The Ultimate Form of Rest: Torah Study

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

In Parshas Vayechi, Yaakov blesses each of his sons individually before he dies. Later on  (49:28) Yaakov gives a general blessing that applies each tribe’s berachah to the entire Jewish nation (see  ibid Of particular relevance to us is the berachah of Yissachar, stressing his shevet’s extraordinary toil in Torah study: “Yissachar, an agile donkey, rests between rows . . . he saw that rest was good and that the land was pleasant, so he put forth his shoulder to bear [the yoke of Torah] . . .”

When we read this berachah, we see what appears to be a contradiction. Rashi explains Yissachar’s comparison to a donkey as follows: A donkey is a beast of burden. It is always carrying a load. It rests only occasionally, but never really sleeps. So too, Yissachar was constantly immersed in Torah study. This theme is picked up later: “He put forth his shoulder to bear [the yoke].” However, the middle section seems to express the opposite: “He saw that menuchah (rest) was good and that the land was pleasant.”

Is Yissachar a donkey, tirelessly bearing the yoke of Torah, or is he one who enjoys rest and seeks out pleasant pursuits? Can one person even be both?

Rashi explains that Yissachar saw that his portion of Eretz Yisrael would yield produce without requiring great effort on his part. This is what is referred to by rest. Yissachar would be able to manage financially without taking too much time away from his toil in Torah. The Seforno explains that the verse “He saw that the land was pleasant” refers to the ease with which Yissachar will support himself from his estate.

We stated earlier that this berachah extends to all of Torah Jewry. All of the “Yissachars” in Klal Yisrael will be able to toil in Torah because matters of livelihood will somehow work out for them, without taking up too much of their time.

This berachah applies today as well. It says in Avos (3:5), “Whoever accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah—the yoke of the rulers and of worldly affairs will be removed from him.” This means that the more we dedicate our time and energy to Torah study, the more Hashem assists us in this direction. One shouldn’t worry that devoting more time to learning will limit our earning power or create problems. Chazal tell us that the opposite is the case—if we truly accept the yolk of Torah.

The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 98:12) seems to explain this berachah differently: it explains the word “menuchah” as referring to Torah itself. Accordingly, the entire berachah focuses on Torah and not at all on Yissachar’s land and livelihood. This creates a different sort of contradiction: Yissachar bears the burden of Torah, yet he studies it amid restfulness and pleasantness. If Torah is depicted as the object of toil, how can it be pleasant or restful?

Rav David Cohen, one of the roshei yeshivah of Yeshivas Chevron, explains that arriving at menuchah refers to the satisfaction that we feel upon achieving our purpose in life. The Gemara (Sanhedrin 99b) states that the world was created for toil in Torah. When we learn, we are fulfilling the purpose of the world! This is the menuchah felt by a true Yissachar.

Yissachar’s berachah is that a Jew who toils in Torah can feel true peace of mind, the most elevated form of menuchah. What the material world defines as peaceful, such as a vacation in a resort hotel, is really only a veneer of restfulness that is running away from responsibility. True rest comes from knowing that we are accomplishing our purpose in life by toiling in Torah.

Yissachar’s berachah also expresses that he feels pleasantness. Rav Cohen explains that this refers to the sweetness of Torah study. When we toil in Torah, we can reach a state of enjoyment that is unparalleled by any material form of pleasure. Granted, it is difficult to feel at first, but the sweetness will come when a person really applies himself to the fullest.

We see clearly that Hashem wants the Jewish people to be a nation that toils in Torah study. Those who engage in Torah are blessed with the ultimate menuchah, a feeling of having purpose in life. Hashem put sweetness into Torah study as well, providing encouragement for us to immerse deeper in Torah.

Rav Tzvi Weissfish tells about his rebbe, HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who was famous for his diligence in Torah learning, that he found great enjoyment in his learning. Whenever he learned, whatever the subject, even those that most learners view as dry, Rav Elyashiv literally sang when he learned. The tune exemplified his exceptional joy in being able to engage in the word of Hashem. Even his blessings on the Torah in the morning were a palpable display of his love for Torah study.

People in Yerushalayim used to say, “If you want to see Gan Eden in this world, go and witness Rav Elyashiv learning in the early hours of the morning. His special tune is the one that goes on in the next world.” The melody was indeed recorded, and many have been inspired by it.

May we be zocheh to the fulfillment of Yissachar’s berachah, to toil in Torah day and night!