Vayechi: hic jacet

VAyechi:  Here Lies

 

Early in Bereshith, there is the story of the Garden of Eden, eating the forbidden fruit and the exile from Paradise.  Bereshith ends in a chiasmatic manner.  At the end of the story, Joseph is the provider.The grain of Egypt is the forbidden fruit. The price of the food is slavery ( the sweat of the brow).

 

Slavery is the curse that Noah brought into the world in his embarrassment ( from being discovered drunk).  Joseph's brothers try to avoid Joseph's dream of mastery of his brothers. So they sell Joseph into slavery and Joseph enslaves his brothers! Joseph's brothers sold themselves for food.   Thus, there is premonition of the Pharaoh's offer that " only the men leave Egypt" in the story of the burial of Jacob ( when the Israelite slaves are accompanied by armed guards when "only the men" leave Egypt. 

 

----------------------------------------------------

There is an emphasis on where a person is buried.  Jacob, Rachel, Leah, the patriarchs and Matriarchs, Joseph. Why does it matter?  The place of your burial is where you become one with the earth, it is the final return.  Joseph's  re-burial after the Exodus is part if the redemption.  I am glad that my parents are buried in Eretz Yisroel and having survived the Holocaust, they deserve it! Where you are buried is your eternity on earth.