The sages grappled with this question, and their answers reveal fascinating insights into divine justice and human fallibility.
Our story begins, as it often does, in the Book of Genesis. We read, "Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept upon him, and kissed him" (Genesis 50:1). Then, "Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father. The physicians embalmed Israel" (Genesis 50:2). It’s that second verse that sparks the debate. "Joseph fell…Joseph commanded his servants" – these actions, seemingly born of love and respect, become the focus of intense scrutiny in Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations.
Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, a towering figure in Jewish law and tradition, offers one compelling explanation. He suggests that Joseph's decision to embalm his father was, in a way, an act of defiance against God. The Bereshit Rabbah tells us that God essentially said to Joseph: “Was I not able to preserve My righteous one? Did I not say to him: “Do not fear [ti’re’i], worm of Jacob” (Isaiah 41:14) – worm, do not see [tiri] Jacob?” The verse in Isaiah, interpreted in this light, implies that God had already promised to protect Jacob's body from decay. Embalming, therefore, was a sign of Joseph's lack of faith in God's promise. It was as if Joseph was saying, "I don't trust that you will preserve my father." A pretty serious accusation!
According to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, this lack of trust was a grave offense, warranting an earlier death. In essence, God could preserve Jacob's body without human intervention. Embalming implied a lack of faith in divine protection.
But, as is often the case in Jewish tradition, there's another side to the story. "The Rabbis" – a collective voice representing a range of opinions – offer a different perspective. They argue that it wasn't Joseph's initiative at all! Instead, they say, Jacob himself commanded his sons to embalm him. The proof? The verse: "His sons did to him [just as he commanded them]" (Genesis 50:12). It's a subtle but significant shift.
So, if Jacob ordered the embalming, why did Joseph die before his brothers? The Rabbis point to a different transgression: Joseph's silence. The Bereshit Rabbah notes that Judah, pleading for Benjamin's release, repeatedly referred to Jacob as Joseph's servant. Four times, Judah says, "Your servant, my father, your servant, my father" (Genesis 44:24, 27, 30, 31). And on one other occasion (Genesis 43:28) the brothers refer to Jacob in this way. Joseph heard these words, these diminutions of his father's honor, and he remained silent.
Why is this silence so problematic? Because it suggests a lack of filial piety, a failure to defend his father's dignity. Joseph, in his position of power, should have corrected Judah. His silence implies consent, even a subtle enjoyment of the elevated status he held over his family.
So, we have two explanations for Joseph's premature death, both rooted in the same biblical text. One points to a lack of faith in God, the other to a failure of filial duty. Both interpretations, found within Bereshit Rabbah, offer valuable lessons about the importance of faith, respect, and the subtle ways in which our actions – and inactions – can have profound consequences.
What do we take away from this? Perhaps it's a reminder that even the most righteous figures are subject to human failings. Or maybe it's an invitation to examine our own actions, to consider how our choices reflect our faith and our commitment to those we love. The story of Joseph's death, like so many stories in Jewish tradition, is not just a historical account but a mirror reflecting our own lives and our own potential for both greatness and error.