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Why does Yehuda argue against killing Yosef when the brothers had already agreed to Reuven's plan to let him die in a pit? Reuven believed one could avoid moral responsibility through indirect action, while Yehuda rejected any distinction between active killing and passive letting-die. Yaakov's final blessing crediting Yehuda with saving Yosef shows that true leadership requires accepting full responsibility rather than avoiding consequences through technical distinctions.
This shiur provides a detailed analysis of the complex dynamics between the brothers during Mechiras Yosef (the sale of Yosef) in Parshas Vayeishev, focusing particularly on the contrasting approaches of Reuven and Yehuda. The shiur begins by establishing the sequence of events: Shimon and Levi initially wanted to kill Yosef directly, but Reuven convinced them to throw him into a pit instead, ostensibly to let him die without their direct involvement. However, Reuven's true intention was to return later and save Yosef. The central puzzle addressed is Yehuda's subsequent intervention. When Yehuda says 'What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover his blood?' he seems to be arguing against a plan that had already been rejected. The brothers had already agreed with Reuven not to kill Yosef directly. Yet Yehuda speaks as if the original murder plan was still active. Through careful textual analysis, the shiur resolves this apparent contradiction by explaining that Yehuda was challenging Reuven's fundamental approach.
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Parshas Vayeishev 37:19-28, Mikeitz 42:21-22
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