It was fitting that Jacob’s body should be so preserved, since he was the body of the patriarchs. Similarly Joseph, who was an emblem of the body, was preserved both in body and soul-in body, as it says “and they embalmed him”, in soul, as it is written, “and he was put in a coffin in Egypt”.
The word vayisem (and he was put) is spelt with two yods, one of them to indicate an ark above which is called “the ark of the covenant”, which Joseph inherited because he kept the covenant.
There is also another hint in this expression, to wit, that although he died on a foreign soil, his soul was united with the Shekinah, the reason being that he was righteous, and every righteous one inherits the celestial holy land, as it is written: “And thy people are all righteous, they shall forever inherit the land, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified” (Is. 60, 21).
וְיַעֲקֹב הָכִי הֲוָה בְּקִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא, וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ. דְּגוּפָא דְּאֲבָהָן אִיהוּ, וְהֲוָה בְּקִיּוּמָא בְּגוּפָא וְנַפְשָׁא. כְּגַוְונָא דָא לְיוֹסֵף, דְּאִיהוּ דוּגְמָא דְּגוּפָא, וּבְקִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא וְנַפְשָׁא הוּא. בְּקִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא, דִּכְתִיב וַיַּחַנְטוּ אוֹתוֹ, בְּקִיּוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא, דִּכְתִיב וַיִּישָׂם בָּאָרוֹן בְּמִצְרָיִם.
It was fitting that Jacob’s body should be so preserved, since he was the body of the patriarchs. Similarly Joseph, who was an emblem of the body, was preserved both in body and soul-in body, as it says “and they embalmed him”, in soul, as it is written, “and he was put in a coffin in Egypt”.
וּתְנִינָן תְּרֵי יוּדִי"ן אַמַּאי. אֶלָּא, יוֹסֵף נָטַר לֵיהּ בְּרִית לְתַתָּא, וְנָטִיר לֵיהּ בְּרִית דִּלְעֵילָא, אִסְתַּלַּק מֵעַלְמָא, אִתְשַׁוִּי בִּתְרֵי אֲרוֹנֵי, (אתר) בְּאָרוֹן לְתַתָּא וּבְאָרוֹן לְעֵילָא. אָרוֹן דִּלְעֵילָא מַאן אִיהוּ. אֶלָּא, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (יהושע ו׳:ו׳) הִנֵּה אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ, דְּאָרוֹן דִּלְעֵילָא אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית אִקְרֵי, דְּהָא לָא יָרִית לֵיהּ אֶלָּא מַאן דְּנָטַר בְּרִית, וּבְגִין דְּיוֹסֵף נָטַר לֵיהּ לִבְרִית, אִתְשַׁוֵּי בִּתְרֵי אֲרוֹנֵי.
The word vayisem (and he was put) is spelt with two yods, one of them to indicate an ark above which is called “the ark of the covenant”, which Joseph inherited because he kept the covenant.
וַיִּישֶׂם בָּאָרֹן בְּמִצְרָיִם, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי. וּקְרָא אוֹכַח רָזָא אָחֳרָא, דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּנָפְקַת נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בִּרְשׁוּ אָחֳרָא, אִתְקַשַּׁר בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיִּישֶׂם בָּאָרוֹן, לְעֵילָא וּלְתַתָּא, בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה צַדִּיק. דְּכָל צַדִּיק יָרִית אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו ס׳:כ״א) וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִרְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נִצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר. בָּרוּךְ ה' לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן: סָלִיק סֵפֶר בְּרֵאשִׁית
There is also another hint in this expression, to wit, that although he died on a foreign soil, his soul was united with the Shekinah, the reason being that he was righteous, and every righteous one inherits the celestial holy land, as it is written: “And thy people are all righteous, they shall forever inherit the land, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified” (Is. 60, 21).