וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוּדָ֜ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אָבִ֗יו שִׁלְחָ֥ה הַנַּ֛עַר אִתִּ֖י וְנָק֣וּמָה וְנֵלֵ֑כָה וְנִֽחְיֶה֙ וְלֹ֣א נָמ֔וּת גַּם־אֲנַ֥חְנוּ גַם־אַתָּ֖ה גַּם־טַפֵּֽנוּ׃
And Yehudah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and our little ones.”
Rashi on Bereishis 43:8:1–2. Rashi explains “that we may live” as referring to the revival of Yaakov’s spirit and “that we may not die” as the certain danger of famine if they do not return.
Rashi, drawing on the rabbinic interpretation, reads Yehudah’s “that we may live” as more than mere survival: the journey will eventually revive Yaakov’s spirit. “That we may not die” refers to the certainty of famine if they do not go.
What Is Learned: Yehudah argues from the certain danger of remaining behind against the uncertain danger of sending Binyamin, making the practical choice explicit.