This week's Torah portion of Vayechi (beginning in B'reshit 47,28, ending at the end of Chapter 50 and the end of B'reshit) begins by telling us that the Patriarch Yaakov lived for 17 years in Egypt, until his death at age 147. These 17 years for Yaakov were, for a change, devoid of problems; they were truly a fulfillment of "Vayechi," he lived. As opposed to his earlier years, when he faced the difficult tribulations of Esav's designs to kill him, Lavan's deceptions, and 22 sad years of mourning in vain for Yosef, his beloved son whom he thought was dead – his final years in Egypt provided him with solace, serenity, and joy. He was able to dedicate himself to teaching Torah to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and preparing them to face the challenges of survival as loyal Jews in the darkness of exile.

This is why Yaakov blessed Yosef's sons and said that in the future, all of Israel will bless their sons to be like them: "May G-d make you like Ephraim and Menashe." What was so special about Ephraim and Menashe? The answer is that they grew up in an idol-worshiping culture in the royal Egyptian palace and environs, and yet remained loyal to the Torah education they received from Yosef and Yaakov. Yaakov's blessing was that all his future descendants should be like those two boys in their steadfast loyalty to Torah values – even if they happen to find themselves far away from their parents' home and values.

Yaakov Avinu also saw far ahead in terms of the Land of Israel. He made sure to have Yosef vow that he would bury him in Eretz Yisrael, and not in Egypt – thus emphasizing to future generations their deep connections with the Land. If he would have been buried in Egypt, his great-grandchildren would be liable to say, "Our own ancestor Yaakov is buried here, we might as well remain here as well." He wanted all his descendants to know that Egypt can never take the place of Eretz Yisrael as their home.

Today, there are still Jews who leave the Holy Land in order to visit and pray at the graves of righteous rabbis. The great Rav Kook wrote (in Mishpat Cohen 177) that such journeys should be avoided, because although they have importance – as we learned from Calev ben Yefuneh, who stopped at the Machpelah Cave on his way to take part in Moshe Rabbeinu's mission to scout out the Land of Israel for the Israelites – this still cannot justify violating the prohibition against leaving the Land of Israel. This is especially true given the fact that there are plenty of righteous people buried in Eretz Yisrael, to whose gravesites one may go to pray.[1]

This is also why Yosef had his brothers swear to him that, when they are one day redeemed from Egypt and return to the Holy Land, they would take his remains with them to be buried there: Yosef wished to enforce the bonds between the people of Israel and the Land of Israel.[2]

We live in a period when, for some of our fellow Jews, the topics of the Redemption of the Land and settling the Land do not carry great weight. It is therefore incumbent upon us to develop and encourage love for our holy Land, and to do whatever we can in order to settle it and make the desert bloom. It goes without saying, of course, that we must certainly seek to ensure that no part of the Land is given over to the terrorists. And in this merit, we will be privileged to see the Redemption of our nation and our entire Land, speedily in our days.

Translated by Hillel Fendel

[1] Translator's note: It is told of R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (d. 1995) that when he was asked about visiting the graves of tzaddikim outside the Land, he said, "Why leave the Holy Land? You have plenty of tzaddikim buried right here in Jerusalem – on Mt. Herzl" [a reference to the soldiers killed in Israel's wars and buried in the military cemetery there]!

[2] Translator's note: The commentators discuss and explain why Yosef asked to have his "bones" brought for burial in the Holy Land, but did not ask to be buried in Eretz Yisrael immediately upon his death.