| "Issachar is a stong-boned donkey...he saw tranquility that it was good, and the land was pleasant, yet he bent his shoulder to bear..." (Bereisheis 49:15). Issachar was the tribe dedicated to Torah study. The wisdom of the Torah is sweeter than honey! However, the question arises as to why he must bear his shoulder to carry the load of the Torah.
We cite the following parable to explain this verse. A wealthy man was a diamond dealer. He traveled to a far-distant land to purchase diamonds at a diamond fair. He took $100,000 with him to buy the diamonds. He purchased many diamonds and retained just enough to get home first class. As he was about to leave the fair, a man recognized him and said, "I have many beautiful diamonds. However, someone has falsely accused me to the king, and his officers are coming to arrest me. I am willing to sell you these remarkable diamonds way below the market price so they do not end up in the royal treasury!"
The wealthy man explained his predicament, yet he wanted to look at the gems. When he saw the diamonds, they glowed with a special light that lit up the earth. He said, "I will purchase these diamonds with the money I saved for my return trip. I"'ll keep just enough to travel as a peasant."
The man agreed and gave the diamond merchant all of his diamonds. The diamond merchant traveled as a peasant on the return trip, which took several weeks. He forfeited sleeping in a luxury hotel and eating gourmet food. He slept with the drivers on a hard bench outside, exposed to the elements.
At one of the stopovers, a wealthy man recognized him and was shocked to see him sleeping on a bench! The diamond merchant told the rich man what had transpired. So the man asked him, "I understand your decision to purchase the diamonds at such a low price. But how do you deprive yourself of the luxury of the hotels?"
The merchant responded, "Whenever I feel bad about my travel situation, I open the box of diamonds and see the beautiful gems I purchased for such a low price! The glow of the gems picks up my spirit!"
Similarly, humans descend to this world to engage in Torah study and good deeds, which are genuinely "precious gems." Their soul delights in the wisdom of Torah and the joy of good deeds. Yet, they deprive themselves of the luxuries of this world so that they can engage in Torah study and good deeds. Whenever they feel a sense of remorse for giving up the luxuries of this world, they reflect on the unparalleled joy of the Garden of Eden, where they will receive eternal pleasure far greater than the joy of this world.
Thus, "tranquility that it was good" alludes to the eternal reward of the Garden of Eden. "And the land was pleasant" alludes to the pleasure of this world, the joy of his soul engaging in the wisdom of Torah.
(Based on Chidushie HaChofetz Chaim) | 
