And the time drew near that Yisrael must die; and he called his son Yosef, and said unto him: If now I have found favour in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt.
English: “And he called his son Yosef” — Why did he not call Reuven, and why not Yehudah? Reuven is the first-born and Yehudah is the king, yet he set them aside and called Yosef. Why so? Because it was within Yosef’s power to act.
In context: The midrash explains why the deathbed charge concerning burial was given specifically to Yosef rather than to the bechor or to the royal tribe.
Type of Learning
Midrash on the choice of addressee.
What Is Learned
Yaakov turned to Yosef because only Yosef had the practical authority in Egypt to ensure the burial would be carried out as charged.