P. Vaeishev P. Miqqetz - Reuven and Brothers - "I told you so!"

This d'var Torah spans these two Parshiyot re: the debate between Reuven and his brothers concerning Yosef's welfare.

In 42:22 Reuven may have become the first person in history to utter "I told you so!"

But Reuven's reference plea that NO HARM come to Yosef seems a bit misguided. Why? Because we see Reuven offered to throw Yosef in the pit. And we see that this pit was no bed of roses - EG see Rashi 37:24. So what did Reuven mean?

In P. Vayeishev 37:21,22 Reuven says TWO Vayomer's - why two?

In the First Vayomer Reuven says "don't kill him"

In the Second Vayomer he says "don't spill blood throw him in the pit! [Instead]"

Apparently between Vayomer One and Vayomer Two a Debate ensued. And Reuven started with "Plan A" and then punted to "Plan B"

And so when Reuven says in 42:22 he must be referring to the FIRST vayomer - because it ends "v'lo sh'matem" you didn't listen! But they DID listen when they threw him in the pit! So this perforce refers to PLAN A above which was ostensibly rejected.

The 2nd Vayomer was PLAN B which was "the pits" and THEN they listened! But it eventually led to Yosef's sale - especially when seeing the P'shat that the Midyanim drew hm up from the pit, and NOT the brothers as per Rashi

Thus Plan A was the "no harm" plan the brothers rejected

Plan B was the Pit Plan which was a compromise but ended up losing Yosef

And now Reuven Laments "I told you so" because had they followed Plan A no guilt or blame would have attached.

Shalom
RRW