בראשית, פרק נ׳, פסוק ח׳

The journey to bury Jacob in the land of Canaan presented his sons with a historic opportunity. With the famine long gone and no immediate decree forcing them to remain in exile, they could have easily returned to their homeland to settle. However, the exact details of who went on this journey and who stayed behind reveal a deep undercurrent of political tension and fear.

The traveling party was massive. Joseph's household alone consisted not only of his immediate family but also included his servants, maids, and the officials under his command [העמק דבר, ביאור יש״ר]. Left behind in Egypt were only the young children [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Interestingly, the women are completely absent from the account. They likely remained in Goshen to care for the children. This omission stands out, as the usual assumption that a wife is considered one with her husband cannot explain their absence when they were physically separated and left behind [ברכת אשר על התורה].

Pointing out that families and property were left in Goshen might seem unnecessary, as young children and livestock naturally do not participate in a funeral procession. However, this detail actually explains why the brothers did not remain in Canaan after the burial. In truth, Jacob's sons deeply wanted to resettle in their homeland, but Pharaoh was highly suspicious of their intentions. The Egyptians had already set their sights on keeping the Israelites under their control and would not permit a permanent departure. Therefore, to ease the minds of the Egyptians and guarantee that they were not fleeing, the brothers were forced to leave their children and flocks behind in Goshen as collateral until they returned from the burial [ביאור יש״ר, ברכת אשר על התורה].