2024/5785
Yaakov Avinu is quite serious when asking Yosef to bury him in Eretz Yisrael, not Mitzrayim. He even requests Yosef take a Shevu’ah to reinforce his commitment to undertake this task. While the Chumash does not record an explanation for Yaakov Avinu’s request, the mepharshim offer many explanations.
Rashi
Rashi (Breishit 47:29) offers three explanations. One is that Yaakov Avinu does not want his body to be infested with lice during Makkat Kinim. Second, Yaakov Avinu intends to avoid “Giilgul Mechilot,” having his body rolled through underground tunnels from outside Israel to Israel when Mashi’ach arrives and Techiyat HaMeitim occurs. This concern remains relevant for generations, which is why so many Jews arrange for burial in Israel. Third, Yaakov Avinu fears Mitzrayim will worship his body, for Yaakov Avinu was an Egyptian icon for ending the famine five years early (Rashi to Breishit 47:19).
A Major Question
However, a major question looms large. Sefer Breishit records that the Egyptians loathed the Jews since we eat sheep, which the former worshiped. Burying Yaakov Avinu outside of Egypt will offend the Egyptians and deepen their hatred and animosity towards us. Burial in Eretz Yisrael sounds a loud and clear message that we do not consider ourselves Mitzrim.
By doing so, we marginalize ourselves in a country where we will (as outlined in the Brit Bein HaBetarim) live long after Yaakov Avinu’s death. Our enslavement and suffering began when the Egyptians viewed us as outsiders and a potential threat (Shemot 1:10). Thus, by requesting burial outside Egypt, Yaakov Avinu sets the stage for the Egyptian oppression! Why does Yaakov Avinu endanger his children? The reasons set forth by Rashi do not seem to warrant such a steep cost.
Rav Hirsch’s Approach
Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch notes that Yaakov Avinu observed the phenomenon recorded in Parashat Vayigash’s last Pasuk. It records Vayeishev Yisrael B’Eretz Mitzrayim. We settled in the land as Toshavim, permanent residents and not as temporary Geirim, as Yaakov Avinu and Yosef intended us to be. Yaakov Avinu saw we were becoming too comfortable in Mitzrayim. Vayigash’s last Pasuk also records “vayei’achazu bo,” we grabbed hold of the land, meaning that we felt at home in Egypt.
Yaakov Avinu insisted on burial in Eretz Yisrael to counter our growing assimilation into Egyptian culture. He calculated that while it was dangerous to be buried outside Mitzrayim, it would be more dangerous to be buried in Mitzrayim. Had Yaakov Avinu been buried in Mitzrayim, the message would have been that Mitzrayim is our home, which would have deepened our bond with Egypt. Thus, while burial in Eretz Yisrael placed the Jews in danger, burial in Egypt would lead to the end of Jewish identity.
Mordechai and Yosef
Despite the enormous risk, Mordechai follows Yaakov Avinu’s example and refuses to bow to Haman. Mordechai realized that Jews were rapidly assimilating into Persian society, manifested by our enjoying Achashverosh’s vile parties (Megillah 12a). Mordechai reasoned that while not bowing was risky, bowing down to Haman was a greater risk, as it would have cemented our slide into Persian assimilation.
Yosef also follows in his father’s footsteps. Breishit 50:25 records that before his death, Yosef assembled all of the Jewish people and reminded them that they would eventually be redeemed from Mitzrayim and made them swear they would exhume Yosef’s bones and bring them to Eretz Yisrael for reburial.
This event was quite public since we had increased into a large nation by Yosef’s death, seventy-one years after Yaakov Avinu and his family entered Mitzrayim. The assembling of our entire people and Yosef's messages must have reached their Egyptian neighbors.
How could Yosef have risked the alienation of Mitzrayim from Am Yisrael by publicly declaring that despite his serving as Mishneh LaMelech, he did not define himself as an Egyptian? The answer is the same as we said regarding Yaakov Avinu and Mordechai. Although it offended the Egyptians who heard Yosef’s speech, Yosef felt he had no choice. To remain silent was not an option. Yosef’s short but powerful speech helped us stay on course and remain faithful to our Torah identity.
Lessons for us – Yeshiva vs. Public Education
Yaakov Avinu knew the great cost of his instruction to be buried in Eretz Yisrael. However, he realized that the cost of burial in Mitzrayim was even greater.
As Yaakov Avinu’s descendants, we make a similar calculation when sending our children to Yeshivot instead of public school. A non-observant relative once asked me why I spend so much money on Yeshiva tuition instead of my children attending public school, which is free of cost. I replied that while Yeshiva tuition is quite high, the cost of sending to public schools is even higher.
While one cannot take his wealth to the grave, leaving a legacy of Jewish progeny loyal to Hashem, Torah, and Am Yisrael is a gift for eternity. One is unlikely to achieve this goal if one sends his children to public school. Public education may save money, but the spiritual cost is prohibitive and intolerable.
Yosef’s Righteousness
After Yosef swears to bury his father in Chevron, Yaakov Avinu bows. Rashi’s first opinion is that Yaakov Avinu bows to Yosef out of respect for his governmental authority. Rashi’s second opinion is that Yaakov Avinu bowed to Hashem in gratitude for Yosef’s loyalty to Hashem and the Avot’s legacy despite his ruling Mitzrayim.
Many ask why Yaakov Avinu expresses his gratitude at this point when he recognized that Yosef remained loyal to Hashem when they united in Mitzrayim seventeen years earlier (see Breishit 45:27-28 with Rashi). An answer is that there was no conflict between Yosef’s loyalty to Yaakov Avinu and Paroh seventeen years earlier. However, Yaakov Avinu’s telling Yosef to bury him in Eretz Yisrael required Yosef to choose between fidelity to Yaakov Avinu and Paroh.
Paroh would be very irritated at the request to bury Yaakov Avinu outside Egypt, as French Prime Minister Charles Degaulle was outraged when he heard Rothschild’s request to be buried in Israel and not France. When Yosef nonetheless chooses to follow his father’s instruction, Yosef demonstrates his loyalty to Hashem.
Proving our Loyalty to Torah
We often do not face a conflict between being Torah observant and proper functioning in the broader society. Typically, it is relatively easy to arrange for kosher food and time for Tefilla at work. However, what happens when a major business opportunity arises on Friday night or a Yom Tov? When one chooses the Torah way, he follows in Yosef’s righteous footsteps.
Conclusion
While Yaakov Avinu’s refusal to be buried in Mitzrayim came at a great cost, his lessons are priceless. While we must be practical and pragmatic, our devotion to Hashem sometimes requires us to look beyond expedience. Our dedication to Hashem, Torah, and Am Yisrael is more important than anything else, and we are willing to follow in Yaakov Avinu and Yosef HaTzaddik’s footsteps and pay whatever price necessary to sustain it.