Once again, the events of the week are a powerful peirush to a passage of past intrigue. The retrieval of Roni Gvili and his kovod acharon in this world brought a cascade of deeply felt pain; of many excruciating memories buttressed with vivid pictures, albeit softened by a measure of relief and pride that we are a people with a singularly supreme commitment to true heroes.
In its light one cannot help but re-read the retrieval of Yosef and his return to his people as they start their way home together once again.
ויקח משה את עצמות יוסף עמו כי השבע השביע את בני ישראל לאמר פקד יפקד אלהים אתכם והעליתם את עצמתי מזה אתכם
“And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph, because [Yosef] had exacted an oath from the children of Israel, saying, ‘Hashem will remember you and [then] carry up my bones from here with you.’”
Including the retrieval as part of our travels rather placing it in parshas Bo amongst the events of the actual exit from Goshen has us focus on the reconnection and reappreciation of Yosef as he and his people travel in step. Chazal explain that carrying the bones of Yosef alongside the Aseres Hadibros, each in its own casket, would inspire us to view Yosef as having been the “lebedike dibros”, the embodiment of the commandments in his lifetime (see Kli Yokor).
Furthermore, travelling with the bones of Yosef would be noted by the waters of the Yam Suf and move them to allow Yosef’s people to travel away from destruction and reach safe shores. Indeed, having him “back home” assured that his life, his challenges and the triumphs would be a part of our legacy, one that would continue to inspire and challenge all at once.
There is another backstory that Chazal record for us (Mechilta Derashbi), which tells much about the difficult retrieval. The Egyptians placed Yosef's body in a metal casket and, in true pagan fashion, lowered it into the Nile to appease the Nile and pray for its blessings. The precise location had been largely forgotten. Thankfully the ancient matriarch, Search, was the repository of this tradition and shared it with Moshe. Deeply hidden from sight, it was only with invocation of Heavenly powers that Moshe successfully “unearthed” Yosef.
Interestingly, Chazal sometimes refer to travelling with the bones of Yosef and sometimes to the casket of Yosef; sometimes it is the bones that inspired the waters to split and sometimes it is his casket. Whereas the bones of Yosef inspire through the story of his accomplishments, his strength of will and character in face of formidable struggles, his casket may tell a di fferent story altogether.
It would appear to me that the Egyptian aron of Yosef was watertight and probably carried the name “Tzofnas Paaneach”, accolades and references to his power and position, and the decor appropriate for Egyptian royalty. After all, his casket was part of a state secret and part of an ongoing service to the people. Yet undoubtedly the sea saw the “aron of Yosef” bearing the name “Yosef ben Yaakov Avinu”, so simple and yet the most meaningful all at once. The sea saw the aron of Yosef alongside the aron of the Aseres Hadibros. The sea saw legacy reclaimed.
This week we saw what is occasioned by the return of a loved one albeit with pain beyond words. We witnessed the unswerving and all-encompassing commitment to bring him home; to simply keep a word to a family to a decorated son; the throngs that came to give kavod, to give strength, and simply to feel the searing pain of another; the kaddish; the request of mechila; the recognition of heroism; the legacy of one Jew who jumped and saved hundreds; the legacy of sacrifice, of being part of something so much larger than oneself. In a word: reclamation of a son, of a Jew, of a legacy.
The iron will of reclamation, of redemption if you will, brought us the miracles of kriyas yam suf. After the searing events of this week, one can well understand why.