The Shevotim were warned not to return to Mitzrayim without their brother, Binyamin. But their father, Yaakov, was not willing to part with his precious son. Reuven jumped up and said: “If I do not return Binyamin, you can kill my two sons!” Yehuda also, offered: וּנֶּבְרֶﬠֶא יִכֹנָא ט גמ to personally take responsibility, at the risk of losing his Olam HaBah. Notice how Reuven is ready to go to extremes, and so is Yehuda. Both seem to care the most about the dire situation. Reuven would have his two sons dead, and Yehuda would lose his Olam HaBah. They were the same two Shevotim who saved Yosef. Why did Reuven and Yehuda stick up for Yosef? Although we know zero about these giants, yet we realize that the problem with Yosef and his brothers was: ויָחֶא וֹב וּאְנַקְיַו זל אי that they were jealous of him and therefore they had Sin’as Chinam. Why didn’t Reuven and Yehuda have Kin'ah (jealousy)?
We can suggest that the other Shevotim felt justified in killing Yosef, since they had no Negi'a, and they felt that they were pure in their decision. But Reuven was the Bechor, and Yosef was taking away his position (and this is exactly what happened, since Yosef split into two Shevotim; i.e., Ephraim and Menashe, thereby receiving: םִיַנְשׁ יִפּ the double portion of the Bechor). So Reuven needed to go extreme against his Negi'a, and Davka stick up for Yosef. Yehuda was Melech, and Yosef was taking away his crown )וּניֵלָﬠ ˂˄ְמִתּ ˂˄ָמֲה לז ח( so Yehuda saved him.
םיִיַח וֹל הָמָל אֹל יִאְו תוֹדִמַה תַריִבְשׁ םָדָאָה תוּיִח רָקיִﬠ
The main existence of a person is for Shviras HaMiddos, and without it, what is the point of living?! (Gr”a). Shimon and Levi were very: ַא ְח ָוה brotherhood oriented (remember they Moser Nefesh for their sister Dina). They were the ringleaders against Yosef, since they knew that they were pure in going against a “brother”, whom they probably loved more than their brothers loved him. We can also add, that the simple way out of Sin’as Chinam is to define the person before you properly.
When you realize that this nasty upstart is just a “baby”, and give him a chance to grow up, then you stop hating and you start understanding a person. You can even love him, because you aren’t intimidated by his base actions. Notice how although the Torah calls Yosef a: ַנ ַﬠר young man ) יֵנְבּ תֶא רַﬠַנ אוּהְו הָהְלִב( yet Reuven calls him a: דֶלֶיּ child ) וּנֶּניֵא דֶלֶיַּה ל זל( i.e., he’s just a child!
