In this week's parsha, Parshat Veyeshev, the brothers of Yosef conspire to kill him and finally be rid of the bothersome youth - his personality and predictions, once and for all. However, after Reuven convinces the brothers not to kill him, but to throw him into a pit instead, Yehudah has a bright idea after spying a caravan of Ishmaelites traveling towards them, saying, "What gain will there be if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let our hand not be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh" (Bereshit 37:27). 

Many Torah commentators want to understand what Yehudah's true motivations were for making such a proposal. While the Radak interprets Yeudah's suggestion through a merciful lens – that selling Yosef would mean that he would indeed live, the Sforno, understands Yehudah's words as a means of achieving justice, writing, "This would be an appropriate measure for measure punishment for [Yosef]; he wanted to make slaves of us, but now he himself will become a slave!" While we cannot know the exact motivation behind Yehudah's proposition, we do know the very real and tragic consequences it had on Yaakov, as it says, "All his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted... And his father cried for [Yosef]" (Bereshit 37:35). 

Upon seeing the terrible impact Yehudah's decision had on Yaakov, the Torah tells us, "It was at that time that Yehudah went down from his brothers..." (Ibid. 38:1). What is the connection between Yaakov's reaction to the loss of his son and Yehudah's decent? According Rashi, Yehudah's decent was not only geographical – physically relocating away from his family, it was also emotional, writing, "Yehudah's brothers took him down from his greatness when they saw the distress of their father. They said, 'You said to sell him. Had you said to return him, we would have listened to you!" Yehudah had great sway over his brothers, more than any other. They listened to him, they respected and admired him. When he suggested they sell Yosef, "His brothers listened" (Ibid. 37:27).  As their leader, the brothers took their direction from Yehudah, they hung their successes on him, but also their failures. Thus, when the brothers saw how Yehudah's decision emotionally and spiritually destroyed their father, they blamed their leader. Yehudah lost all credibility and esteem in their eyes, as they blamed him for their father's pain, and basically forced him to leave (K'tav Sofer, Parshat Vayeshev 166).

People in leadership positions are entrusted to seek the welfare of the ones they are charged to look after. As their leader, Yehudah did not foresee the long-term consequences of his hasty decision. Yehudah was thinking only of the moment. He did not consider how Yosef's absence would adversely impact his father or his brothers. Yehudah gave into the hysteria of the hour, that is, the impulse to harm Yosef, and as a result, he destroyed his father's life and the stability of the household as a whole. While it is true that all of the brothers shared the burden of responsibility for the abduction and sale of Yosef, Yehudah, as their leader, was ultimately held responsible for the actions of those whom he instructed, and he learned this lesson in the hardest way possible -banished from his home, disgraced and alone. It would not be until many years later that Yehudah would redeem himself, selflessly acting to reunite his family, and rectify the historic wrong of his own making. 

This Shabbat, let us learn from the sad story of Yehudah. As leaders in our community, we are all held to a higher standard. Others look to us to show them the way. It is up to us to set an example for others to follow. Giving into emotion and the mania of the moment will not enable us to better lead. Rather, it can have the opposite effect, bringing us and those we care about down. May we always consider our decisions and suggestions wisely. May we always think about the long-term consequences of our actions and instructions, and may we always seek to do the right thing, which often times, may not be the popular or comfortable thing. The story of Yehudah, in this instance, serves as a stark admonition that with great power comes great responsibility, and that if we have been entrusted to lead, we should always seek to lead based on that sacred trust. 

Shabbat Shalom,

-Rabbi Dan