to the one who has completed it. The Midrash illustrated this by citing how Moses began a precept by taking the bones of Joseph with him, as reports, "And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him." But because Moses never brought Joseph's bones into the Land of Israel, the precept is attributed to the Israelites, who buried them, as reports, "And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, they buried in Shechem." does not say, "Which Moses brought up out of Egypt," but "Which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt." And the Midrash explained that the reason that they buried Joseph's bones in Shechem could be compared to a case in which some thieves stole a cask of wine, and when the owner discovered them, the owner told them that after they had consumed the wine, they needed to return the cask to its proper place. So when the brothers sold Joseph, it was from Shechem that they sold him, as reports, "And Israel said to Joseph: 'Do not your brothers feed the flock in Shechem?'" God told the brothers that since they had sold Joseph from Shechem, they needed to return Joseph's bones to Shechem. And as the Israelites completed the precept, it is called by their name, demonstrating the force of , "For this commandment that I command you this day . . . is very near to you, in your mouth, and in your heart." A Midrash read Judah's questions in , "What shall we speak or how shall we clear ourselves?" to hint to a series of sins. Judah asked, "What shall we say to my lord," with respect to the money that they retained after the first sale, the money that they retained after the second sale, the cup found in Benjamin's belongings, the treatment of Tamar in , the treatment of Bilhah in , the treatment of Dinah in , the sale of Joseph in , allowing Simeon to remain in custody, and the peril to Benjamin. Rabbi Judah ben Simon taught that God required each of the Israelites to give a half-shekel (as reported in ) because (as reported in ) their ancestors had sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels. Rabbi Tarfon deduced characteristics of the Ishmaelites from the transaction reported in . Rabbi Tarfon taught that God came from