BackGood Effort and Best Effort
By: Rabbi Barak Bar-Chaim
Yaakov realizes that he is approaching his death. He tells Yosef that he does not want to be buried in Egypt and that he must be buried in his forefather’s burial place (in Chevron). Yosef assures his father, Yaakov, that he will follow his (Yaakov’s) instructions. Yaakov asks Yosef to take an oath to follow these burial instructions. Yosef agrees and makes an oath. Surely, Yaakov would have trusted Yosef’s word. Why, then, would he insist that Yosef take an oath to carry out his burial wishes?
Ramban answers that Yaakov made Yosef take an oath not because he didn’t trust him, but, rather, because he knew that Pharoah may be reluctant to allow Yosef to fully carry out his wishes. Pharoah may have insisted that Yosef remain in Egypt while Yosef’s brothers travel to bury Yaakov. Pharoah may have also wanted Yaakov to be buried in Egypt for the Egyptians’ honor or as a merit for the Egyptians (to have a righteous person buried there). The Ramban’s view is supported by Pharoah’s own words to Yosef: “Go and bury your father as he made you swear an oath.”
Ramban, however, adds the following words which I think reveal a foundational idea: “And also Yosef would need to put in more effort in this matter because he took an oath.” My interpretation of these words is the following: human nature is such that a person who feels that there is no option but to accomplish a particular goal will exert more effort (and draw on more inner strength) than someone who feels that not accomplishing that goal is a viable option. There is no doubt that Yosef would have kept his word and made an effort to carry out his father’s wishes even if he had not taken an oath. However, if his efforts were thwarted by Pharoah (or for some other reason), Yosef may have felt that he had kept his word by attempting to fulfill his father’s wishes, but circumstances beyond his control had prevented him from doing so successfully. As the saying goes, “One can only do what one can do.’ Yaakov wanted to ensure that Yosef would not only make a good effort, but that he would make his best effort. Therefore, Yaakov insisted that Yosef give his word in the form of an oath, because doing so would leave him feeling obligated to fulfill the oath, bound by the oath.
When it comes to what really matters in life, let us be honest with ourselves, ensure we are indeed fully committed, and put forward our best efforts.
Shabbat Shalom!