A Thought On Parshas VaYechi
A Thought on Parshas VaYechi
"...va'ha'alisem es atzmosai mi'zeh..."
"...and you will carry my remains up away from here..." (50:25)
Yakov prepares to die and instructs his family to bring his body to the Holy Land for burial.
The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 5:11) cites a rabbinic source that "anyone living in Israel has his sins forgiven; even someone who strolls there merits eternal life; one buried there will attain atonement as if he established a shrine there." The Rambam adds that even though there is no comparing one who is buried there to one who actually resided in the land, our great sages from around the globe strived for burial in Israel as we learn from Yakov and from the righteous Yosef.
There is a tradition that when the Rambam died in Egypt, both the Jews and the Egyptians cried for three days and commemorated the anniversary of his death. It took a week for word to reach Alexandria and an additional day before Jerusalem learned of his passing. The Jews of Jerusalem gathered for a massive eulogy and declared a public fast day. The Biblical passage of bleak tochacha in parshas Bechukosai was read and a special haftarah was read from the book of Shmuel lamenting the loss of the Sacred Ark.
The coffin bearing his body was brought towards eretz Yisroel but the entourage was attacked by marauders. Fearing for their lives, the funeral party left the coffin in the sand and fled. This incited the thugs who then attempted to lift the coffin and ravage it. They were, however, unable to open or move it despite the efforts of some thirty ruffians. They backed away in fear and realized that there was a great and pious person within. They actually went after the fleeing Jews and pledged that they would allow them safe passage and would even escort them to wherever they had intended to bury the Rambam.
Popular accounts have it that he was finally buried in Tevaria where one can visit his grave today. There is another version which relates that the Rambam was actually interred along with the Patriarchs in Chevron. His fervent vision was fulfilled for he merited burial in Israel.
* * * * *
The Rosh notes that at the Song of the Yam Suf (Az Yashir), we praise HaShem for His "stretching forth Your might and making the land swallow the Egyptians" (Shmos 15:12). He writes that he once heard an explanation on how some of those pursuing soldiers merited an actual burial in the sea bed as opposed to the fate of others who pursued us, as depicted in the Shira. The interpretation which the Rosh had heard stated that those particular Egyptian men had been the ones who had accompanied the burial entourage of Yakov (Bereishis 50:7).
The trip they had made to escort Yakov to Israel helped facilitate a sacred act, that of his burial in the Holy Land. HaShem does not withhold compensation from those who have earned it. Although those soldiers later engaged in other acts which were antagonistic to us, and they sought to slaughter and drown us in the sea, they nonetheless had a merit. For having assured that Yakov reach his final resting place, they too were given a resting place.
May we recognize the vast importance of kedushas Eretz Yisroel and uphold it always. May we merit the wonder of residing there in this lifetime!
Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...va'ha'alisem es atzmosai mi'zeh..."
"...and you will carry my remains up away from here..." (50:25)
Yakov prepares to die and instructs his family to bring his body to the Holy Land for burial.
The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 5:11) cites a rabbinic source that "anyone living in Israel has his sins forgiven; even someone who strolls there merits eternal life; one buried there will attain atonement as if he established a shrine there." The Rambam adds that even though there is no comparing one who is buried there to one who actually resided in the land, our great sages from around the globe strived for burial in Israel as we learn from Yakov and from the righteous Yosef.
There is a tradition that when the Rambam died in Egypt, both the Jews and the Egyptians cried for three days and commemorated the anniversary of his death. It took a week for word to reach Alexandria and an additional day before Jerusalem learned of his passing. The Jews of Jerusalem gathered for a massive eulogy and declared a public fast day. The Biblical passage of bleak tochacha in parshas Bechukosai was read and a special haftarah was read from the book of Shmuel lamenting the loss of the Sacred Ark.
The coffin bearing his body was brought towards eretz Yisroel but the entourage was attacked by marauders. Fearing for their lives, the funeral party left the coffin in the sand and fled. This incited the thugs who then attempted to lift the coffin and ravage it. They were, however, unable to open or move it despite the efforts of some thirty ruffians. They backed away in fear and realized that there was a great and pious person within. They actually went after the fleeing Jews and pledged that they would allow them safe passage and would even escort them to wherever they had intended to bury the Rambam.
Popular accounts have it that he was finally buried in Tevaria where one can visit his grave today. There is another version which relates that the Rambam was actually interred along with the Patriarchs in Chevron. His fervent vision was fulfilled for he merited burial in Israel.
* * * * *
The Rosh notes that at the Song of the Yam Suf (Az Yashir), we praise HaShem for His "stretching forth Your might and making the land swallow the Egyptians" (Shmos 15:12). He writes that he once heard an explanation on how some of those pursuing soldiers merited an actual burial in the sea bed as opposed to the fate of others who pursued us, as depicted in the Shira. The interpretation which the Rosh had heard stated that those particular Egyptian men had been the ones who had accompanied the burial entourage of Yakov (Bereishis 50:7).
The trip they had made to escort Yakov to Israel helped facilitate a sacred act, that of his burial in the Holy Land. HaShem does not withhold compensation from those who have earned it. Although those soldiers later engaged in other acts which were antagonistic to us, and they sought to slaughter and drown us in the sea, they nonetheless had a merit. For having assured that Yakov reach his final resting place, they too were given a resting place.
May we recognize the vast importance of kedushas Eretz Yisroel and uphold it always. May we merit the wonder of residing there in this lifetime!
Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 7:56 PM
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