The youngest brother, Binyamin, was accused of stealing the cup of Yosef that he used for spells, and for that, he was going to be imprisoned. Yehuda assumed the defense of the young man and implored for his fate, he even offered to carry out personally the punishment imposed on Binyamin, because he had guaranteed his safety to his father. Actually, the older brother, Reuven, had wanted to assume the responsibility for Binyamín, placing as insurance the life of his own children. Yaacov rejected Reuven’s offer because he couldn’t avenge any accident that happened with Binyamin by doing damage to his own grandchildren.

Why does Yaacov agree to entrust Yehudah with the security of Binyamin? Yehudah offers no more security than his own honor: to be a sinner before his father for the rest of his days. The Midrash suggests that Yehudah promises his portion in the Hereafter if something happened to Binyamin.

Returning to the biblical narrative, we read that when the brothers inform the elderly father Yaacov that they have to bring Binyamin next time as proof of the veracity of their words, the patriarch questions why they informed the Egyptian hierarch about their brother? Have not the difficulties and misfortunes that had happened so far been enough? Alai hayu chulana, “everything has fallen about me”, exclaims Yaacov.

The word “alai” had been used by Rivka when she induced her son Yaacov to disguise himself as if he were Esav. When Yaacov replied that if the father found out about the ploy, disaster could strike. To appease him, Rivka said: “alai kilelatecha bení, “may the curse be diverted to me.”

Like his mother, Yaacov also uses the word “alai”, and taking into account that he had lost his favorite son Yosef, now that he hears that he must risk Binyamin, the word “alai” highlights his anguish and deep pain.  The Midrash suggests that the word “alai” which is written with the letters “ayin”, “lamed” and “yod”, is a reference to three characters that caused Yaacov anxiety: Esav, Lavan and Yosef.

The rivalry with Esav is known, a competition that started when the brothers were still in the entrails of the mother. Hatred and confrontation occur generally between people who are close and live together and produce suffering.

In the home of his uncle Lavan, Yaacov had to learn to defend his interests, because from day one he was deceived. First, when his wife was changed, placing Lea in Rachel’s place. Then his uncle tried to trick him with the remuneration for his work. The deception that Yaacov had perpetrated against his father Yitschak and the one who forged against his brother Esav, was being settled symbolically. Lavan was the brother of his mother Rivka and although Yaacov would have preferred to have an affectionate family relationship with his uncle, and suffered for not being able to do it.

The greatest pain for a parent is the loss of a child, it goes against nature. Therefore, Yaacov never forgot the disappearance of Yosef. He probably had doubts about what happened, because it was an act full of irony when the brothers presented the father with the bloody robe of Yosef and asked him to recognize it. It was the same robe that had produced the jealousy among the brothers for the preferential treatment Yosef received from their father. “Surely he was eaten, a bad beast swallowed him”, was the reaction of the father. But we should not underestimate the whirlwind of doubts that seized the patriarch. That the brothers themselves they were guilty of Yosef’s disappearance, perhaps crossed his mind. Thus, there was no consolation. Who could relate to the pain caused by the loss of a child?

Yehudah could identify with Yaacov’s pain because he had lost two sons: Er and Onan, who, married successively Tamar and died for their sin.

According to biblical commentators, in their intimate relationships with Tamar, Er prevented her from becoming pregnant so that the pregnancy did not disfigure her. Onan also did the same, because he thought that the son that Tamar would bear would be considered the son of her deceased brother.

Yaacov entrusted the care of Binyamin to Yehudah because he thought he was the only son who had empathy for him and could feel the inconsolable pain at the loss of a son.