Joseph had left instructions for the Jews to take his remains out of Egypt when they would leave. Moses therefore took Joseph’s remains along when the Jews left Egypt. Joseph’s remains were eventually interred in Shechem.
Joseph's Bones
וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף עִמּוֹ וגו':
(שמות יג:יט)
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him.
Exodus 13:19
The Hebrew word for “bone” (etzem) also means
“essence.” The Jewish people were about to embark on a journey through a desert
whose barrenness and perils were a reflection of its spiritual desolation. In
order to be able to survive this journey, Moses ensured that the Jewish people
were accompanied by the essence and spirit of Joseph.
Joseph’s essence is expressed in his name, which means “May He
add,” for when he was born, his mother Rachel prayed, “May G‑d add for me
another son.”1
This wish includes the desire to welcome the estranged Jew back into the fold.
In a more general sense, it includes the desire to transform all mundane
reality into the vehicle for holiness it was originally intended to be.
The odyssey of exile is likened to a journey through a barren,
perilous desert.2
In order for us to persevere through periods of spiritual desolation, we must
take our cue from Joseph’s essence. We must strive to bring even the most
distant and rebellious individuals back to the fold, showing them that they are
truly G‑d’s beloved children. When we remain true to this objective, we are
assured that in the end, no Jew will be left behind.3
