Judah shows trued leadership when he takes upon himself to save Benjamin by being willing to be taken prisoner in Benjamin’s place. True leadership is based on taking action and taking responsibility for that action.
Leadership Through Responsibility: Yehuda vs. Reuven
In this week’s parashah, we see one of the Torah’s clearest lessons about leadership. Yehuda steps forward to protect Binyamin, placing himself in personal danger and offering to become a slave so that his brother can go free. This moment defines the Torah’s understanding of true leadership.
At first glance, Reuven should have been the leader of the brothers. He was the firstborn, a fundamentally good person with good intentions. But Reuven consistently falls short. He sees problems and makes plans, but his plans don’t succeed. As the saying goes, he is often “a dollar short.” He means well, but he hesitates, overthinks, and ultimately fails to act decisively.
Yehuda is different. When Yehuda sees a problem, he acts. He doesn’t wait for the perfect plan. He takes responsibility and steps forward.
We see this not only with Binyamin, but earlier with Tamar. When Yehuda realizes that he was wrong, he publicly admits it and says, “She is more righteous than I am.” He owns his failure, accepts responsibility, and moves forward. That willingness to admit mistakes is a defining trait of leadership in the Torah.
Yosef, too, is a leader. He makes mistakes early in life, recognizes them, and grows from them. When he reveals himself to his brothers, he tells them not to be distressed, explaining that what seemed like human wrongdoing was ultimately part of God’s plan. Yosef understands that leadership means taking responsibility while also recognizing God’s guiding hand in history.
Together, Yehuda and Yosef teach us two essential principles of leadership:
- Take decisive action when action is needed.
- Take personal responsibility, especially when things go wrong.
As John F. Kennedy once said, “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.” The Torah rejects that idea. In the Torah’s view, failure should never be an orphan. A true leader claims responsibility even when it is painful or costly.
This is why leadership in Judaism is not about titles or privilege, but about accountability. With leadership comes responsibility—and that is the most important lesson the parashah teaches us.
Leave a Reply