Midrasch zu Bereschit 44:32

Another interpretation (of Gen. 44:18): THEN JUDAH DREW NEAR UNTO HIM. This text is related (to Prov. 6:1-3): MY CHILD, IF YOU HAVE BECOME SURETY FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR…. YOU ARE ENSNARED IN THE WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH…. DO THIS, THEN, MY SON, AND SAVE YOURSELF, < FOR YOU HAVE COME INTO THE POWER OF YOUR NEIGHBOR. GO HUMBLE YOURSELF, AND URGE YOUR NEIGHBOR >. Joseph said to < Judah >: Why are you multiplying words? I see that people older than you are standing here without speaking. And is not Reuben older than you? Is not Simeon also older than you? Yet none of them are speaking. But in your case, why are you multiplying words? < Judah > said to him: Of all these people, not one of them is anxious about < Benjamin > except me alone because I stood surety < for him >, as stated (in Gen. 43:9): I MYSELF WILL BE SURETY FOR HIM. Now I said this to my father, that, if I do not bring him to you and set him before you, I am sinning before you in two worlds, in this world and in the world to come, as stated (in Gen. 44:32): I AM GUILTY BEFORE MY FATHER FOREVER. I therefore give my life for him. Why? (Prov. 6:1, 3:) MY CHILD, IF YOU HAVE BECOME SURETY FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR … < SAVE YOURSELF, FOR YOU HAVE COME UNDER THE POWER OF YOUR NEIGHBOR >.

(Gen. 37:35, cont.:) SO HIS FATHER WEPT FOR HIM. What is written next (in vs. 36)? BUT THE MIDIANITES SOLD HIM INTO EGYPT. The Holy One said to Judah: You have no children; therefore you do not know what the pain of children is. Now you have deceived your father and told him: Your son is dead. By your life, when you take a wife you shall bury your sons in order that you may know the pain of children. What is written next (in Gen. 38:1-10): NOW IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME THAT < JUDAH >…. (The verses continue with the story of Judah's marriage to Shua, the birth of three sons, and the death of two of them.) It is also written (in Gen. 46:12): < AND THE SONS OF JUDAH: ER, ONAN, SHELAH, PEREZ, AND ZERAH >; BUT ER AND ONAN HAD DIED < IN THE LAND OF CANAAN >. Now all those years that Joseph had been away from his father, Jacob's mind had been against Judah.³⁶Tanh., Gen. 11:9, specifically states in the parallel account, “It was in Jacob’s heart that Judah had killed him.” See also above. From where do you learn that? From Benjamin, about whom Judah said to Joseph (in Gen. 44:32): FOR YOUR SERVANT HAS BECOME SURETY FOR THE LAD. Then, as soon as he had set his mind on Benjamin and Joseph had made himself known, Judah was found to be innocent, as stated (in Is. 11:13): THEN EPHRAIM'S JEALOUSY SHALL DEPART, < AND THOSE WHO HARASS JUDAH SHALL BE CUT OFF >…. Therefore (in Gen. 46:28): NOW HE HAD SENT JUDAH AHEAD OF HIM UNTO JOSEPH.