The Tears of Yosef

The description of the final days—and deaths—of Yaakov and Yosef share linguistic and symbolic similarities, but these similarities show that many details are missing in the death of Yosef. Why does his death and burial seem to involve less honour? The textual juxtaposition of these stories hints that the reason for the disparity is more than the many intervening decades. There is a message about relationships, family, and the tension between vision vs. destiny.