Shared Merit, Shared Mission
When Sergey Brin and Larry Page met at Stanford University in 1995, they were two Jewish graduate students with strong, diverse opinions, curious minds, and a shared fascination with how to organize the rapidly expanding world of information on the internet. What began as an academic partnership soon evolved into one of the most transformative collaborations in modern history, the founding of Google.
They discovered that their differences were not obstacles, but strengths that complemented each other. Page’s vision, persistence, and product focus merged seamlessly with Brin’s mathematical insight, creativity, and restless curiosity. Together, they transformed a research project into a global tool that reshaped how humanity accesses knowledge.
What is especially remarkable is that, even as Google grew into a global powerhouse of innovation, each consistently credited the other for its success. Page described Brin as “a visionary thinker who could see possibilities that others overlooked,” while Brin called Page “the driving force who made our ideas practical and real.” Both emphasized that Google was the result of collaboration, not individual genius, a powerful reminder that true innovation thrives when diverse talents unite toward a common purpose.
This theme of shared contribution and mutual respect echoes deeply in Jewish tradition. As we approach Simchat Torah, the joyful celebration of completing the annual Torah reading, all Jews, regardless of background or knowledge, dance together with the Torah as equals. The joy of Torah belongs to everyone, for it touches the deepest level of the soul, a place beyond hierarchy or distinction. At this level, we celebrate not as individuals, but as one people united by our connection to G-d’s wisdom.
In the closing chapters of the Torah, Moses blesses the tribes of Israel before his passing. Among these blessings, one stands out for its emphasis on cooperation and shared purpose:
“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure, and Issachar, in your tents.”
(Deuteronomy 33:18)
Rashi, the great medieval commentator Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040–1105, Troyes, France), explains that Zebulun and Issachar entered into a sacred partnership. Zebulun, whose territory bordered the sea, became a trader and merchant, while Issachar devoted himself to Torah study. Zebulun would support Issachar financially, and in return, share in the spiritual merit of his Torah learning.
Moses mentioned Zebulun before Issachar, even though Issachar was older, because Issachar’s Torah study was made possible through Zebulun’s support. Thus, Zebulun’s work in the marketplace became not just commerce, but a form of divine service.
Rashi adds another layer: through Zebulun’s trading, merchants from other nations came into contact with Israel and were inspired by its moral and spiritual integrity. Witnessing a nation unified by one G-d and one ethical code, they were moved to draw closer to the Divine. In this way, Zebulun’s business became a vehicle for holiness, spreading spiritual awareness beyond Israel’s borders.
Zebulun’s joy did not stem from profit alone but from his connection to Torah and the knowledge that his success had a higher purpose. His partnership with Issachar teaches a timeless truth: that fulfillment in life comes not merely from achievement, but from aligning one’s work with spiritual values. Supporting Jewish education, conducting honest business, giving generously to charity, and dedicating time to Torah study all transform material activity into a sacred endeavor.
The partnership of Zebulun and Issachar reflects a universal principle, that of complementary roles united by shared purpose. Zebulun and Issachar combined commerce and study to elevate an entire nation. The Torah does not ask us to choose between the practical and the spiritual; it teaches us to harmonize them. Material success should serve spiritual growth, and spiritual wisdom should guide worldly pursuits.
Ultimately, the partnership of Zebulun and Issachar reveals a single truth: when people recognize the value in one another’s contributions, and when each uplifts the other’s strengths, their collaboration becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
Along with all the challenges that technology brings to a world where good and evil are often intertwined, Google, together with many other technological giants, has nonetheless provided a powerful platform that can help advance the ultimate goal of Judaism: the realization of a world perfected in the era of Redemption where the knowledge and awareness of Divinity and truth will fill the world. As Maimonides writes:
“In that era, there will be neither famine nor war, envy nor competition, for good will flow in abundance, and all delights will be as common as dust. The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d…as it is said: ‘The world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the sea’” (Isaiah 11:9).
When human collaboration mirrors divine harmony, when intellect, faith, creativity, and action work together, the world itself becomes a vessel for wisdom and peace.
