Image of the Week: The Bones of Joseph
© D. Yael Bernhard
The story of Joseph is for me the most inspiring of all the tales in the Torah. Back when I was teaching Judaic studies to 3rd and 4th graders at my local synagogue, I nicknamed Genesis "The Book of Siblings" – for sibling dynamics abound, from rivalry to deception to outright betrayal – ending, thank goodness, with the reconciliation of Joseph with his conniving brothers at the end of the book, and moving on to cooperation between Moses and his siblings in the Book of Exodus. Taken together, the arc of these narratives bends from conflict toward peace.
This illustration depicts the very last chapter in Joseph's story, in which Moses fulfills the oath enjoined upon the Israelites to take Joseph's bones with them when they flee Egypt. Joseph foretells the Exodus before he dies, and wants his final resting place to be his father's homeland, Eretz Yisrael – the land of Israel. Hastily preparing to lead his people to freedom before the wicked Pharaoh changes his mind, Moses elicits the help of Serach – Joseph's niece, the only person still alive who knew him – to raise his bones from the depths of the Nile. How his coffin got there and how they were located is a matter of conjecture, which the midrashim – stories about the Bible – have spun into legend ever since.
As an illustrator, it's not my job to provide explanations for spiritual mythology – only to bring it to life visually. I imagined the climactic moment when the sarcophagus emerges from the river. There would be a wild wind, with turbulent clouds and discordant colors reflected in the water. I listened to Beethoven while composing this image, wishing to infuse it with roiling agitation. At the same time, the two characters take pause as they are captivated by the moment in which the coffin comes into view. The bones of Joseph will fulfill the destiny denied him in life, to return to his birthplace – a destiny longed for by countless millions of Jews who have lived and died in exile from their spiritual homeland.
Joseph's brothers betrayed him as a young man and sold him into slavery. But as he was carried off to Egypt, he carried something with him that could never be taken away: the love of his father, Jacob – a lifelong endowment that sustained Joseph through the darkest times, enabling him to rise from the depths of imprisonment to the highest position of power. This kernel of faith is an everlasting gift for Jacob's most beloved son, a golden nugget that shines through all the days of Joseph's life – and beyond.
For reasons unknown to me, my paternal grandparents chose to name my own father after both Joseph and his father. Jacob Joseph Bernhard, of blessed memory, was a bright light and a blessing in my life. It was he who most encouraged me to become an artist; and it was his two Hebrew names beginning with the letter yud – Ya'akov Yosef ( יעקב יוסף ) – that inspired me to choose my own Hebrew name, Yael ( יעל ) – beginning with the same letter – five years after he died. This past week marked his 20th yarzheit. Jack is dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. I carry his love in my bones.
The Bones of Joseph is the image for January 2024 in my newly-published calendar, The Jewish Eye 5784/2024 Calendar of Art. The original painting, a small acrylic on canvas, is for sale; please inquire for more information if you're interested.
The Jewish Eye 5784/2024 Calendar of Art is available in my webstore ($20 with shipping included) or on Amazon ($16.95). If you buy it from Amazon, please consider writing a review!
You can view the entire calendar here.
A good week to all!
D Yael Bernhard
children's books • fine art • illustration
