Devar/5771/Vayechi
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< Devar | 5771
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And the time drew near that Israel must die; and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him: 'If now I have found favour in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt (Gen 47:29)
The usual case is that when people write their wills, they command their inheritors regarding the distribution of property or they adjure them to behave in a certain way, or similar things. But in Israel our forefather's will, he pleads with his children "just don't leave my corpse in Egypt!". Rather, he requests they perform a kindness for him, and when I sleep with my fathers, thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying-place (ibid 30).
At the end of this portion, Joseph similarly pleads with the Children of Israel, and says to them God will surely remember you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence (Gen 50:25). He, just like his father, did not want to be laid to rest in the land of Egypt.
Some say that they didn't want to remain their because of the spiritual contamination of Egypt. Others say they were concerned about the plague of lice, or various other plagues. But it seems to me that our forefathers, father and son, transmitted to us a will to be effected through the generations.
Just as a person commands in his will regarding the disposal of his property, so too did our holy forefathers command us regarding our precious property, the Land of Israel. "Do not bury me in Egypt", because it is neither my home, nor my inheritance! And despite my inability to live there now while I am alive, at least let me repose there forever! And just as a person gives advice in his will, telling of the proper path he wishes his children to follow, so did our forefathers direct us to yearn to return to the Land of our inheritance, whether before or after death. Please, choose to return and hold onto the Land while you are yet alive!
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