The Sound of Chesed

A good portion of this week’s Parsha is devoted to the Brachos the Yaakov Avinu gave to his sons prior to his Petirah in Mitzrayim. The Brachos are at one poetic and prophetic, each one revealing not only the the essence of that particular Shevet as an individual, but the affect that will have on his offspring for generations to come. Chazal examine the words of each Bracha, revealing to us the hidden meaning and imparting on to us the lessons to be taken.

The crux of Bracha given to Shevet Yissachar is of course related to their role as the Lomdei Torah: “Vayar Menucha Ki Tov…VaYet Shichmo Lisbol: He saw a resting place that was good…and he bowed his shoulder to bear a load.” As Rashi explains, Yissachar saw that his portion of Eretz Yisrael was well suited to bear fruit with little effort, and he therefore accepted upon himself the Ol HaTorah on behalf of Klal Yisroel. Varios other Meforshim offer insights into exact the meaning of these words, but Yissachar’s place as the Shevet of Torah is clearly the focus of the Bracha that Yaakov gave to his son.

The Bracha starts in a most interesting way, however: “Yissachar Chamor Garam: Yissachar is a large-boned donkey.” Other Shevatim are compared to animals in their brachos, Yehudah to a lion for example, but the description of Yissachar to a donkey, a beast of labor and a non-kosher one at that, seems out of place for the Shevet of Yoshvei Ohel. Rashi explains that a Chamor Garam is a strong-boned donkey, capable of carrying a heavy load, and is therefore Shevet Yisschar, which bears the Ol Hatorah—quite a weighty load. Again, explanations abound as to the reason for this particular description, such as why the donkey is specifically chosen and other aspects. There is a Gemarah in Nidah, however, that offers a different interpretation of this word.

The Gemarah there is discussing the conception of Tzaddikim, and makes the following Drasha: on the day that Leah traded her Dudaim in return for the Zechus of having Yaakov in her tent that night, she informed Yaakov of the arrangement and the Passuk says “Vayishkav Ima BaLayla Hu.” The word Hu, says the Gemarah, refers to the fact that Hakadosh Baruch Hu was directly involved in the conception of Yissachar. How was Hashem involved? The Gemarah answers using the Passuk in this week’s Parsha: “‘Yissachar Chamor Garam’, Chamor Garam Lo L’Yissachar.” The donkey caused Yissachar to be born.

How did a donkey cause Yissachar to be born? The Passuk tells us that Leah went out to greet Yaakov on that day, and inform him that he was to come into her tent, but how did she know when Yaakov was approaching? Rashi explains that Hashem caused Yaakov’s donkey to bray as he neared their tents, so that Leah would know when to come out and greet him. Because this led to the birth of Yissachar, it is considered that the Chamor caused him to be born, and this is the measure of direct Hashgachas Hashem that is referred to in the Passuk of “VaYishkav Ima BaLayla Hu.”

While this Gemarah offers an novel explanation of the Passuk “Yissachar Chamor Garam”, it also leads to some questions.

Why did the Torah choose to inform us of Hashem’s involvement in the birth of Yissachar at this point? The Bracha that Yaakov gives Yissachar is rooted in the idea that his offspring will bear the Ol HaTorah and serve as the Lomdei Torah for Klal Yisroel. How is the story of his conception relevant to this theme? If there is a lesson in Hashgachas Hashem to be learned from this story, the Torah could have enlightened us to the background of Yissachar’s birth elsewhere—why is its place here in the Birchas Yaakov.

Additionally, it almost seems a little degrading to refer to Yissachar as being caused by a donkey—as if to say: “If not for a donkey you wouldn’t have been born.” Again, it seems from Chazal that the noise that the donkey made led Leah to “redeem” her night with Yaakov, but that doesn’t mean the donkey caused Yisschar to be born—only that he had a role. Further the sound that the donkey made was not even of its own volition—as we noted Hashem caused it to bray at exactly that moment—so why is the donkey credited with the birth of Yissachar?

In order to understand the message of these Pessukim, we must take a closer look at the origins of Yissachar.

The origin of the name Yissachar is explained by Leah as follows: “Nasan Elokim Sechari Asher Nasati Shifchasi L’Ishi.” She felt that the birth of her fifth son was a reward for the fact that she gave Zilpah, who was her Shifacha, to Yaakov. The name Yissachar, which has the root “Sechar” refers to this reward.

We must understand why Leah felt that she deserved Schar for giving her Shifcha to Yaakov? What was the Mitzvah in that action? The Chizkuni explains that though Rochel first gave her Shifcha, Bilha, to Yaakov that was not totally altruistic. Rochel had yet to bear a child and she wished to fulfill her role as the mother of Shevatim through her Shifcha, as she says at that time “V’Ibaneh Gam Anochi Mimenah: and I will build through her.” Leah, on the other hand, had already given birth to four sons—she did not need to build, so to speak, through her Shifcha. The act of giving Zilpah over to Yaakov, explains the Chizuni, was purely Chesed. It was this Maaseh Chesed that Leah felt she was rewarded for with the birth of Yissachar.

But why was this an act of Chesed? Why did Yaakov need Zilpah, and why was the fact that Leah gave her Shifcha to Yaakov a Chesed that merited her an additional son?

The Ramban, in Parshas VaYeitzei, asks why Leah gave her Shifcha to Yaakov. As we explained, it was understandable that Rochel gave Bilha to Yaakov, but why did Leah have to give Zilpah to him as well? He explains that the Imahos knew that Yaakov had to bear many children, unlike Avrohom and Yitzchok who essentially had two sons each. Therefore, when she saw that she was no longer giving birth, as the Passuk says “VaTeyra Leah Ki Amda MiLedes”, it was apparent that Yaakov would need more wives. In order to prevent him from having to take a “strange” woman from outside their family, Leah gave him Bilha.

According to this Ramban we can understand that when Leah gave Bilah to Yaakov as a wife, it was an act of selfless Chessed. She did not do this for any personal gain, but rather because it would aid Yaakov in his Tafkid to be Ma’amid the Shiveti Kah, and do so in a way that would be most comfortable for him. With this in mind it is understandable why Leah felt that she received Schar—in the form of yet another son—when Yissachar was born.

If we are to understand, however, that Yissachar’s birth was a reward for the Chesed that Leah did when she gave her Shifcha to Yaakov, why does the Torah refer to the story of the Dudaim, telling us that “Yissachar Chamor Garam”? His birth was the result of Leah’s Chesed, why is this not alluded to in the Bracha while the seemingly peripheral involvement of the donkey is credited with “causing” his existence?

Maybe it was because precisely because Yissachar was a reward for the Chesed that Leah did by giving Zilpah to Yaakov that his Yetzirah needed to come through another act of Chesed. It would only be fitting that the reward for Chesed be created through more Chesed. For this, however, the donkey was necessary.

If we think about it, Yaakov would likely have ended up in Leah’s tent that night in any case. The Passuk indicates that Yaakov would have gone to the tent of Rochel by default, as he did every other night. We cannot assume, however, that Rochel Imenu would not have stood by her word. If she promised Leah that Yaakov would come to her tent that night, she would not have allowed him to stay in her own. Why then is the donkey credited with the birth of Yissachar in any way?

The answer is that of course Yaakov would have ended up in Leah’s tent in the end, but this may have cause Rochel embarrassment. Had Yaakov been seen going into the tent of Rochel, only to leave shortly thereafter, people may have wondered why he did so, a potential source of shame for Rochel. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh points out that Leah was not in the habit of leaving her tent to discuss personal matters with Yakov Avinu in public—this was not befitting of a Tzadekes of her stature. In this case, however, she did so in order to spare her sister any potential Tzar.

Leah was only able to complete this act of Chesed, however, because she heard the donkey. Otherwise, she would never have known that Yaakov was coming and would have been unable to intercept him. Therefore, though she was deserving of Schar for one act of Chesed, that Schar necessitated another act of Chesed to be brought Min HaKoach El HaPoel. Because the donkey’s bray made that additional Chesed possible, the donkey itself is credited with the birth of Yissachar.

But why is it that Yissachar, the Shevet of Torah is so closely tied to Chesed? It would seem that the donkey’s involvement in his origins are tied to Leah’s Chesed and not Yissachar’s Torah. Why is this mentioned in the Bracha that is so closely tied to the Kabbalas Ol Torah of Shevet Yissachar?

I think that we may be able to understand this based on a thought from R’ Yitzchok Isaac Sher in Leket Sichos Mussar.

R’ Sher speaks about the paramount importance of Chesed, and its central point in our lives. Our Tafkid on this world is to fulfill the dictum of “V’Halachta B’Drachav” to shape ourselves in the image of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and cleave to his ways. As Chazal famously instruct us: “Mah Hu Chanun V’Rachum, Af Attah Haya Chanun V’Rachum.” We have a responsibility to follow in the ways of Hashem by relating to others through Chesed, and emulating His Middos of Chanun and Rachum. This is to be the focus and goal of every aspect of our life.

R’ Sher notes that one may wonder how people who devote their lives to Limud HaTorah, especially those in a full-time Yeshiva setting, can fulfill the this important Tafkid. If our lives are meant to be devoted to helping others and doing Chesed, thus living up to the ideal of “Laleches B’Chol Derachav”, how can someone whose life is devoted to Avodas Hashem, one who spends all day in a Bais Medrash, accomplish this goal?

This, however, would be a mistaken thought. R’ Sher explains that Hahsem created a world fulfills the physical needs of every person. He created plants that can be used as food, water that can be used as drink, trees and other materials that can be converted to shelter—all for the use of man in his time on this earth. He also created light so that the inhabitants of the world can see as they go about their lives—and if we think about it, all the other creations would be useless if we could not see them.

When people do Chesed, they are emulating the Middos used when Hakadosh Baruch Hu placed physical creations on the world. When we help Aniyim sustain themselves, we are acting as Hashem did when he placed food upon the world. When we learn Torah, says R’ Sher, we are bringing light onto the world. The Or HaTorah is a spiritual light that transcends time and place and brings light to everyone on earth whether they realize it or not. Therefore, when we learn Torah, and especially if we devote ourselves to Torah, we are in fact emulating the Middos of Hashem and doing an unbelievable Chesed for the entire world. Just as all the physical creations would be for naught were there not a way to see, all the Chesed in the world, all the physical acts of kindness in the world would not be useful without the light of Torah.

Perhaps this is the message the Torah is sending us by speaking about the donkey’s bray in the Brachos of Yaakov Avinu.

One may have assumed that because Yissachar was the result of two acts of Chesed that Leah did, his Shevet would be devoted to Chesed. Perhaps they would have been the Shevet of Askanim, focused on the needs of Klal Yisroel and providing vital assistance wherever needed. In fact one may even wonder why they became the Shevet of Torah, placing upon themselves the Ol HaTorah which often precludes one from participating in physical Chesed.

The Torah therefore tells us that yes, Yissachar came from Chessed and indeed his Shevet is involved in the greatest Chesed possible—Limud HaTorah. When Shevet Yissachar saw that their Chelek of Eretz Yisroel was ripe for growing fruit, and that they would have to expend little effort on physical Parnassah, they took up the mantel of the Ol HaTorah. They committed themselves to this ultimate Chesed, which was ingrained in their forefather, the product of two selfless acts of Chesed.

We are not all Zoche to be the Yissachars of the world. Many of use serve our role as Zevulans, which is a necessary and vital role within Klal Yisroel. We can all, however, take a lesson from the Birchos Yaakov. If we remember that the time we devote to Limud HaTorah is in fact an act of unimaginable Chesed, that impacts the entire world, perhaps we will be motivated to become Yissachars in our own right, picking up the Ol HaTorah when possible, thereby following in the ways of our Avos and Imahos, and in fact fulfilling the dictate of “Mah Hu Chanun V’Rachum, Af Attah Haya Chanun V’Rachum”