Parashat BiShalach
The Temporary and the Eternal
The Torah tells us in Parashat Beshalach (13:19) that at the time when Benei Yisrael left Egypt, "Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him." Yosef, before his death, had elicited an oath from his brothers that they would see to it that his remains would be brought back to Eretz Yisrael for burial. Now, at the time of the Exodus, Moshe assumes the responsibility of fulfilling that promise, and he personally takes with him Yosef's remains as the nation prepared to leave Egypt.
The Sages teach us that it is regarding this incident that King Shlomo wrote in the Book of Mishlei (10:8), "The wise-hearted will take Mitzvot." Apparently, King Shlomo saw Moshe's performance of this Mitzva as an expression of profound wisdom. What "wisdom" was there in Moshe's involvement in the bringing the remains of Yosef, that made such an impression upon King Shlomo?
One answer that is given explains that Moshe was "wise" in choosing to occupy himself in this Mitzva, of retrieving Yosef's remains, rather than engaging in the activity in which the rest of Benei Yisrael were involved: taking the belongings of the Egyptians. G-d had instructed Benei Yisrael to take all the riches of Egypt with them as spoils before their departure from the country. But Moshe, in his insight and wisdom, chose to involve himself in something else. The acquisition of material wealth is only a temporary gain; a person keeps these possessions only until he leaves this world. Mitzvot, however, remain with a person for eternity, accompanying him even in the next world.
The Chafetz Chayim presented a famous analogy that is worth repeating and reminding ourselves of, even if we've heard it before. A man once left his family to earn some money, and his wanderings took him to a distant island where he found jewels and diamonds strewn all over the ground. He began furiously filling his pockets and bags, until some residents approached him and explained that jewels and diamonds are available in abundance on that island and thus have virtually no value. The most precious commodity on the island, they informed him, was wax, which was in very low supply. The man immediately dropped all the diamonds and jewels and began investing in wax. Over the course of time, he became the leading wax dealer on the island, amassing enormous warehouses of wax and earning widespread fame and admiration for his success.
Finally, he decided he would return home and bring his wealth to his family. He loaded hundreds of cartons of wax onto a ship and sailed home. When his family saw what he had brought, they stared in disbelief.
"This is all you've accumulated?" they asked.
He explained to them how precious and valuable wax is on the island where he had worked, but then realized that in his hometown, his many tons of wax are hardly worth anything. Rather than collecting rubies, emeralds and diamonds, he spent those years collecting wax, which has no value back home.
Similarly, the Chafetz Chayim explained, we come to this world where there are "jewels and diamonds," priceless Mitzvot, all around us. A Jew has endless opportunities to accumulate Mitzvot that he can take with him after he leaves this world. Unfortunately, our perception is muddled during our stay on earth, and we spend our time and energy amassing "wax," wealth and possessions, which earn a person much prestige and fame in this world, but are of no value once he arrives in the next world.
The verse therefore tells, "Moshe took the bones of Yosef WITH HIM." Rather than expending his time and efforts on the accumulation of wealth, Moshe took something that will go "with him," that will stay with him for all eternity. We, too, must learn to focus our attention on that which is of eternal meaning and value, rather than endlessly exerting ourselves in the pursuit of but temporary and ephemeral gain.
