When Yaakob gave blessings to all his sons before his death, he pronounced about the tribe of Zebulun, "Zebulun Le’hof Yamim Yishkon" – that this tribe would reside along the coast and be merchants, earning money by buying and selling. The tribe of Yissachar, meanwhile, would be the tribe of Torah scholars, and they would be supported by Zebulun. These two tribes entered into a partnership, whereby the wealthy merchants of Zebulun supported the scholars of Yissachar, and thus received some of the reward for Yissachar’s Torah study. This is indicated also by Moshe Rabbenu’s blessings before his death, when he declared, "Semach Zebulun Be’setecha Ve’Yissachar Be’ohalecha" – "Rejoice, Zebulun when you go out, and Yissachar in your tents." Zebulun would go out to earn money, while Yissachar remained in the "tents" of Torah learning.
The Poskim established that any two people can enter into such a partnership, and it is not limited to the tribes of Yissachar and Zebulun. Any person from any tribe can support any scholar from any tribe, and thereby earn a share in the reward.
The question arises as to whether the Yissachar-Zebulun partnership requires specifically a "50/50" arrangement. Normally, when two people form a "Shutafut" (partnership), it means that everything is shared equally. Thus, if the Yissachar-Zebulun partnership follows the standard model of partnerships, this would mean that the donor must give the scholar 50 percent of his earnings. If the donor is very wealthy, and earns, for example, $100 million, he would be required to give the scholar he supports $50 million. This is, indeed, the view of the Shach (Rav Shabtai Ha’kohen, 1621-1662), commenting to Yoreh De’a (246). Rav Haim Ben-Attar (d. 1743) also expresses this view in his Or Ha’haim (Shemot 30:13), in discussing the law of Mahasit Ha’shekel (the half-shekel tax to the Bet Ha’mikdash). He writes that a half-shekel is given to the Bet Ha’mikdash just like merchants give half of their earnings to scholars in the Yissachar-Zebulun partnership.
Others, however, disagree. The Hid"a (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) writes that this partnership requires the donor to give only what the scholar needs for his livelihood. The rationale behind this ruling is that the Yissachar-Zebulun partnership is made for the purpose of facilitating Yissachar’s Torah learning. Without someone else’s support, Yissachar is unable to devote himself to full-time study, because he would need to work to earn a living for himself and his family, and so Zebulun earns a share in Yissachar’s learning by providing his livelihood and thereby enabling him to learn. As such, it suffices for Zebulun to give Yissachar what he needs for his and his family’s sustenance, so he can devote his time to learning. If, for example, the scholar needs $50,000 a year to cover his expenses, then this is what Zebulun needs to provide, even if Zebulun earns many millions of dollars.
Proof to this position may be brought from the Gemara’s discussion in Masechet Sota, regarding the possibility of a woman earning the merit of Torah study. The Gemara there states that a Sota (wife suspected of infidelity) could be protected from the special waters (that would normally kill her if she was in fact guilty) if she has some Zechut (merit). Addressing the question of what kind of Zechut she could have, the Gemara says that this could refer to the merit of Torah learning. Even though women are not included in the Misva of Torah study, nevertheless, they earn merit by assisting and enabling their husbands to learn Torah, and by bringing their children to and from school where they learn Torah. The implication is that the wife is an equal partner in her husband and children’s Torah learning, even though she is, quite obviously, not giving half of everything she has towards their learning. This would seem to prove that the reward is earned through the facilitation of learning, irrespective of the percentage of one’s earnings that is given.
This is, indeed, the Halacha, and thus one who wishes to perform the great Misva of entering into a Yissachar-Zebulun partnership needs to give the scholar only what the scholar needs for his livelihood.
Many years ago, a certain individual approached me and expressed interest in forming such a partnership, offering to grant me financial support so I could learn, and he would receive half my reward. (In the end, this man chose not to enter this partnership.) I went to my Rabbi, Hacham Baruch Ben-Haim (1921-2005), and posed to him the following question. He taught us that half a man’s reward for his Torah learning is granted to his wife. I wondered, then, if somebody supports me to learn, in exchange for half the reward, and the other half goes to my wife, does this mean that I am then left without any reward? Hacham Baruch replied that if a scholar is supported and thus shares his reward with his donor, Hashem makes up the rest. The verse states in Parashat Mishpatim (Shemot 24:14), "Im Sachir Hu, Ba Bi’scharo" – "If he is hired, then it comes with his salary." Hacham Baruch explained that if a Torah scholar is a "Sachir" – "hired," paid to devote himself to learning, then "Ba Bi’scharo" – Hashem will supplement his reward so nothing is lost.
The Shulhan Aruch (Yoreh De’a 246) writes that such a partnership should be made by somebody who is "overburdened" and thus does not have time for Torah study. This would imply that the person has no time for serious or full-time Torah learning, but he must nevertheless make some time to learn. One who performs the great Misva of supporting Torah scholars does not thereby absolve himself of the obligation to learn Torah. Even though he might not have significant periods of time each day for learning, he must find some time for Torah study. The Gemara famously teaches that after a person leaves this world, he will be asked a number of questions, including, "Kabata Ittim La’Torah," which is conventionally interpreted to mean, "Did you set aside time for learning?" However, Rav David Abuhasera of Nahariya (contemporary) noted that the verb "K.B.A." can also refer to theft. Accordingly, the question, "Kabata Ittim La’Torah" might be understood to mean, "Did you steal time for Torah?" We are all very busy, with a lot of responsibilities and obligations, and so in order to learn Torah, we need to "steal" time that ordinarily would be used for something else. We might explain along these lines the first question which the Gemara says a person will be asked – "Nasata Ve’natata Be’emuna" ("Did you conduct business honestly?"). This might mean, "Did you conduct business with Emuna," with faith, using one’s earnings to support Torah learning. And even though he did, he will still be asked whether he "stole" time from his busy schedule to learn Torah.
In conclusion, it is worth noting a startling remark by Rav Haim Abulafia of Teverya (1660-1744), cited by Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his Yabia Omer. One of the benefits of Torah learning, as the Gemara teaches, is that it helps us overcome our Yeser Ha’ra (evil inclination). Rav Haim Abulafia writes that one who supports Torah scholars earns even this benefit of the scholars’ learning. Even though he spends his day working, he will receive assistance in overcoming the spiritual challenges he faces in the merit of the Torah learning which he facilitates. Rav Haim Abulafia explains on this basis Moshe’s aforementioned blessing to Zebulun, "Semah Zebulun Be’setecha" – "Rejoice, Zebulun, when you go out." He should rejoice because he can feel confident knowing that the Torah learning he supports will help him control his Yeser Ha’ra, as though he learned the Torah himself.
Summary: It is a great Misva to support Torah scholars. One who gives a scholar enough support so he can spend his time invested in learning without having to earn a livelihood receives half the scholar’s reward for his Torah.
