Taking Yosef's Bones

Parshat B'Shalach

by Rabbi Avi Billet

In this most dramatic of Torah portions, the opening pesukim (verses) read like storyboards of a film's opening sequence of images around the locale where it is set. The people turn from going straight along the Mediterranean coast towards the Red Sea. Moshe is arranging the transfer of Yosef's bones. They travel from Sukkos (first stop 12:37). We then see the people - during the day - being led by the Pillar of Clouds. In the dark of night, the Pillar of Fire provides the necessary light and protection.

The scene then switches to the back and forth scenes of Paroh in his court, back to the people at the Sea, to Paroh and his army approaching, to the people at the Sea.

            

The one image that seems out of place is Moshe taking (and therefore arranging for transfer of) the bones of Yosef. While the promise being fulfilled was not insignificant, it did get its press time at the end of Parshat Vaychi. Why does it need an entire verse here? Couldn't it just be in add-on to the previous verse – "They traveled around the wilderness towards the sea, they carried weapons with them, and they also brought Yosef's bones"?

To say that there is great depth to the carrying out of this task is to state the obvious. What the message might be ranges from the obvious to the creative, with the profound lying somewhere in between.

            

On the obvious level, a very old promise is being fulfilled.

            

The profound could echo the words of Rabbi Akiva when he told his colleagues at the end of Mesechet Makkot, "Now that I have seen the prophesy of Uriah be fulfilled, I know the prophesy of Zechariah will be fulfilled as well." If we see that Yosef's promise has been fulfilled, perhaps we can be assured that Zechariah's promise will be fulfilled as well, with the coming of the Ultimate Redemption.

            

Which leaves us with the creative.

            

Many Midrashim depict Moshe's seeking Yosef's bones in an admirable fashion as he did it at the same time the Israelites were draining Egyptof its wealth (see also here regarding taking the clothes). The verse in Mishlei (10:8), "The wise-hearted (man) accepts commandments" – or fulfills opportune mitzvot when they come along – is utilized to give Moshe the greatest amount of credit for pursuing the opportunity to fulfill the promise on behalf of those he represented, as they were pursuing the wealth they were to take with them out of Egypt.

            

Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch put it this way: "A person who dedicates himself to fulfill commandments, or to delve in Torah, will be rewarded ('skhar mitzvah') according to what is either lost or missed out in profits." This teaching is based in the Zohar on Parshat Terumah who emphasizes the greatness of a mitzvah that is fulfilled through one's money – either through a donation or through using one's time otherwise to do a mitzvah, that may prevent a financial gain from taking place.

            

Moshe's choice to find Yosef's bones specifically at the time when all the Israelites were engaged in material pursuits gave a strong indicator of his priorities, how mitzvah and fulfilling a promise were more important to him than gold and silver.

            

A few reminders are in order: 

Maybe we don't need to go back for a second and third helping at a Kiddush or smorgasbord. Not only to give others a chance to eat, but also to indicate that our focus is not solely on food.

            

When we go to shul, we are engaged in mitzvah. When we talk in shul or leave shul on shabbos to drink(in the middle of davening), we are like the Israelites pursuing gold and silver while those who are properly engaged in the services are like Moshe seeking Yosef's bones.

            

When we bring irreverence to an activity others respect, we are the Israelites to their Moshe.

            

When we don't respect and promote what Shabbos should and could be – a time of being in touch with the soul, the spirit and God – and instead ignore our children, engage in superficial, vacuous and sophomoric conversations, we are the Israelites pursuing what we think is gold and silver, while those who discuss the parsha, explore their commitment to halakha, and engage their children in conversation are those who are seeking Yosef's bones.

            

Moshe seeking Yosef's bones therefore becomes a metaphor for what a deep commitment to the past is, what a promise for the future can mean, and what it means to model dedication to a meaningful task.

            

The commitment to bringing Yosef's bones to their final resting place is the greatest lesson Moshe could teach the people in the hour they felt richest and greatest (see a related idea here). Commitment to our faith and our people makes for a much richer life than all the fleeting pursuits of gold and silver we can ever undertake in our lives.

Priorities: what life is all about.