As Jacob’s life drew to its end, his mind turned to plans for his burial. Determined to be interred at the burial site Abraham had purchased, the Cave of Machpelah, he summoned his beloved and powerful son, Joseph, to his deathbed, to make his wishes known:

Please grant me this final act of lovingkindness and truth; do not bury me now in Egypt. I would like to lie with my forefathers, so you shall carry me out of Egypt, and you shall bury me in their grave.1

“I will do as you say,” Joseph responded.

Case closed, or so one might think.

But, the Torah continues:

[Jacob] said, ‘Swear to me.’ So [Joseph] swore to him, and Israel (i.e., Jacob) prostrated himself on the head of the bed.2

Why did Joseph need to take an oath? He had already confirmed his intention to bury his father in his ancestral grave! What part of his commitment was lacking? And if, for some reason, Joseph could not be trusted – how would taking an oath change that?

Convincing Pharaoh

Later, when the Torah speaks about Joseph’s arrangements for Jacob’s burial, we discover that Joseph used his oath to convince Pharaoh to let him leave the country for a time to oversee his father’s burial.3

At this point in time, however, when Jacob is still alive, Rashi does not suggest this explanation, which seems to indicate that Pharaoh’s potential reaction was not part of the equation.

So the question remains, why wasn’t Jacob satisfied with the original commitment? Why insist on an oath?

Why Swear?

The Rebbe introduces a psychological insight that changes how we see the purpose and intent of the oath. The power of the oath is not merely in the solemn nature of the undertaking, but more significantly, in the psychological impact it has on the one who swore.

When a person commits to doing something, there is an assumption that it is “circumstance permitting.” Even if a person makes a sincere commitment, everyone understands that factors outside that person’s control may interfere. Making a promise binds the person so that failure is not an option.

For example, if I were to commit to traveling to a friend’s wedding, but my flight was canceled at the last minute, surely I tried my best. I bought the ticket and had every intention of attending. I can hardly be considered neglectful. But if I made an unbreakable promise to be present at the nuptials, even a canceled flight would be no excuse. If necessary, I would drive through the night or find another way to keep my word.

But, says the Rebbe, it goes further than that. Because I have taken an oath, and now I have committed myself under all circumstances, I am not at liberty to sit back and hope things work out. It is now incumbent upon me to ensure that nothing gets in the way of my fulfillment of the promise.

Since I know that failure to be present at the wedding is not an option, I would make sure to have a second means of travel on standby, in case the flight gets canceled. I would also likely travel a day earlier, just in case I needed the extra time.

The oath Jacob had Joseph enter into was not to ensure his integrity. It was intended to ensure that Joseph put his mind to it well in advance to anticipate any unexpected circumstances. Jacob was so anxious to be buried in the Holy Land, that he demanded of Joseph to plan for all contingencies. Failure was not an option.

Joseph vs. Jacob

But this still leaves us with a major question: What kind of obstacles could Jacob have imagined would be so severe that it was necessary to demand an oath of his own son? This was hardly a mission to the moon!

The Rebbe offers a profound thought: The potential obstacle was actually inside Joseph’s head!

Joseph was fully aware that the Israelites were headed for dark times. A long and bitter enslavement was awaiting them in Egypt.

From the perspective of Joseph and his brothers, taking their father’s body out of Egypt meant their descendants were going to be left to face the hardships without the presence of Jacob in their midst. It was therefore not in their interest to bury Jacob in Canaan.

Having Jacob’s grave in Egypt would have provided hope and encouragement, but more importantly great spiritual strength that would have served the Israelites well during their difficult times.

That is why Jacob made Joseph swear that he would fulfil his burial instructions, as he understood how much inner resistance Joseph would experience.

Why Did Jacob Insist?

But why was it so important for Jacob to be buried in the Holy Land immediately. Couldn’t his remains have been taken later, as Joseph’s were?

When people go through struggles, they need help from someone who is on the outside. Our Sages teach, “a prisoner cannot free himself.”4 It takes someone who is free to help them get out.

The Israelites became settled and comfortable in Egypt. Jacob’s burial outside Egypt served as a clear reminder that, ultimately, they were destined to be elsewhere.

Jacob’s final act was to situate himself free of the exile in Egypt, to symbolize that eventually they were to return a free people to receive the Torah and create a Jewish homeland in the Land of Israel.

Adapted from Likutei Sichot, vol. 25, Parshat Vayechi I.