As Joseph lay on his deathbed, he made his brethren swear a solemn oath. He didn't just ask it of them, but instructed them to have their sons swear it too: when God would finally redeem them and bring them out of Egypt, they were to carry his bones to the Promised Land. "I, a ruler," Joseph said, "could have taken my father's body to the Holy Land while it was still whole. But all I ask is that you carry my bones. You can bury them anywhere in Palestine, because the family tomb is only for the three Patriarchs and their wives."
Interestingly, Joseph made this oath with his brethren, not his sons. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, he feared that the Egyptians wouldn't allow his sons to transport his bones, even remembering his favor with Pharaoh. They might argue that denying the wish of such a high-ranking official would be disrespectful.
He also adjured them not to leave Egypt until a redeemer appeared, announcing his message with the words "Pakod – I have surely visited you." This was a tradition passed down from Abraham, through Isaac, to Jacob, and finally to Joseph. Joseph even foretold that God would redeem Israel through Moses, like the Messiah, and that the redemption would begin in Tishri (fall), with freedom from slave labor, and be completed the following Nisan (spring) with their exodus.
But it wasn't just about the physical journey. Joseph urged his brethren to live righteously, emphasizing chastity and moral uprightness. He shared his own trials – the hatred of his brothers, Potiphar's wife's false accusations, and the envy of the Egyptians – to show that those who fear God are never truly forsaken. "I was sold into slavery, but the Lord delivered me. I was thrown into prison, but His strong hand helped me," he declared.
Joseph also spoke of visions revealing Israel's future, and emphasized the importance of taking the bones of his mother, Zilpah, and burying them near Bilhah and Rachel. With those words, he passed away, mourned deeply by both Israel and Egypt, who remembered his compassion and wise counsel.
Joseph's wish to be buried in the Holy Land was ultimately fulfilled when the Israelites left Egypt. And who oversaw it? None other than Moses himself! This was seen as Joseph's reward for his devotion in burying his father, Jacob. As we find in Midrash Rabbah, because Joseph handled his father's burial himself, leaving nothing for others to do, a great man like Moses busied himself with Joseph's wish.
But finding Joseph's coffin wasn't easy. For three days and nights before the Exodus, Moses searched tirelessly. He knew Israel couldn't leave without fulfilling their oath. Finally, Serah, the daughter of Asher, guided him to the Nile. The Egyptians, fearing Israel's departure, had sunk Joseph's lead coffin, sealed by magicians, in the river.
What happened next is truly fascinating. Moses took Joseph’s cup and engraved four images: a lion, an eagle, a bull, and a human figure. He threw them into the river one by one, invoking Joseph's name, proclaiming the time of redemption, and urging him to appear. Only when the plate with the human figure was cast did the coffin finally rise to the surface. Moses, overjoyed, retrieved it.
During the forty years of wandering in the desert, Joseph's coffin was carried in the midst of Israel. The Talmud teaches that it was a reward for Joseph's promise to nourish his brethren. For forty years, they would care for his bones as he had cared for them.
Imagine this: Israel carried two arks, one containing the bones of the dead Joseph, and the other containing the covenant of the Living God. Passersby would ask, "How can the ark of the dead be next to the ark of the Ever-living?" The answer, as the Sages explained, was that Joseph fulfilled the commandments enshrined in the Ark of the Covenant. He lived a life that mirrored God's law.
Upon arriving in the Holy Land, the Israelites buried Joseph's bones in Shechem. God said to the tribes, "From Shechem you stole him, and unto Shechem shall you return him."
This story leaves us with a profound thought: If God is so concerned with the bodies of the righteous, how much more so with their souls? They stand before Him, like angels, ministering to His glory. The tale of Joseph's death and burial is not just a historical account; it’s a testament to the enduring power of righteousness, the importance of fulfilling promises, and the eternal connection between the living and the dead in Jewish tradition. It reminds us that even in death, the righteous continue to inspire and guide us.