An Ark and a Coffin

Moses took Joseph's remains with him. Joseph had bound the Israelites by an oath: “God will grant you special providence, and you must then bring my remains out of here with you.”                                                                                      Exodus 19:13 Two “aronot” (the Hebrew “aron” means both “ark” and “coffin”) traveled with the Israelites in the desert, the coffin of Joseph and the ark of the Eternally Living One. The nations of the world asked “What is the nature of these two?” and Israel answered: “This is the aron of Joseph who is dead, and this is the aron of the Eternally Living One.”   The nations of the world provoked Israel and asked: “Is it the way for God’s aron to be accompanied by the aron of a dead person?”  Israel answered: “The one whose remains are in this aron fulfilled everything written in the other aron.”                                                                   Pesikta D’Rav Kahana 11

            My saintly teacher, Rabbi Mordechai Rogov, explained that Joseph symbolizes unity and peace. Despite everything Joseph suffered at the hands of his brothers, who hated him and sold him into slavery, Joseph did not take revenge, quite the contrary, he demonstrated love and affection, comforting them by saying: “Now don't worry or feel guilty.” [Genesis 45:5]

            The intent of Israel’s answer to the nations: “The one whose remains are in this aron fulfilled everything written in the other aron” is that unity and brotherly love and avoiding revenge or distancing of hearts are the foundations for maintaining the Ark of Covenant, as Hillel the Elder told the would-be convert: “That which is hateful to you, do not to your fellow, this is the essence of Torah.” [Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 31a]

            Rabbi Rogov expands the meaning of Israel’s response to the nations: the aron of Joseph is itself an extension of the aron of the Eternally Living One, for the latter is dependent upon the former.

            Based upon this elucidation, Rabbi Rogov explains the juxtaposition of our verse with the previous statement “and the Israelites went up from Egypt armed.” It is the unity of Israel, which can be learned from the bones of Joseph, which serves as the nation’s primary weapon, and armed with unity, Israel will defeat its enemies. As long as Israel takes to heart the lesson of Joseph, we shall remain well-armed and strong.