Paroh has two dreams in succession
Paroh seeks interpretation from his advisors but is not satisfied
The Butler remembers Yosef and suggests his assistance
Yosef is summoned and asked to interpret the dreams
Yosef interprets the dreams and Paroh is satisfied
Yosef offers a solution to the upcoming dilemma
Paroh appoints Yosef as viceroy of Egypt
Yosef marries and has two children, Menashe and Ephraim
The projected famine hits the lands but Egypt has sustenance
Yaakov sends the brothers to Egypt for food
Yosef recognizes his brothers but acts as a stranger towards them
Yosef accuses the brothers of being spies
The brothers are told to bring Binyamin to Egypt to prove their innocence
The brothers acknowledge they are being punished for selling Yosef
Shimon is imprisoned while the others return with the food
When the brothers return home they find their money in their bags
The brothers recount the events to Yaakov
Reuven pleads to allow Binyamin to return with them but is refused
Yaakov tells the brothers to go back to Egypt for more food
Yehudah pleads and guarantees Binyamin’s safety; Yaakov agrees
Yosef hosts the brothers for lunch in his own house
Yosef instructs his servant to place his goblet in Binyamin’s sack
The brothers are overtaken and accused of stealing
The goblet is found in Binyamin’s sack
The brothers return to the city and Yehudah pleads with Yosef
“And Reuven said to his father saying, “You may kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care and I will return him to you” (Beresheit 42:37).
“And Yehudah said to Israel his father, send the lad with me, and we will get up and go, and we will live and not die, also us, also you, also our children. I will be a guarantor and you may demand him from my hand. And if I do not bring him to you and stand him before you, I will have sinned to you for all days” (43:8-9).
The brothers, not including Binyamin, go down to Egypt to seek food. They fortuitously divulge that their eleventh brother is not with them. Charged with being spies, they are required to validate their innocence by bringing down their father’s beloved Binyamin.
Reuven, the firstborn, makes the initial attempt to convince his father to allow Binyamin to accompany them. He even guarantees his safety with the life of his own two sons. Yaakov adamantly refuses. After some time, Yehudah attempts to persuade Yaakov. He personally guarantees Binyamin’s safety and is successful in swaying his father.
Ostensibly, the pleas of both Reuven and Yehudah are the same. What was the difference between the two appeals yielding Reuven’s failure and Yehudah’s success?
The Ramban explains that the difference between the two pleas was simply timing. Reuven’s plea came immediately after their return from Egypt. They now had plenty of food in the house. There was no necessity to take a risk with Binyamin’s life. However, once the food was diminished, the situation changed. Rashi comments on the second verse of chapter 43 explaining Yehudah’s plan. “Wait for the old man until the food has been consumed.” Yehudah realized Yaakov was not willing to risk losing Binyamin. But once there was no food left, he would have no other choice. “There is only a chance that Binyamin will be seized. But if we do not go down at all, we will surely die of hunger” (Rashi 43:8).
Rabbi Yosef B’chor Shor (one of the Baalei Tosafot), in his commentary on the Torah, explains another element of Yehudah’s request. There is an old saying quoted by the Talmud, which states, “the pot of two is neither hot nor cold” (Bava Batra 24b). When two people are responsible for something, neither can be fully trusted to complete the job. It is easily possible, if not probable, that each will assume his partner will take care of it. When two people are responsible for something, there is a lack of accountability.
Yehudah attempts to enhance Binyamin’s security. “I will be a guarantor and you may demand him from my hand.” I will be solely responsible for his safety. No longer is there a joint responsibility between the brothers, which has thus far failed. “If I do not bring him to you and stand him before you, I will have sinned to you for all days.” His life is on my head, and I will risk my own life for his safety.
Yehudah personally guarantees Binyamin’s safety. He now had a sense of responsibility toward his brother; he knew he would be held solely accountable. This is the element of Yehudah’s request that convinced Yaakov.
However, there is still a problem that remains. It seems that fundamentally, the pleas of Reuven and Yehudah are nevertheless the same. If one examines the verses, Reuven also seems to personally guarantee Binyamin’s safety. “You may kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my care and I will return him to you.” He even sets up a tangible consequence. Why then did Yaakov not accept Reuven’s service as well?
There seems to be two possible approaches to this question. Reuven was the firstborn. This gave him a certain prominence and responsibility over the brothers. He was by default their leader. But at this point, he did not have such a good track record. He erred with Yaakov’s wife Bilhah, and did not prevent Yosef’s sale down to Egypt. Yaakov simply no longer trusted Reuven. He was not an adequate guarantor. However, Yehudah’s guarantee was not tainted and hence Yaakov accepted it.
A second approach is illustrated through the following analogy. Imagine taking one’s beloved but broken computer into a local repair shop. The shopkeeper examines it and judges the situation. “Well, are you sure you’ll be able to fix it?” one might ask. What would the most reassuring answer? “Oh I’ll guarantee it, and even if I break it, you can come break my computer.” This would not be a comforting answer. Wrecking the employee’s computer would be fruitless. He also acknowledges and accepts the possibility of his failure. However, if the repairman replied, “I guarantee it, and it is completely my responsibility, you may demand it from my hand,” this would most likely be convincing enough.
This is analogous to the pleas of Reuven and Yehudah. Though Reuven added a tangible consequence, it was that very addition which created the insecurity. Reuven was acknowledging the possibility of failure that was not acceptable in Yaakov’s eyes. Furthermore, the consequence he presented added no benefit to Yaakov. Why would he kill his own grandchildren? Yehudah offered a personal guarantee. Even though it did not have a tangible consequence, Yaakov was convinced he would do all in his power to protect Binyamin.