Parashat VaYechi- Acknowledging Mistakes
Parashat Vayechi is famous for the Berachot (blessings) that Yaakov conferred upon his sons just before his death. He began these Berachot by addressing Reuven, sharply criticizing him for the sin he committed by moving Yaakov's bed into the tent of his mother, Leah, in order to defend his mother's honor. Yaakov informed Reuven that, as the firstborn, he was destined for leadership and royalty, but he forfeited these privileges as a result of his sin. After reprimanding Reuven, Yaakov turned his attention to Shimon and Levi, and condemned them for their violent assault on the city of Shechem. He announced that the tribes of Shimon and Levi will forever be scattered and dispersed throughout the Land of Israel, lest they join together once again to commit acts of violence.
After hearing his father's harsh words of condemnation to his older brothers, Yehuda, Yaakov's third son, began to recoil, fearful of what his father might say to him. These were not exactly the kinds of "blessings" Yehuda had expected to hear. But Yaakov called Yehuda back and declared, "Yehuda – Ata Yoducha Achecha" (49:8) – "Yehuda – to you your brothers shall submit." Yaakov awarded Yehuda the position of royalty, a stature that would remain in this tribe forever, until the arrival of the Mashiach, who will descend from Yehuda.
Why did Yehuda earn royal status among his brothers? What quality did he possess that rendered him worthy of kingship?
The name "Yehuda" comes from the word "Le'hodot," to confess. This was Yehuda's exceptional quality: he possessed the strength of character to confess his mistakes, to acknowledge when he acted wrongly.
Yehuda had originally agreed with his brothers' plan to kill Yosef, but he later retracted his support and advised them to sell him, instead. Even more strikingly, when his daughter-in-law, Tamar, became pregnant, Yehuda convened a Beit-Din (Rabbinical court) and sentenced Tamar to execution. At the last moment, Tamar, unwilling to humiliate Yehuda, produced his staff and other possessions and declared that the owner of these items is the father of her child. Yehuda heroically confessed to having fathered the child and thereby saved his daughter-in-law from execution.
Most people lack the strength and courage to acknowledge their mistakes. More often than not, once we say something we are prepared to go to great lengths to defend our words, rather than admit to having erred. Yaakov recognized Yehuda's self-effacing integrity as manifest in these incidents, when he displayed the courage to admit to his failings, and thus conferred upon the tribe of Yehuda the status of royalty. Leadership belongs in the hands of those who are prepared to admit when they are wrong, rather than stubbornly defend themselves even after acting incorrectly.
