BONA FIDE BONES: PARSHAT BESHALACH

Shira Smiles shiur – January 5, 2014/Shevat 4, 5774

Summary by Channie Koplowitz Stein

            Parshat Beshalach begins with the actual exodus of Bnei Yisroel from Egypt. As Hashem leads Bnei Yisroel through a circuitous route, the Torah seems to make a detour to tell us that Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him for reburial in Eretz Yisroel, for Yosef had made Bnei Yisroel swear that they would do so when Hashem would redeem them. On the insertion of this verse, the Talmud (Sotah 13a) comments that while the rest of Bnei Yisroel were busy with requesting gold and silver vessels from the Egyptians, Moshe was occupied with finding Yosef’s remains to fulfill the oath they had made to Yosef. This verse is soon followed by the declaration that the Clouds of Glory and the Pillar of Fire went before Bnei Yisroel on their journey.

            Two basic questions can be asked regarding both the positioning of this verse and the Talmud’s comment. First, Rabbi Wolfson asks in Emunat Etecha why did the Torah place this verse here rather than earlier, in the preparations for leaving Egypt, and secondly, Rabbi Beyfus asks in Yalkut Lekach Tov why does the Torah seem to be praising Moshe’s actions at the expense of Bnei Yisroel who were also obeying Hashem’s command by getting gold and silver from the Egyptians.

            Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch points out a basic tenet in Torah study in Peninei Daas and Shiurei Daas. What is included in the Torah rather than remaining only in Medrash is what has an impact on the history of our nation and from which we can learn major lessons. For this reason, taking the bones of Yosef is mentioned while taking the bones of all the brothers is not mentioned, even though they too were taken out of Egypt and reburied in Eretz Yisroel. So our question then becomes what is so significant about the bones of Yosef?

            Perhaps the best known explanation is the Medrash cited by Rabbi Wolfson that draws upon the verse in Tehillim, “The sea saw and it fled” that refers to the splitting of the Reed Sea. The question our commentators ask is what did the Sea see? Drawing upon the word “fled”, our commentators remind us of the other time that word was used, when Yosef fled from the enticing arms of Potiphar’s wife, even leaving his cloak behind so as not to succumb to her wiles. As Rabbi Dov Yaffe points out in Leovdecha B’Emes, if Yosef rose above his nature, for Potiphar’s wife had been trying to seduce him for a full year, and he was able to flee, the sea too could overcome its nature and split. When the sea saw the coffin of Yosef entering, it gave homage to this righteous man and overcame its natural flow, splitting and allowing Bnei Yisroel to pass through on dry land. Because it was in Yosef’s merit that the sea would split at this juncture, it was appropriate to record Moshe’s act here. Further, says Rabbi Yehuda Kafah in Vayomer Yehuda, it was through Yosef’s merit and example that Bnei Yisroel were able to withstand the licentiousness rampant in Egyptian culture. The bones of Yosef were a constant reminder to help Bnei Yisroel overcome the yetzer horo, for it is only with the power of overcoming the yetzer horo that we can keep the Torah. Therefore, according to the Medrash, the aron, coffin, carrying the bones of Yosef traveled side by side with the Aron, the Ark carrying the Tablets of the Law.

            This is not the only lesson we can learn from contemplating Yosef’s bones. Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz reminds us in Sichot Mussar that the reward for our good deeds may not be immediate, but it accumulates interest. Indeed, Yosef was sent to prison for repulsing Mrs. Potiphar’s advances, yet now, generations later, that merit protected and saved Bnei Yisroel as they fled Egypt. Further, upon contemplating Yosef’s remains, Bnei Yisroel would understand that we are never secure in golus, in exile, writes Rabbi Menachem Benzion Zaks in Menachem Zion. Take a lesson from our history in Egypt. In spite of all that Yosef had done, “A new king arose in Egypt who did not know Yosef,” and Bnei Yisroel were enslaved. We can trust no nation, for in the end we will always be viewed as aliens. For those who were fearful of the dangers ahead and wanted to return to Egypt, Yosef’s bones proved that you cannot go back.

            As a corollary lesson, we can also learn the power of Yosef and of Bnei Yisroel. The brothers wanted to destroy Yosef and his dreams, yet Hashem saw to it that those dreams would be fulfilled. Similarly, Pharaoh wanted to destroy Bnei Yisroel, yet we not only survived but thrived, for, “There are many ideas in the minds of men, but the plan of Hashem will endure.” As Rabbi Frand reminds us,  based on Reb Tzadok Hacohen, we are a people born beyond nature from the very birth of Yitzchak to an aged couple, and our survival is also beyond nature. A Jew is never without hope.

            Further, writes Rabbi Zaks, the memory of Yosef would be a constant reminder never to move away from Yiddishkeit, no matter what the circumstances. The ideals that Yosef embodied were to travel with Bnei Yisroel not only out of Egypt but to wherever else they would travel throughout their history.

            Finally, we must remember that it was Yosef who was entrusted with bringing Yaakov’s remains to Eretz Yisroel for burial. Now Yosef was being rewarded for the chessed shel emes he did with his father and the honor he accorded him.

            However we are still left with our second question: Why is Moshe being praised so highly seemingly at the expense of Bnei Yisroel when Bnei Yisroel were also following Hashem’s command? Why does the Mechilta use this mitzvah that Moshe performed as a model for “The wise in heart will seize at mitzvoth.”

            Rabbi Roberts gives us some beautiful insights in Through the Prism of Torah. First, while there were two mitzvoth in play here, one provided financial rewards immediately while the other was rather difficult with no obvious gain. Bnei Yisroel chose to pursue the mitzvah with financial gain, to plunder the wealth of Egypt, while Moshe chose the more difficult, non materialistic mitzvah. He chose the mitzvah from a purely idealistic standpoint, and in this he was “wise of heart”. In fact, by not pursuing the mitzvah of taking the spoils of Egypt, he was losing money, and this proves that Moshe performed the mitzvah strictly for the love of the mitzvah, Further, continues Rabbi Roberts, his desire to do this mitzvah was overwhelming, truly from the heart, for he spent three days searching exhaustingly for Yosef’s coffin, finally finding it at the bottom of the Nile where Pharaoh had hidden it. Then he personally raised the coffin and carried it back to Bnei Yisroel. Someone with a less burning desire in his heart would have given up much earlier, but Moshe would allow no hardship to stand in the way of his fulfilling this mitzvah. Further, Letitcha Elyon points out that Moshe’s “wisdom of the heart” was that his choice was truly l’shem Shamayim, for the sake of Heaven, with no ulterior motive.

            The Ohr Doniel makes another related point. The chacham lev, the wise of heart, is the one who understands the mitzvah as one that may not give pleasure but is necessary. Grab the mitzvah, as Moshe did, says the Ohr Doniel, that doesn’t necessarily give pleasure. Further, writes Rabbi Schlesinger in Vezos HaTorah, Moshe knew that there would be many people performing the mitzvah of despoiling Egypt, so he opted for the “orphan” mitzvah that no one would do if not for him. He was undertaking caring for a meis mitzvah, the deceased with no one else to care for him. That choice made him a “wise of heart.”

            While Bnei Yisroel was taking as much wealth as they could get, Moshe was teaching them that wealth is transient, for in death, all that we take with us are our Torah and good deeds, writes the Modzitzer Rebbe. Yosef’s material wealth is gone, but through his righteousness, he merits traveling alongside the Holy Ark. Therefore, the wise of heart pursues mitzvoth rather than wealth.

            In Gan Naoul, Rabbi Chaim Aboulafia brings yet another perspective to understanding the wise heart. Some mitzvoth are relatively fleeting, taking but a few moments, while other mitzvoth are ongoing. When Bnei Yisroel took the spoils of Egypt, the mitzvah was over in perhaps a matter of hours. However, the wise Moshe opted for a mitzvah that continued not just while he was actively involved and not just for the forty years of traveling in the desert, but also for eternity, as Yosef’s remains would rest forever in the holy soil of Eretz Yisroel.

            As a reward for Moshe’s involvement in the burial of Yosef, writes the Shemen Hatov, Hashem Himself was involved in the burial of Moshe. The wise man gathers mitzvoth while on this earth, for when his soul returns to the world of truth, he will see all else as worthless.

            Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik gives us a historical perspective on Moshe’s actions. In Yemei Zikaron, Rabbi Soloveitchik reminds us of the role Levi played in tormenting Yosef and in selling him. Moshe, a descendant of Levi, was now not only rectifying the wrong of his ancestor, but also declaring that Yosef and his dreams were right all along. Moshe was further validating Yosef’s role not only as the provider of physical sustenance to the nation but, more importantly, of providing the spiritual backbone and strength that Bnei Yisroel would need as they moved forward, first into Eretz Yisroel and then into the rest of their history. Moshe’s wisdom saw in Yosef the model that Bnei Yisroel needed as a nation.