בראשית, פרק ל״ז, פסוק כ״א

As the brothers plot to eliminate Joseph, Reuben suddenly intervenes to prevent the murder. His arrival at this critical juncture indicates that he was not part of their initial consultation; rather, he stepped in just as they reached their final decision [הכתב והקבלה, רש ר הירש]. Alternatively, divine inspiration guided him to realize this was the exact moment to act and save his brother [פרדס יוסף]. By stopping the brothers from striking a fatal blow, Reuben successfully prevented an immediate murder [רשב״ם, ביאור יש״ר].

His intervention was rooted in a deeper spiritual understanding. Humans possess free will and can therefore kill someone who has not been condemned by God. Wild animals and natural elements, on the other hand, only harm a person if a heavenly decree demands it. By suggesting they leave Joseph to the elements rather than killing him directly, Reuben intentionally moved Joseph out of the unpredictable hands of human free will and entrusted his fate entirely to divine justice [אור החיים, אלשיך, בעלי ברית אברם]. Still, this rescue was far from perfect, as Joseph was left terrified inside the dark pit [שפתי כהן, פרדס יוסף].

Reuben’s motivations for stepping forward were complex. As the firstborn, he carried the weight of responsibility and feared their father would ultimately hold him accountable for the tragedy [שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ, רש ר הירש]. He also saw an opportunity to repair the damage from his own past transgression involving Bilhah [שד״ל]. Interestingly, Joseph’s earlier dream about eleven stars bowing down had actually comforted Reuben. To him, the dream was a reassuring sign that he was still counted among the tribes of Israel and had not been cast out because of his past mistakes [אלשיך]. For his initiative in trying to save a life, Reuben later received a fitting reward: the very first city of refuge, a safe haven designed to protect accidental killers, was established within his tribe's territory [תורה תמימה, חזקוני].

To convince his furious brothers to spare Joseph's life, Reuben employed a clever psychological strategy. He spoke in the plural, deliberately grouping himself with them to create the illusion that he shared their hatred and also wanted to see Joseph suffer [רבנו בחיי, בכור שור, צאינה וראינה, אלשיך, תולדות יצחק]. He framed his argument not as a plea for Joseph's safety, but as a concern for the brothers themselves, warning them against staining their own hands with bloodshed [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה].

This delicate negotiation unfolded in stages. Reuben initially reacted with a firm and absolute declaration—perhaps even speaking to himself—that direct murder was out of the question. When he realized that the brothers were still too angry to simply let Joseph go, he shifted his approach. Adopting a softer, more appeasing tone, he then offered the compromise of throwing Joseph into the pit instead [מלבי״ם, העמק דבר, תולדות יצחק, ביאור יש״ר, קונטרס חיבה יתירה, אם למקרא].