah.”

The relationship between Yissachar and Zevulun whereby Zevulun deals in business and Yissachar in Torah – a model that has been adopted as a paradigm throughout the generations – is worthy of study. What is the nature of the partnership, and what are the relevant details for each of the partners?

The Yissachar-Zevulun Partnership

Moshe blessed the tribes of Yissachar and Zevulun (Devarim 33:18): “Be joyful Zevulun in your going forth, and Yissachar in your tents.”

Rashi explains: “Zevulun and Yissachar made a partnership between them. Zevulun would dwell at the harbor and deal in business with ships, thereby sustaining Yissachar who would study Torah. Therefore the verse mentions Zevulun before Yissachar, because the Torah of Yissachar came through Zevulun.”

Implied in the words of Rashi is that the deal between Yissachar and Zevulun holds more meaning than a simple charity arrangement, whereby Yissachar receives support for his Torah study from Zevulun. The arrangement is labeled a “partnership.”

This concept is also found in the words of the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 13:17): “Zevulun and Yissachar make their livelihoods together, and they receive their reward for Torah together.” Zevulun shares his income with Yissachar, and Yissachar shares his Torah with Zevulun.

Rashi expounds further on this idea in his presentation of one of the Talmudic examples of the Yissachar-Zevulun partnership. Whereas most of the Tanaim and Amoraim are named after their fathers, a particular Tana is named after his brother: “Shimon, the brother of Azaria” (Mishnah, Zevachim 2a).

Rashi explains the reason for this: “Azaria dealt in business, and provided the needs of his brother Shimon who studied Torah. They stipulated between themselves that Azaria would receive part of the reward for the Torah study of Shimon… Therefore he is called by his [bother’s] name, because he studied Torah through him.”

Rashi teaches us that the agreement between Shimon and Azaria required – at the very least for practical reasons – a stipulation. As the Gemara in (Sotah 21a) teaches, the stipulation whereby Zevulun shares his income and Yissachar his Torah study, must be made in advance. When made prior to the Torah study of Yissachar (after the Torah has already been studied, it can no longer be bought), the arrangement forms a bona fide partnership, whereby Zevulun brings in the income and Yissachar the Torah.

Rav Moshe’s Approach

Rav Moshe Feinstein (Shut Iggros Moshe, Yoreh De’ah Vol. 4, no. 37) expounds on the definition of the Yissachar-Zevulun arrangement. Basing himself on some of the sources mentioned above, Rav Moshe writes that the arrangement between the two is a full partnership. Rav Moshe is not alone in this (as will be shown later), and yet the Iggros Moshe takes the concept to an extreme.

Because he sees the relationship as a true partnership, Rav Moshe writes that the Yissachar-Zevulun arrangement is not related to the concept of charity or support. The stipulation made between the parties is defined within the framework of Torah study, and not as a charity arrangement. As a consequence, Zevulun remains obligated to give charity from the income which he retains for himself.

Rav Moshe adds that the partnership is a 50-50 arrangement: Zevulun’s income is shared equally with Yissachar, and Yissachar’s Torah is shared equally with Zevulun. It is as though the two become one body, one part fulfilling the physical requirements and the other fulfilling the spiritual side. Yissachar is thus able to study Torah without the strain of financial pressure, and Zevulun receives a portion in his Torah.

In fact, Rav Moshe goes so far as to say that the distinction made by the Talmud between one who supports Torah and a Torah scholar himself (according to which prophets could only foresee the reward of those who support Torah, but not the ultimate reward of the Torah scholar) does not apply to the Yissachar-Zevulun agreement. The level of Zevulun, according to Rav Moshe, is equivalent to the level of Yissachar. The partnership renders them equals.

It is important to note that the extra details added by Rav Moshe (that the Zevulun must share his entire income equally with his Yissachar and that it isn’t considered charity) have not been adopted by other poskim, and the common custom does not follow his opinion.

However, the basic principle, namely that the Yissachar-Zevulun arrangement is an actual partnership of sorts, emerges (as we have seen) from a number of sources. In fact, we find the idea explicit in the ruling of Rema (Yoreh De’ah 246:1, citing Rabbeinu Yerucham): “A person can precondition with his fellow that he [the latter] will study Torah, and he [the former] will provide his livelihood and share in his reward.”

A similar position is found in a responsum of the Beis Yosef (Avkas Rochel no. 2), which goes on to state that the arrangement requires a full stipulation.

Yissachar-Zevulun as a Support Arrangement

Rabbi Akiva Eiger (glosses to Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 246) points out what appears to be another opinion. This is found in Shut Maharam Al Ashker (no. 101), who quotes from a responsum of Rav Hai Gaon.

Rav Hai Gaon was asked whether a person who pays another to read from the Torah will receive the spiritual reward of reading from the Torah. Rav Hai answers that the concept of sharing spiritual reward with another does not exist—and one who thinks that it is possible is “a fool, and is closer to receiving punishment than to earning reward.” The fact that a person receives reward for his support of Torah is not on account of a partnership, but rather “he receives reward for his good deed.”

This source demonstrates a very different approach to the Yissachar-Zevulun arrangement. Rather than a partnership, Rav Hai Gaon sees the relationship as an arrangement of support, whereby Zevulun earns his share in the Next World not by having a share in Yissachar’s reward, but by receiving an independent reward for the support he gives Yissachar.[1]

The Rema himself appears to suggest two distinct approaches. The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah, loc. cit.) states simply that somebody who is unable to study Torah should support the Torah study of others, to which the Rema adds (quoting from Tur): “And it is considered as if he himself studied the Torah.” This implies that financial support, even without a formal contract, suffices to earn Zevulun a reward as if he also studied Torah.

Indeed, the Tur himself adds that this is what the Sages meant in their interpretation of the verse (Devarim 33:18), “Be glad, Zevulun, in your coming forth, and Yissachar in your tents.” According to the Tur, the Yissachar-Zevulun arrangement requires no formal contract. Yet, after quoting the words of the Tur, the Rema mentions the possibility of making a contractual agreement for sharing the reward of Yissachar.

It would therefore appear that we are presented with two distinct approaches to the essence of the Yissachar-Zevulun arrangement.

Yissachar’s Perspective

The two approaches outlined above concerning the Yissachar-Zevulun partnership give rise to an important consequence for Yissachar. The question that every Yissachar should ask himself before entering into an agreement with a corresponding Zevulun, is:  Do I stand to lose something?

The answer would depend on the two opinions we have presented. If we see the Yissachar-Zevulun agreement as a contractual agreement, it appears that Yissachar loses half of the spiritual reward for his Torah study.

As Rav Moshe Feinstein writes, the hours that Yissachar is able to immerse himself in Torah study on account of Zevulun are divided into two; half remain Yissachar’s, and half go to Zevulun. Under the contract, Yissachar gives away half his reward (for those hours that he would not be able to learn if not for Zevulun) in return for sharing the income of Zevulun. It can be said that Yissachar isn’t actually losing anything, since he would otherwise not have been able to learn during these hours.

Peleh Yo’etz (erech ‘Chizuk’) advises Yissachar to avoid the union with Zevulun. Although he opens with great praise for the arrangement from the perspective of Zevulun, stating that anyone blessed with wealth should chase vigorously after a Yissachar-Zevulun agreement, he advises against the agreement from Yissachar’s point of view, questioning with wonder how a Torah scholar can make so bad a deal as selling eternal reward for earthly gain.

However, a number of great authorities dispute this position, stating that no part of Yissachar’s Torah is lost to him in the agreement with Zevulum. The Or Hachaim (Ki Tisa), for instance, writes that the reward of Yissachar is not diminished at all (see also Chefetz Hashem, Berachos 8), an opinion shared by Haflaah (introduction to Kesubos, sec. 43). Haflaah explains his opinion by means of a renowned simile. The Torah, he explains, is akin to a candle: Zevulun is able to benefit from Yissachar’s flame, whereas the flame itself remains undiminished.

It is important, however, to note that even those authorities who adopt the contractual position, whereby Yissachar is actually giving away part of his eternal reward to Zevulun, do not frown on the arrangement, but rather warmly recommend it. Rema, as we saw above, explicitly endorses the Yissachar-Zevulun arrangement in its contractual form. Rav Chaim of Volozin (Keter Rosh, no. 64) likewise writes that a person should not act selfishly with his Torah study, but should be willing to share it with others.[2]

The Chazon Ish (letters 46-47) writes in similar style, and even wrote up a Yissachar-Zevulun agreement for somebody who required it. Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, moreover, writes about his own publication of Even Ha’azel, that he made an agreement with a donor to share the spiritual reward of the book. Even Rav Moshe, who maintains that the relationship is a partnership, can agree (as noted above) that the arrangement is beneficial to Yissachar, since he only relinquishes half of the reward for the hours he would not have learned without the financial support of Zevulun.

Thus, although opinions are divided as to whether a part of Yissachar’s reward diverts to Zevulun or not, the negative stance (from Yissachar’s perspective) taken by Peleh Yo’etz is very much a single opinion among many.

It is important to emphasize that the contract places an additional yoke of Torah on Yissachar. As Ayeles Hashachar (Vezos Haberachah) cites from the Chafetz Chaim, if Yissachar, who is being supported by Zevulun, does not immerse himself in the study of Torah, he is effectively stealing from Zevulun.

Which Comes First?

Rashi writes in his commentary to the blessing of Moshe to Zevulun: “Zevulun is placed ahead of Yissachar, because the Torah of Yissachar came by means of Zevulun.”

This implies that Zevulun is of greater importance than Yissachar. Indeed, calling Shimon by the name of his brother Azaryah gives the impression that Azaryah is the more important of the two. However, the Gemara (Berachos 17a) clearly implies (excepting the explanation of Rav Moshe) that the Torah scholar is of greater importance than one who supports Torah.

Be’er Moshe (Vezos Haberachah) offers an interesting interpretation. He explains that although Zevulun takes precedence in time, because “if there is no flour, there is no Torah,” nevertheless, Yissachar takes precedence in importance.

He quotes the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 2:7) that the clothing of Yissachar is black, whereas that of Zevulun is white. The difference between the two is the difference between the black letters of Torah, and the white parchment that permits its revelation. Although the parchment must precede the writing on it, the writing is doubtless of greater importance than the parchment on which it is written.

The Virtue of Zevulun

We conclude with a wondrous anecdote, which is recounted by Rabbi Goldvicht in Asufas Maarachos (Chanukah):

It is known from the Chafetz Chaim, that when Rav Chaim of Volozin headed his yeshiva, he became closely attached to a generous donor, who provided the physical needs of the yeshiva. Rav Chaim promised him that in return for his support, he would study for the donor’s soul after his parting from the world.

After the donor passed away, Rav Chaim hurried to fulfill his vow, and immersed himself in the study of Mishnah (the order of Taharos). Upon reaching a particular Mishnah, he found himself unable to understand a certain point, and, while grappling with the matter, fell into a slumber.

In his sleep, the deceased donor appeared to him, and explained the difficult point in the Mishnah in a brilliant and enlightening manner, until the difficulty was entirely resolved.

After recovering from the immediate shock, Rav Chaim commented: “I knew that the generous among Israel would be scholars in the World to Come – but I didn’t realize it would happen so fast!”

Whether as Yissachar or Zevulun (or both), may all of us merit the brilliant light of Torah.