Dvar Torah Vayechi – Buried Treasure:

Vayechi – Buried Treasure:
וימת יוסף – And Yosef died (Bereishis 50:26).

Yosef hid three treasures in Egypt. One was revealed to Korach, the second to Antoninus, and the third is hidden for tzaddikim in the future (Sanhedrin 11a, Pesachim 119a).

This statement can be understood literally, since we know that all of the world’s wealth was accumulated by Yosef during the famine and he hid it before he died. The Pardeis Yosef (p.360) writes that there is an allegorical way to understand this, as well. There are three treasures, three “pearls of wisdom,” that we can glean from Yosef’s life; three treasured ideals can be uncovered and extracted by examining Yosef’s experiences.
We see from Yosef that if a person is destined to have a certain position in life, nothing can stop this from happening. Through his dreams, Yosef was told that he would be the ruler over his brothers. Although the shevatim tried to stop this from happening – by plotting to kill him and then by selling him into slavery – nothing could prevent Yosef from receiving what was rightfully his. Indeed, he became the leader of his brothers. This lesson has great value. You don’t have to be concerned that people will take what is rightfully yours. If you do your part, you can sit back and leave the rest up to Hashem. This is one treasure we glean from Yosef’s life.
In addition, we see from Yosef that you do not have to compromise your principles or religious beliefs in order to find or gain acceptance in the larger world. While living in Egypt, the bastion of immorality, Yosef was able to remain Yosef HaTzaddik, a holy and pure person. Although he never compromised on any of his principles, he was still the beloved and respected Tzafnas Paneach, ruler over Egypt. This is the second treasure or valuable lesson that we learn from Yosef.
Finally, we learn that hatred among brothers will one day come to an end. Yosef was hated by his brothers, to the point where they sold him into slavery. But in the end, they forgave one another; they were able to live in peace and harmony. This is a third valued principle we see from Yosef.
The Gemara says that Yosef buried these three treasures.
The first treasure was revealed in the days of Korach. Korach was supported by the elite of Klal Yisrael and aided by his riches (the actual treasure of Yosef) in his attempt to usurp power from Moshe and Aharon. But since Hashem had chosen Aharon to be the Kohen Gadol, then even with all the wealth and political support of Korach’s, he could not succeed in garnering for himself an unjust position. Aharon was chosen just as Yosef had been chosen. Just as nobody had been able to take the position away from Yosef, nothing or no one could take it away from Aharon.
The second treasure was revealed in the days of Antoninus and Rebbi. Rebbi, the leader of the Yidden in his time, had a remarkably close relationship with the Roman ruler Antoninus (see Avodah Zarah 11a). Yet, at no time did he have to compromise his values. He was able to remain “Rabbeinu HaKadosh,” the unparalleled gadol in Torah and piety, and still have the affection and friendship of the gentile Antoninus. He, like Yosef, maintained his principles and did not lose the respect of the people in power.
The third treasure, writes the Gemara, will be revealed in the future. Although the animus between Yosef and his brothers did eventually come to an end, we are, unfortunately, not yet there. There is still sinas chinam. The Temple has not yet been rebuilt.
But there will come a day when this last treasure from Yosef is unearthed. And we can be assured that at that time, there will be peace on earth.