The text implies that Joseph was the first of Jacob’s twelve sons to die:
“Joseph died, and [then] his brothers and everyone else in that generation” (Exod. 1:6).
Why was Joseph’s life shorter than that of his brothers?
The Sages suggested that Joseph’s early demise was due to his position of public office. When one assumes a position of authority, “one’s days and years are shortened” (Berachot 55a).
Yet this hardly seems fair. Why should those who dedicate their lives to public service be penalized by having a shorter life?
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