I promise, really, I do

Parsha Vayechi

Yaakov ( 46:31) makes Yosef swear (double loshon) that he will bury Yaakov in Hebron, in Machpelah. Ramban comments, “Not that he thought his son the tzaddik would not do it, but that it would become important in the eyes of Paro to do.”

Maybe Paro would have said, “just send your brothers.” Or perhaps, “Yaakov, this Prophet, should be buried in Egypt as an honor for us.” This is why Yaakov made Yosef swear. So that Yosef would try harder. We see that Paro refers to this oath when he sent Yosef to bury his father.

Haven’t you noticed that there is a tendency‚ a human nature, to forget when things are good the vows we make when things are bad. “I swear if I can just get through this, I’ll….” And then we forget.

What promises did I make to myself, my friends, and my loved ones just since Yom Kippur that I was not able to keep?

I know I judge others on how well they keep their word, but do I live up to my own expectations? Yaakov and Yosef remind me every year, be careful and thoughtful and always keep my word.