B'shalach

As the Jewish people leave the servitude of Egypt & head into freedom, the Torah tells us ויקח משה את עצמות יוסף עמו , Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him.

A posuk in Mishlay says, חכם לב יקח מצות , the wise of heart will choose the performance of mitzvos. The Midrash interprets that posuk to be referring to Moshe Rabbeinu who, when all the rest of the Jewish people were busy taking the wealth of the Egyptians, he was busy doing mitzvos, finding the bones of Yosef.

Avnei Nezer asks, “why does it say that only Moshe was doing mitzvos ? Weren't the Jewish people acting on Hashem's request to take the wealth of Mitzraim? That was a mitzva too!

The Dubno Maggid has a parable that might help answer this question. There was a fellow who wanted to build a new home so he met with a contractor to go over every detail, from how many rooms to what kind of windows & doors etc. They wrote out a contract & signed it. The contractor then went and ordered all the materials that the contract mandated. As each item arrived, he put it into storage until he had all the materials he needed. He then went to his employer to demand payment. “You have everything you need to complete the house, please pay me & I'll be on my way”. “Are you kidding me,” shouted the employer? “Do you think I hired you to only supply material; look at the contract; you were to build the house too!”

This, says the Dubno Maggid, is what doing Mitzvos without good intentions are like, preparing all the material but failing to build the house.

Avnei Nezer explains that the difference between Moshe & the people was that while it was indeed a mitzva for the people to take out the wealth of Mitzraim, when they performed the mitzva there was personal gain attached to it too. Therefore, it wasn't done purely for the sake of the mitzvah. However, when Moshe went to gather Yosef's bones to bring them along, there was no ulterior motive; it was done purely for the sake of the mitzvah. That’s what the Midrash meant that Moshe chose a Mitzva which was only for the sake of the Mitzva, nothing else.

Kli Yakar takes it a step further and says that's why the posuk says עמו , with him, that this mitzva will always be with him. When a person leaves this world, all he takes with him are his mitzvos & good deeds. When Moshe took the bones, he took them with him for eternity. The wealth that the people took, however, did not stay with them forever.

This should teach us how important our intentions are & when we do Mitzvos to do them for the sake of the mitzva & not for ulterior reasons & remember make sure that what we chase after in this world is what we should be chasing, for that will stay with us for eternity !