Midrash su Proverbi 10:8

"Who is greater than Joseph, who in return was attended by no one else than Moses." Our Rabbis were taught: "Come, see how beloved meritorious deeds were to our teacher Moses; for, while all Israel was busy with the spoils of Egypt, he occupied himself with meritorious deeds, as it is said (Pr. 10, 8) The wise in heart will accept commandments; but, he that is a fool in his speaking will stumble. But how did Moses know where Joseph was buried? It was said that Serach, the daughter of Asher, was of the previous generation and to her Moses went and asked whether she knew where Joseph was buried, and she said: "An iron casket was made by the Egyptians wherein he was placed and sunk in the River Nile, so that the water of the Nile should be blessed through him." Thereupon Moses went and stationed himself on the brink of the Nile and said: "Joseph the time which the Holy One, praised be He, gave an oath to redeem Israel has expired; the oath with which thou hast adjured Israel is now to be fulfilled. If thou wilt reveal thyself, well, but if not, then we shall be free from the obligation of thy oath." Immediately did the casket of Joseph float the water, and be not surprised that iron floats on the water, for so also do we find in the passage (II Kings 6, 5) But as one was felling a beam, the axe had fallen into the water; and he cried and said, 'Alas, my Lord, it was also borrowed, etc., and cast it in there and made the iron to swim. Is this not a fortiori? If for Ellisha who was only the disciple of Elijah and Elijah who was the disciple of Moses could cause iron to float on water, how much more easily could Moses himself do so? R. Nathan said: "Joseph was buried in the royal cemetery, Moses thereupon went and stationed himself on the royal cemetery and said: 'Joseph the time at which the Holy One, praised be He, gave this oath to redeem Israel has expired; and the oath which thou hast besworn Israel must now be fulfilled. If thou wilst. reveal thyself, well, but if not then we shall be free from the obligation of thy oath." At that moment the casket of Joseph began to tremble, whereupon Moses [having revealed his place] took it and brought it to him, and during all the years that Israel was in wilderness the ark of Joseph was carried side by side with the ark of the Shechina. This caused all passersby to ask, "What is the reason for these two arks?" And when they were told that one contained a dead body and the other the Shechina. The inquirers would ask, "How is it that a dead body is to be placed near the ark of the Shechina?" Whereupon they were told: (Ib. b) "This is because the one who lies in the ark has fulfilled everything that is written in the Torah, which is placed in the other ark." Is it possible that Joseph's body was left to the charge of Moses and the entire people of Israel did not attend it? Behold it is written (Josh. 24, 32) And the bones of Joseph which the children of Israel have brought up out of Egypt, they buried in Shechem, and again granted that Israel would not have attended it, is it possible that his children would not have attended it? Behold, it is written in the same passage, And it remained inheritance of the children of Joseph. His children said: "Let us leave our Father to be attended by the entire people of Israel, for it will be a greater honor for him to be attended by a multitude of people." And again Israel said: "Let us leave it attended by Moses for it would be a greater honor than to be attended by inferior men." (Ib., ib., ib.) They buried in Shechecm. Why in Shechem? They said: "From Shechem was he (Joseph) stolen, (See Gen. 37, 14-29) and let us bring back the loss to Shechem." But the passages contradict each other, it is written (Gen. 13, 19) And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had caused the children of Israel to swear, etc., and in the previous passage it is written. And the bones of Joseph which the children of Israel had brought out of Egypt, they buried in Shechem. Said R. Chama b. R. Chanina: "Whoever starts a thing and does not complete it, and another comes and finishes it. Scripture considers the one who finished it as having performed the entire task." R. Elazar says: "Such a man [who begins a thing and does not finish] is even removed from his high position, as it is written (Gen. 38, 1) And it came to pass at that time that Juda went down from his brothers." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said: "Such a man will bury even his wife and children, as it is said (Ib., ib., 12) And the daughter of Shuah. Juda's wife, died and again it is written there, And Er and Onan both died."

“I have spoken with my heart, saying: Behold, I have amassed and added wisdom, beyond all who were before me over Jerusalem; my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge” (Ecclesiastes 1:16).
“I have spoken with my heart” – the hearts sees, as it is stated: “My heart has seen much.” The heart hears, as it is stated; “Give your servant an understanding [shome’a]¹²⁰Literally, hearing. heart” (I Kings 3:9). The heart speaks, as it is stated: “I have spoken with my heart.” The heart goes, as it is stated: “Didn’t my heart go?” (II Kings 5:26). The heart falls, as it is stated: “Let no man’s heart fall” (I Samuel 17:32). The heart stands, as it is stated: “Will your heart endure [haya’amod]”¹²¹Literally, stand. (Ezekiel 22:14). The heart rejoices, as it is stated: “Therefore, my heart rejoices” (Psalms 16:9). The heart cries out, as it is stated: Their heart cried out to the Lord” (Lamentations 2:18). The heart is consoled, as it is stated: “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem” (Isaiah 40:2).¹²²This verse is preceded by: “Console, console My people, says your God.” The heart grieves, as it is stated: “Your heart shall not be grieved” (Deuteronomy 15:10). The heart hardens, as it is stated: “The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (Exodus 9:12). The heart softens [mitrakekh], as it is stated: “Let your heart not be faint” (Deuteronomy 20:3). The heart is saddened, as it is stated: “He was saddened in His heart” (Genesis 6:6). The heart fears, as it is stated: “From the fear of your heart” (Deuteronomy 28:67). The heart breaks, as it is stated: “A broken and contrite heart” (Psalms 51:19). The heart becomes conceited, as it is stated: “Your heart will grow haughty” (Deuteronomy 8:14). The heart is recalcitrant, as it is stated: “But this people had a revolting and rebellious heart” (Jeremiah 5:23). The heart fabricates, as it is stated: “The month that he fabricated from his heart” (I Kings 12:33). The heart contemplates,¹²³Matters of stupidity as it is stated: “[I will have peace] though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart” (Deuteronomy 29:18). The heart overflows, as it is stated: “My heart overflows with goodly matter” (Psalms 45:2). The heart calculates [meḥashev], as it is stated: “Many are the thoughts [maḥshavot] in the heart of man” (Proverbs 19:21). The heart desires, as it is stated: “The desire of his heart You have granted him” (Psalms 21:3). The heart deviates, as it is stated: “Let your heart not turn aside to her ways” (Proverbs 7:25). The heart strays, as it is stated: “You shall not follow after your heart…[after which you stray]” (Numbers 15:39). The heart is sustained, as it is stated: “And sustain your heart” (Genesis 18:5). The heart is stolen, as it is stated: “Jacob stole the heart of Laban” (Genesis 31:20). The heart is humbled, as it is stated: “Perhaps then their hearts will be humbled” (Leviticus 26:41). The heart is enticed, as it is stated: “He spoke soothingly¹²⁴Literally, “to the heart.” Shekhem was speaking to Dina and attempting to entice her to marry him. to the young woman” (Genesis 34:3). The heart goes astray, as it is stated: “My heart has gone astray” (Isaiah 21:4). The heart trembles, as it is stated: “For his heart was trembling” (I Samuel 4:13). The heart awakens, as it is stated: “I am asleep but my heart is awake” (Song of Songs 5:2). The heart loves, as it is stated: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The heart hates, as it is stated: “Do not hate your brother in your heart” (Leviticus 19:17). The heart envies, as it is stated: “Let your heart not envy…” (Proverbs 23:17). The heart is searched, as it is stated: “I the Lord search the heart…” (Jeremiah 17:10). The heart is rent, as it is stated: “Rend your heart and not your garments” (Joel 2:13). The heart meditates, as it is stated: “The meditation of my heart will be understanding” (Psalms 49:4). The heart is like fire, as it is stated: “My heart will be like fire” (Jeremiah 20:9). The heart is like stone, as it is stated: “I will remove the heart of stone” (Ezekiel 36:26). The heart repents, as it is stated: “Who returned to the Lord with all his heart” (II Kings 23:25). The heart is incensed, as it is stated: “For his heart is incensed” (Deuteronomy 19:6). The heart dies, as it is stated: “His heart died within him” (I Samuel 25:37). The heart melts, as it is stated “The heart of the people melted” (Joshua 7:5). The heart absorbs matters, as it is stated: “These matters that I command you today shall be upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6). The heart absorbs fear, as it is stated: “I will place My fear in their hearts” (Jeremiah 32:40). The heart thanks, as it is stated: “I will thank my Lord with all my heart” (Psalms 111:1). The heart covets, as it is stated: “Do not covet her beauty in your heart” (Proverbs 6:25). The heart is toughened, as it is stated: “And one who toughens his heart” (Proverbs 28:14). The heart becomes merry, as it is stated: “It was when their hearts were merry” (Judges 16:25). The heart deceives, as it is stated: “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil” (Proverbs 12:20). The heart speaks from within, as it is stated: “Hannah was speaking in her heart” (I Samuel 1:13). The heart loves a bribe, as it is stated: “Your eyes and your heart [are only on your ill-gotten gain]” (Jeremiah 22:17). The heart writes matters, as it is stated: “Write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3). The heart devises, as it is stated: “Duplicity is in his heart, he devises evil” (Proverbs 6:14). The heart absorbs mitzvot, as it is stated: “The wise of heart will grasp mitzvot (Proverbs 10:8). The heart acts with malice, as it is stated: “The malice of your heart deceived you” (Obadiah 1:3). The heart arranges, as it is stated: “To a person are the arrangements of the heart” (Proverbs 16:1). The heart glorifies, as it is stated: “Your heart has glorified you” (II Chronicles 25:19). That is, “I have spoken with my heart, saying: Behold, I have amassed…”

(Exodus 13:19) "And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him": This apprises us of the wisdom and saintliness of Moses. All of Israel were occupying themselves with the spoils (of Egypt), and Moses was occupying himself with the mitzvah of the bones of Joseph. Of him it is written (Mishlei 10:8) "The wise of heart will take mitzvoth." And how did Moses know where Joseph was buried? It was said: Serach the daughter of Asher was left of that generation, and she showed Moses the grave of Joseph, saying to him: In that spot did they place him.