When Jacob asked Joseph, "Please do not bury me in Egypt,"1 Joseph promised him, "I will do as you ask."2 But Jacob was not satisfied, and added and asked3 "Swear to me," to which Joseph agreed, as the Parashah relates: "and he swore to him.”.
Why was Joseph's promise not enough for Jacob, and why did he also demand an oath? Did he doubt that Joseph could break his promise? Rather, Jacob's insistence stemmed from the special force of an oath. An oath differs from a promise in the degree of commitment it imposes on the person.
When someone makes a promise, they are truly prepared to fulfill it, and when the time comes, they will do everything in their power to honor it. But this doesn't mean they are constantly thinking about their promise. In contrast, when someone swears to do something, they don't forget it, fully aware of the gravity of the oath.
Patriarch Jacob was not satisfied with a promise and required Joseph to also swear an oath, because he knew that the fulfillment of his request could be fraught with difficulties and only with the strength of the oath could Joseph overcome them.
IOSEF STAYED
We see a clear difference between Jacob and Joseph: Jacob did not accept being buried in the land of Egypt and demanded of his son: "You shall take me up out of Egypt."2 In contrast, Joseph’s coffin remained in Egypt, and he only swore to his brothers that when the time comes for "God will remember,”4 they shall take his bones up with them.
At first glance, Jacob's demand (not to be buried in Egypt) seems to be a self-serving measure, while his sons remain in exile. However, since such an interpretation of Jacob's actions is inconceivable, we must conclude that his actions were for the benefit of Israel.
THE FORCE OF IAAKOV
The Sages of blessed memory stated a rule: "A prisoner cannot free himself from prison." For the children of Israel to leave Egypt, they needed an external force, not found within Egypt, through which they could be freed. That force was Jacob the Patriarch. He was above Egypt, above the exile. His place was not Egypt, but the Land of Israel, and from there he radiated power to the children of Israel who were in Egypt.
In contrast, Joseph was indeed in Egypt, in exile; and while there, he provided strength and fortified the children of Israel. On one hand, he was in the place of exile, and on the other, from within, he strengthened the people. This is why his coffin remained in Egypt, and his merit protected the Jews during their time there. This was the underlying reason why Jacob demanded not to be buried in Egypt, while Joseph's remains stayed in Egypt.
CRY FOR REDEMPTION
This explains why Jacob made Joseph swear, "You will take me out of Egypt." Jacob knew that, because of who Joseph was (the support of the people from within, in Egypt), he might also want his father to remain in Egypt so that his merit would protect the Jews. Therefore, he made him swear that he would take him out of Egypt, and thus Joseph would have no choice but to fulfill the oath, without doubts or personal considerations.
There is a lesson here for every Jew: even though in exile the Shekhinah, the Divine Presence, is with us, the Jew must still cry out: "and you will take me out of Egypt" - with firm faith and trust from the depths of the heart, and in merit of this we will be redeemed with the Messiah, soon in our days.
(Likutei Sichot Volume 25, Page 270)
NOTES: 1.Our Parashah 47:29 2.There 47:30 3.There 47:31 4.There 50:25 5.Berakhot 5,b