Being Happy with Zebulun and Issachar (Vzos Habracha #1)

One of the basic tenants upon which modern America is founded, at least according to the Declaration of Independence, is the endowment of all men, by God, with the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Perhaps there is much one can comment upon that the pursuit of happiness is given equal weight as life and liberty. This, however, is a Dvar Torah and not a political commentary, and yet it is interesting to look at the very contrasting view of the Torah. The pursuit of happiness is not a right according to Torah, but, as per the words of Rabbi Nachman of Bretzlav, being happy is a great mitzvah. What is the difference, and what does this have to do with Vzos Habracha, the final chapter in Sefer Devarim?

The difference between the right to the pursuit of happiness and the idea that being happy is a mitzvah is about intention and perspective. The former is attuned to the judgement of the individual, who determines what it is that makes him or her happy and puts that individual’s right to seek that happiness as a priority. The latter, however, provides guidance towards that which the sages might refer to as a rich man’s life, as it says in Pirkei Avot: “Who is rich? He who is happy with his lot” (Pirkei Avot 4:1). Don’t seek happiness, find how to be happy in what you have and where you are at.

The difference in this basic understanding of the role of happiness in life may be seen in the brachot Moshe gave to the tribes of Israel just before he passed away – particularly the blessing given to the Zebulun and Issachar: “Rejoice, O Zebulun, on your journeys, and Issachar, in your tents” (Devarim 33:18). In the era of diaspora, when we know not from which tribe each person hails (except for Leviim and Kohanim), the Jewish world is often divided into proto-types of Zebulun and Issachar. They are often referred to as earners and learners. Depending on the era and the community (and of course the individuals), being one or the other is often deemed either praise-worthy or deserving of condescension.

Quite obviously, neither of these attitudes is acceptable from a Torah perspective, and yet these attitudes exist. In some communities, those who work hard to earn a living and try to support Torah institutions, are subtly given the message of second-class citizenship. In such communities, children who chose to go out to work rather than dedicate themselves to learning full time are accepted but not praised. In other communities, a child declaring that he wishes to spend extra years in Yeshiva is discouraged and often pushed into a profession.

In his final words recorded in the Torah, Moshe offers an important message to every individual of Klal Yisrael: “S’mach!” – Rejoice! Be happy! Each individual should find their place and rejoice in it, for every individual can make a contribution to the overall well being of Klal Yisrael.

There is a fascinating Rashi, citing Sifrei, on the second verse of the blessing of Zebulun and Issachar, which says:

[“They invite their kin to the mountain, where they offer sacrifices of success. For they draw from the riches of the sea and the hidden hoards of the sand” (Devarim 33:19)] Through Zebulun’s trading, merchants of the world’s nations will come to his land, he living at the coast, and they will say, “Since we have taken so much trouble to reach here, let us go to Jerusalem and see what is the God of this people and what are His doings”. When they behold all Israel serving one God and eating one kind of food (only that which is permissible to them), they are astonished because as regards the other nations, the god of one is not as the god of another, and the food of one is not as the food of another, so that they will say, “There is no nation as worthy as this”, and they will therefore become proselytes to Judaism there, as it is said, “There shall they sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness.

In the modern era, when each Jew takes on the roles and responsibilities of all tribes (excluding, perhaps, Levi and Yehuda), this commentary takes on profound importance. It is a striking reminder that everything we do, from business to social interactions to our religious observances, should be done in a way to make other nations take positive note, to lead them to a desire to exclaim about the wonders of Klal Yisrael. What better way can this be achieved than by working hard to be happy in what we have and to show the world that we are in constant appreciation of all that Hashem has given us.