בראשית, פרק נ׳, פסוק כ׳

The climax of the events surrounding Joseph and his brothers brings together hidden human intentions and supreme Divine providence. What initially appears as a cruel tragedy is ultimately revealed as a carefully orchestrated, large-scale rescue mission. There is a profound contrast between human plans and the ultimate design of creation [ביאור יש״ר]. At that very moment, the reality of God's plan was unfolding through the survival of multitudes [ביאור יש״ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ], an outcome indicating that the severe famine in Egypt was still at its peak [ברכת אשר על התורה].

The primary approach among commentators is that the brothers are essentially innocent. Joseph harbors no resentment because he recognizes that their actions were dictated from above. It was God who caused the brothers to suspect Joseph, misjudge him, and view him as a dangerous enemy [רשב״ם, ספורנו, העמק דבר]. Furthermore, the brothers did not act out of senseless malice. They judged Joseph according to Torah law, viewing him as a direct threat who endangered their family. From their perspective, their actions were entirely just and necessary [ספורנו, חתם סופר, פרדס יוסף]. Some believe God actually sent an angel to arouse their harshness and suppress their mercy, since Joseph's descent into Egypt was the only way to guarantee the family's survival and save the masses [חתם סופר].

To illustrate how the brothers are free from sin based on the final outcome, a parable is offered about a man who intends to serve his friend a cup of deadly poison but accidentally pours him a glass of fine wine. Such a person is completely exempt from punishment, even by heavenly standards, because no harm occurred; instead, a great benefit emerged from his actions [אור החיים, פרדס יוסף].

Offering a completely different perspective, another approach suggests that the brothers never actually sold Joseph at all. Because Joseph emphasizes their thoughts and plans rather than their physical actions, it implies they only intended to sell him in order to humble his pride. In reality, Midianite merchants arrived first, pulled Joseph from the pit, and sold him without the brothers' knowledge. Consequently, the immense suffering and fear of death that the brothers later endured in Egypt served to atone, measure for measure, solely for their harmful intentions, even though their hands never actually committed the crime [הכתב והקבלה].