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"Yehudah said to his brothers, 'What will be gained if we kill our brother Yosef?'” (Bereishit 37:26)
A question arises: Although all the brothers, including Yehudah, had initially agreed that Yoseph should be put to death for his perceived betrayal, Yehudah later retracted his support for the verdict. Why did he change his stance?
Yehudah was the leader among the brothers. After they had passed the sentence on Yoseph, he felt, in the depth of his heart, that the decision was unjust. Yehudah, with his pure heart, sensed that there was still a lingering spark of brotherhood between them and Yoseph. This understanding led him to question the appropriateness of the death sentence. He asked, “What will be gained if we kill our brother Yoseph?”
In this statement, Yehudah implicitly expressed his belief that the death sentence was wrong. He recognized the enduring connection of brotherhood, which transcended the anger and jealousy that had initially clouded their judgment. Yehudah’s reconsideration teaches us an important lesson about the value of reflection and self-awareness. When we realize that a decision we have made may be wrong, we must have the strength of character to reassess it and, if necessary, to reverse it.
Today: Let us take a moment to reflect on our own decisions. If we sense that we have acted hastily or made an incorrect choice, let us have the courage and nobility of character—like Yehudah—to revise our course and correct our actions.
(Based on the writings of Rabbi Nosson Wachtfogel) | 
