A Time Will Come...
Yaakov concludes his blessing to Yosef by reminding him that a time will come when the 'chosen family' will return home:
"And Yisrael said to Yosef: I am about to die, but God will be with you and return you to the land of your fathers..." (48:21)In light of Yosef's appointment as family "bechor," he must assume the responsibility to inform the future generations of this Divine promise. Yaakov is not sure how long it will be until God will lead them back to Eretz Canaan. Nevertheless, his children must transmit this tradition to their children, so that when the time comes, they will be prepared to meet their destiny.
It is precisely this message that Yosef repeats to his brothers and family on his deathbed, at the conclusion of Sefer Breishit:
"And Yosef told his brothers, behold I am about to die, v'Elokim pakod yifkod etchem [God will surely remember you] and bring you up from this land to the land that He promised by oath to give to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov." (50:24)Compare this with 48:21 and 46:3-4, as well as Shmot 3:13-22. As explained in last week's shiur, these psukim help form the link between the themes of Sefer Breishit and Sefer Shmot.
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