The final act of Moses in Egypt was to retrieve Joseph’s bones. This is because we do not leave anyone behind and we do not forget anyone. We take care of all in our nation.
Quick D’var Torah
You may have noticed that today we did not say the two chapters of Tehillim. We stopped saying them because the body of the last hostage was returned. And that fact is deeply significant—especially in light of this week’s parashah.
In Parashat Beshalach, while the Jewish people are running, gathering possessions, and finally leaving Egypt in a moment of chaos and relief, the Torah pauses to tell us something striking: Moshe takes the bones of Yosef. This is mentioned very early in the parashah. That is not accidental.
Moshe’s final act in Egypt was not about gold, silver, or escape. It was about making sure Yosef would not be forgotten.
And that brings us to the present moment.
People ask: Why was the return of the body such a deal-breaker for Israel? Why risk everything for someone who is no longer alive?
And the answer is simple—and fundamental: because we don’t abandon our dead.
In Judaism, this is called chesed shel emet—a true kindness. Most kindnesses come with some form of reciprocity. You help someone; someday they help you back. But when you take care of the dead, there is no payback. That person will never return the favor. That is why it is considered the purest mitzvah.
And here’s the deeper point:
If you don’t take care of the dead, you will eventually stop taking care of the living.
That’s why Moshe makes this his priority. That’s why Israel insisted on the return of the last body. It’s a guarantee to the Jewish people: You will never be abandoned—alive or dead.
There’s a famous story of Maharam of Rothenburg, who was imprisoned and held for ransom. He instructed the Jewish community not to redeem him, fearing it would encourage future kidnappings. He eventually died in prison. Years later, members of the community paid a ransom—not to free him, but to ensure he received a Jewish burial. Even in death, he would not be left behind.
Israel lives by this principle to this day. That’s why there is no Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Israel. No one who falls defending the state is ever “unknown.” Israel goes to extraordinary lengths to identify every fallen soldier.
And that is why the Torah tells us—at the very moment of redemption—that Moshe took Yosef’s bones.
Because Jewish freedom isn’t just about leaving slavery.
It’s about responsibility.
It’s about memory.
And it’s about never abandoning a Jew—no matter what.
Something to think about.
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