Genesis 49:13

Zebulon shall dwell upon the banks of the sea, and have dominion over the havens; he will surmount the breakers of the sea with ships and his border will extend unto Zidon.

לחוף ימים, the beaches of the sea which was sort of rubbing the shore, חופף. If you were to ask what good this was seeing the shore was so high that one could not descend to the water to buy merchandise from the ships, Yaakov adds

לחוף אניות, that he speaks of inlets where there are harbours at which ships can lie at anchor. There are no high cliffs there making making ships and their wares difficult to access. Yaakov’s reference to

צידון, a well known harbour, a center of trade and commerce, illustrates the nature of his blessing. In Isaiah 23,2 Tzidon and its traders are mentioned as having been a great trading center in the past that has been ruined by the Assyrians in the prophet’s time. This is also why Moses, when blessing the Jewish people before his death, (Deuteronomy 33,18) describes Tzidon in its heyday as a model for Zevulun, who will enjoy similar prosperity.

זבולון לחוף ימים ישכון, on his own land, seeing that it borders on the sea. Yaakov mentioned Zevulun before Issachar although he was the one who would earn his livelihood as a merchant whereas Issachar would be the one studying Torah. Interestingly enough, Moses did the same thing when he blessed the Jewish people before his death. (Deut. 33,9) The reason is that one cannot devote one’s life to Torah study before first having secured an economic base providing one’s necessities. This is what the sages said in Avot 3,17 אם אין קמח אין תורה, “when there is no flour Torah cannot flourish.” However, when one person extends a helping hand to his fellowman helping him to sustain himself so that he can carry out his dream to devote himself to Torah, this is even a greater deed than studying Torah oneself. Seeing that Zevulun did just that, sharing the profits of his demanding lifestyle with his brother Issachar, he deserves to be mentioned even before his brother who, but for Zevulun, would not be able to achieve greatness in Torah. Zevulun shares at least equally in Issachar’s accomplishments. Basically, what Zevulun did voluntarily for his brother Issachar, the Jewish people were commanded by the Torah to do for the Levites and the priests, who, because they have been assigned the tithes and various other gifts were able to devote themselves to being teachers, performing the service in the Temple, and generally to provide spiritual guidance without receiving any other remuneration for this. Moses assigned this task to the Levites when he said: (Deut.33,10) יורו משפטיך ליעקב, “they shall teach Your laws to Yaakov.” As compensation they will all have a share in the life of the hereafter as we have been taught in Sanhedrin 90 that all Jews have a share in the hereafter.”

והוא לחוף אניות, he will travel beyond the borders of his own land with ships carrying and bringing all kinds of wares. Part of these rare wares are the chalazon, the worm needed to provide the blue colour for the tzitzit, fragrances needed for the daily incense offerings. Many of these, as well as the silicon from which to make glass, were found on his shores and he would export such items. Deuteronomy 33,19 describes the members of the tribe of Zevulun as harvesting the bounty of the sea and the hidden hoards of the sand.”

זבלון, up until this point Yaakov listed his sons in the chronological order of their birth, not paying attention to who was their mother. At this juncture he mentions Zevulun before Issachar although the latter had been born earlier by the same mother, Leah. Concerning this anomaly we read in Bereshit Rabbah 99,9 that the fact that Issachar chose the pursuit of Torah as his vocation whereas Zevulun supported him financially with his marine endeavours enabling his brother to concentrate on his Torah studies, he deserves to be mentioned first. The concept underlying this preferential mention of Zevulun here is explained in Proverbs 3,18 as עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה, “the Torah will prove a tree of life to those who support it (financially).” Moses followed Yaakov’s example when blessing Zevulun before Issachar (Deuteronomy 33,18) when he said שמח זבולון בצאתך ויששכר באהליך, “rejoice Zevulun when you set out (on your journeys) and Issachar in your tents.” Everywhere else Issachar is mentioned ahead pf Zevulun.

לחוף ימים ישכון, part of his ancestral heritage will be situated along the shores of the sea as stated in Joshua 19,11 ועלה גבולם לימה, ”their boundary ascended to the sea.” Moses had already hinted at this in Deut. 33,19 when he said כי שפע ימים ינקו, “they will draw from the riches of the sea.” The word חוף describes something covered, or better: “a place where ships can find refuge from the storms.”

והוא לחוף אניות, he, Zevulun, will constantly be as a haven for ships. Most of his mercantile endeavours will be related to wares brought from overseas. Hence, ships will constantly anchor on its coast.

וירכתו על צידון, his borders will extend as far north as the coastal town Tzidon. The meaning of the word על in this phrase is similar to the meaning of the word עד, “as far as.” The word על occurs as meaning “as far as” also in Joshua 2,7 על המעברות, “as far as the fords.”

וירכתו, as if the Torah had written ולירכתו as in Exodus 26,23 ולירכתו המשכן, “at the rear of the Tabernacle.”

והוא לחוף אניות, “and he shall be in ports for ships.” Having used the expression לחוף ימים in the beginning of this verse for Zevulun, Yaakov repeats the simile for the ports in which Zevulun’s ships will anchor. There are towns that are situated right next to the shores of the sea, as opposed to others which are further inland, making it more difficult for ships unloading their cargoes to transport them to their customers. They will therefore prefer to anchor further away from such shores, so that other towns will enjoy the trade generated by ships anchoring there. The shores in the territory of Zevulun will make landing and unloading there easy for these sailors.