EXOD193 Perhaps the most famous biblical example of keeping a long-standing commitment was Moses' taking Joseph's bones with him when he led the Israelites out of Egypt. Centuries earlier, Joseph had exacted an oath from his brothers, saying, "When God has taken notice of you [and brings you back to Canaan], you shall carry up my bones from here" Genesis 50:25. On the day the Jews left Egypt, Moses was unquestionably very busy, and the commitment to Joseph had not even been made by him, but by his ancestors; nonetheless, the Bible tells us that he" took with him the bones of Joseph".

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

EXOD192 Jewish law opposes cremation, and regards it as an extreme lack of respect for the dead body. Although no explicit biblical law prohibits cremation, the prophet Amos, writing over 2,700 years ago, speaks of the punishment of the nation of Moab for its many sins, specifying that it had "burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime" Amos 2:1. The Torah takes burial and a gradual decomposition of the dead body for granted "For dust you are and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:19

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

EXOD195 See [[EXOD15]] Exodus 1:17 feared AHAVCH 25

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

EXOD194 "With the measure that one measures, so it is measured out to him." Moses appropriated the merit [of looking after] the bones of Joseph, as it is written: "And Moses took the bones of Joseph." And there was none in Israel greater than he; accordingly, he, likewise, merited that the Holy One Himself occupy Himself with him [i.e., with his burial], as it is written (Deuteronomy 34:6): "And He buried him (Sotah 9b).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

EXOD196 From here it is derived that a master may waive the honor due him (Kiddushin 32a).

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

EXOD197 It was taught: "There will not depart, the pillar of cloud, by day, and the pillar of fire, by night"- This teaches us that the pillar of cloud overlapped [in the transition] the pillar of fire, and the pillar of fire overlapped the pillar of cloud (Shabbat 23b). Scripture hereby teaches us proper deportment vis-à-vis the eve of Sabbath [namely, to add from the non--consecrated (i.e. Friday afternoon) to the consecrated (Sabbath). While the pillar of cloud was still in place, the pillar of fire emerged. (Mechilta)

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

EXOD198 Now since man is obviously confined within time and space, his deeds cannot penetrate beyond a certain limit -- the furthest point his merit can reach. Hence Scripture has advised us that when we see the merits of our forefathers becoming exhausted, we should ourselves awaken the attributes of God's goodness and chesed for us, by clinging in our deeds to the same virtues. Then, measure for measure, His chesed will envelop us and will never depart from us. (The expression lo yamush carries the implication of "will never depart", as in [this verse], lo yamish -- "the pillar of cloud shall not at any time depart.")

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

EXOD199 See [[DEUT41]] Deuteronomy 2:30 hardened SPERO 245-6

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

EXOD200 See [[DEUT41]] Deuteronomy 2:30 hardened SPERO 245-6

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

EXOD201 Even though people think of anti-Semitism in negative terms, sometimes there can be a positive end to this hate. The Talmud Megillah 14a says that the anti-Semitism displayed by Achashverosh in decreeing against the Jews in the Purim story did more to inspire the Jews than the prophecy and admonishings of all forty-eight prophets and seven prophetesses. What does this mean? The negative acts of Achashverosh woke up the Jews and inspired them to do good, as no prophet did, says the Talmud, because it is often the negative acts against the Jews that bring them together and wake them out of their spiritual slumber. The decree of a wicked king mobilized the Jews to become more Jewish, where the prophets could not. This idea is alluded to in the Torah. After the Jews left Egypt, the verse says that Pharaoh drew closer to the people as he chased them. But the tense for the verb "drew closer" actually reads "he brought them closer" as a causative, hif-il. Thus, according to some commentaries, the Torah is actually telling us that Pharaoh (and not any other action by Moses) brought the people closer. That is what happened with both Achashverosh and Pharaoh. Even in modern times, this phenomenon can be seen. It was only after the progroms and anti-Semitism in Europe during the 1880s that the Jews started seriously to move to Palestine and actualize the Zionist dream. In more recent times, after the establishment of the State of Israel, the desire to come on aliyah has not usually been strong enough to track the masses to the State. The massive aliyah of Jews from Arab countries, from Russia, and from Ethiopia has come about because of anti-Semitism. Once again, the terrible pain of anti-Semitism has led to a positive result, aliyah.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT