B'shalach 5772

וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת-עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף, עִמּוֹ: כִּי הַשְׁבֵּעַ הִשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר, פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶתְכֶם, וְהַעֲלִיתֶם אֶת-עַצְמֹתַי מִזֶּה אִתְּכֶם. – And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for he (Joseph) had sworn the Children of Israel, saying: 'Gd will surely remember you; and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.' (Exodus 13:19) As the Israelites are leaving Egypt in haste, of all people it is Moshe who ensures the fulfillment of Joseph's request that his bones be taken back to Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Natan Shapira of Krakow points out that the word for bones ( עצמות) has the same root as strength (עוצמה) and individuality (עצמיות) so that Moshe's taking Joseph's bones should be seen as his adoption of Joseph's greatest personal attribute – his strength to overcome the inclinations of vengeance. Just as Joseph does not take revenge on his brothers for selling him into slavery – on the contrary, he provides them with a wonderful life in Egypt – Moshe displays this same greatness by way of patience, tolerance and defense of the Children Israel despite their recalcitrance, irascibility, and rebellion against him.