(Devarim 33:18) "And of Zevulun he said": Because it is written (Bereshith 47:2) "And from the 'edge' of his brothers he (Joseph) took five men and presented them before Pharaoh," without specifying which men, here he does specify which (— those whose names were doubled.)
"Rejoice Zevulun in your going forth": For Zevulun was a broker, and he would take of his brothers and sell them to the Canaanites; and from the Cananites, and sell them to his brothers.
"and Yissachar in your tents (of Torah)." We are hereby taught that the tribe of Yissachar was eminent in Torah, viz. (I Chronicles 12:33) "And from the sons of Yissachar, knowers of understanding for the times."
Variantly: "and Yissachar in your tents": And thus do we find his father praising him, viz. (Bereshith 49:15) "And he saw that repose (in Torah) was good and that the land was pleasant."
(Devarim, Ibid. 19) "Peoples at the mountain will assemble": Where is it seen peoples and rulers would explore the commerce of Eretz Yisrael and say: Since we have troubled ourselves to come here, let us look into the business of the Jews, and they would go up to Jerusalem and see (all of) Israel serving one G-d and eating one (kind of) food (— for with the Babylonians, the god of one was not like the god of the other, nor the food of one like the food of the other —), and they would say: It is only to such a nation that it is fitting to cling — Whence is it seen that they did not depart from there until they had converted (to Judaism) and offered up sacrifices and burnt-offerings? From (Devarim, Ibid.) "There they will sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness."
"For the abundance of the seas will they (Yissachar and Zevulun) suck": Two take in abundance (overflow) and give in abundance — the sea and the authorities.
Variantly: "For the abundance of the seas will they suck": This is the (abundance of) the sea of Yaffo, which is secreted for the righteous for time to come. Whence is it derived that all the ships that foundered in the Great Sea (the Mediterranean) and the stores of silver and gold and precious stones and pearls and all kinds of precious vessels, which are destined for the righteous in time to come — (Whence is it derived) that the Great Sea disgorges them into the Sea of Yaffo? From "For the abundance of the seas will they suck." R. Yossi said: Once I was walking from Cheziv to Tzor, and, finding an old man and greeting him, I asked him: "From what do you earn a living?" He answered: From chilazon (a rare snail). I: "Is it found?" He: "By Heaven, there is a place between the mountains (where it is found), and spiders bite it and it dies and is crushed in its place." I: "By Heaven, that must be the one that is secreted for the righteous for the world to come!"
"and the treasures hidden in the sand": "treasures" — chilazon; "hidden" — tarith (a valuable fish); "sand" — white glass. For the tribe of Zevulun protested before the L-rd, as it is written (Judges 5:18) "Zevulun is a people that risked its life to the death, etc." and he said before Him: "L-rd of the Universe, to my brothers You gave lands, and to me You gave seas and rivers." The L-rd: "They will need you for the chilazon (found in your territory)." Zevulun: "Who shall inform me?" (i.e., What assurance have I that they are taking chilazon and will pay me for it?) The L-rd: Let this be a sign for you: If anyone steals it, his "merchandise" will not prosper (i.e., the precious dye of the chilazon will not take).
(דברים לג יח) וְלִזְבוּלֻן אָמַר, לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית מז ב): ״וּמִקְצֵה אֶחָיו לָקַח חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים וַיַּצִּיגֵם לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה״, וְלֹא נִתְפָּרְשׁוּ שְׁמוֹתָם, וְזֶה אֶחָד מֵהֶם.
(Devarim 33:18) "And of Zevulun he said": Because it is written (Bereshith 47:2) "And from the 'edge' of his brothers he (Joseph) took five men and presented them before Pharaoh," without specifying which men, here he does specify which (— those whose names were doubled.)
שְׂמַח זְבוּלֻן בְּצֵאתֶךָ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה זְבוּלֻן סַרְסוּר לְאֶחָיו, וְהָיָה לוֹקֵחַ מֵאֶחָיו וּמוֹכֵר לַגּוֹיִם וּמִן הַגּוֹיִם וּמוֹכֵר לְאֶחָיו.
"Rejoice Zevulun in your going forth": For Zevulun was a broker, and he would take of his brothers and sell them to the Canaanites; and from the Cananites, and sell them to his brothers.
וְיִשָּׂשכָר בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשִּׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל יִשָּׂשכָר מִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דהי״א יב לג): ״וּמִבְּנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר יוֹדְעֵי בִינָה לַעִתִּים״. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ שֶׁאָבִיו מְשַׁבְּחוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית מט טו): ״וַיַּרְא מְנֻחָה כִּי טוֹב״.
"and Yissachar in your tents (of Torah)." We are hereby taught that the tribe of Yissachar was eminent in Torah, viz. (I Chronicles 12:33) "And from the sons of Yissachar, knowers of understanding for the times."
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְיִשָּׂשכָר בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבֵּית הַבְּחִירָה הָיָה רָאוּי לְהִבָּנוֹת בְּחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל יִשָּׂשכָר.
Variantly: "and Yissachar in your tents": And thus do we find his father praising him, viz. (Bereshith 49:15) "And he saw that repose (in Torah) was good and that the land was pleasant."
(דברים לג יט) עַמִּים הַר יִקְרָאוּ, מִנַּיִן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שֶׁהָיוּ אֻמּוֹת וּמַלְכֻיּוֹת מִתְכַּנְּסוֹת וּבָאוֹת לִפְרַגְמַטְיָא שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים, הוֹאִיל וְנִצְטַעַרְנוּ וּבָאנוּ לְכָאן נֵלֵךְ וְנִרְאֶה פְּרַגְמַטְיָא שֶׁל יְהוּדִים מַה טִּיבָהּ. מִיָּד עוֹלִים לִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְרוֹאִים אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁעוֹבְדִים לְאֵל אֶחָד, וְאוֹכְלִים מַאֲכָל אֶחָד, לְפִי שֶׁהַגּוֹיִם לֹא אֱלוֹהוֹ שֶׁל זֶה אֱלוֹהוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, וְלֹא מַאֲכָלוֹ שֶׁל זֶה כְּמַאֲכָלוֹ שֶׁל זֶה. וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים, אֵין יָפֶה לְהִדָּבֵק אֶלָּא בְּאֻמָּה זוֹ. מִנַּיִן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵין זָזִים מִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁמִּתְגַּיְּרִים וּמַקְרִיבִים זְבָחִים וְעוֹלוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: שָׁם יִזְבְּחוּ זִבְחֵי צֶדֶק.
(Devarim, Ibid. 19) "Peoples at the mountain will assemble": Where is it seen peoples and rulers would explore the commerce of Eretz Yisrael and say: Since we have troubled ourselves to come here, let us look into the business of the Jews, and they would go up to Jerusalem and see (all of) Israel serving one G-d and eating one (kind of) food (— for with the Babylonians, the god of one was not like the god of the other, nor the food of one like the food of the other —), and they would say: It is only to such a nation that it is fitting to cling — Whence is it seen that they did not depart from there until they had converted (to Judaism) and offered up sacrifices and burnt-offerings? From (Devarim, Ibid.) "There they will sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness."
כִּי שֶׁפַע יַמִּים יִינָקוּ, שְׁנַיִם נוֹטְלִים בְּשֶׁפַע וְנוֹתְנִים בְּשֶׁפַע, וְאֵלּוּ הֵם: יָם וּמַלְכוּת, יָם נוֹתֵן בְּשֶׁפַע וְנוֹטֵל בְּשֶׁפַע, מַלְכוּת נוֹתֶנֶת בְּשֶׁפַע וְנוֹטֶלֶת בְּשֶׁפַע.
"For the abundance of the seas will they (Yissachar and Zevulun) suck": Two take in abundance (overflow) and give in abundance — the sea and the authorities.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי שֶׁפַע יַמִּים יִינָקוּ, זֶה יַמָּהּ שֶׁל חֵיפָה שֶׁגָּנוּז לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. מִנַּיִן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵין סְפִינָה אוֹבֶדֶת בַּיָּם הַגָּדוֹל וּצְרוֹר שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְשֶׁל זָהָב וַאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת וּכְלֵי זְכוּכִית וְכָל כְּלֵי חֶמְדָּה – שֶׁאֵין הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל מְקִיאָהּ לְיַמָּהּ שֶׁל חֵיפָה שֶׁגָּנוּז לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר כִּי שֶׁפַע יַמִּים יִינָקוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ מִכְּזִיב לְצוֹר וּמָצָאתִי זָקֵן אֶחָד. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: פַּרְנָסָתְךָ בַּמֶּה? אָמַר לִי מֵחִלָּזוֹן. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ וְכִי מָצוּי הוּא? אָמַר לִי: הַשָּׁמַיִם! שֶׁיֵּשׁ מָקוֹם בַּיָּם שֶׁמֻּטָּל בֶּהָרִים וּסְמָמִיּוֹת מַקִּיפוֹת אוֹתוֹ, וְאֵין לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ לְשָׁם שֶׁאֵין סְמָמִיּוֹת מַכִּישׁוֹת אוֹתוֹ וָמֵת וְנִמַּק בִּמְקוֹמוֹ. אָמַרְתִּי, נִכָּר הוּא שֶׁגָּנוּז לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא.
Variantly: "For the abundance of the seas will they suck": This is the (abundance of) the sea of Yaffo, which is secreted for the righteous for time to come. Whence is it derived that all the ships that foundered in the Great Sea (the Mediterranean) and the stores of silver and gold and precious stones and pearls and all kinds of precious vessels, which are destined for the righteous in time to come — (Whence is it derived) that the Great Sea disgorges them into the Sea of Yaffo? From "For the abundance of the seas will they suck." R. Yossi said: Once I was walking from Cheziv to Tzor, and, finding an old man and greeting him, I asked him: "From what do you earn a living?" He answered: From chilazon (a rare snail). I: "Is it found?" He: "By Heaven, there is a place between the mountains (where it is found), and spiders bite it and it dies and is crushed in its place." I: "By Heaven, that must be the one that is secreted for the righteous for the world to come!"
וּסְפֻנֵי טְמוּנֵי חוֹל, סְפֻנֵי – זוֹ חִלָּזוֹן, טְמוּנֵי – זוֹ טָרִית, חוֹל – זֶה זְכוּכִית, לְפִי שֶׁשִּׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל זְבוּלוּן מִתְרַעֵם לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וְאוֹמֵר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, לְאַחַי נָתַתָּ אֲרָצוֹת וְלִי נָתַתָּ יַמִּים, לְאַחַי נָתַתָּ שָׂדוֹת וּכְרָמִים וְלִי נָתַתָּ חִלָּזוֹן! אָמַר לוֹ: לַסּוֹף שֶׁאֲנִי מַצְרִיכָם לְיָדְךָ עַל יְדֵי חִלָּזוֹן זֶה. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מִי מוֹדִיעֵנִי? אָמַר לוֹ: סִימָן יְהֵא בְיָדְךָ, שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁגּוֹנְבְךָ לֹא יְהֵא בִפְרַגְמַטְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ כְּלוּם.
"and the treasures hidden in the sand": "treasures" — chilazon; "hidden" — tarith (a valuable fish); "sand" — white glass. For the tribe of Zevulun protested before the L-rd, as it is written (Judges 5:18) "Zevulun is a people that risked its life to the death, etc." and he said before Him: "L-rd of the Universe, to my brothers You gave lands, and to me You gave seas and rivers." The L-rd: "They will need you for the chilazon (found in your territory)." Zevulun: "Who shall inform me?" (i.e., What assurance have I that they are taking chilazon and will pay me for it?) The L-rd: Let this be a sign for you: If anyone steals it, his "merchandise" will not prosper (i.e., the precious dye of the chilazon will not take).