OU TORAH Vayeishev By Rav Moshe Twersky, HY"D

The Medrash (Yalkut Shimoni 145) tells us that this intervention of Reuvein to save Yosef is an example of a mitzvah that would have been done with much greater zeal had the one doing it been aware that it would be recorded for posterity in the Torah. “Had Reuvein known,” says the Medrash, “that Ha’Kadosh Baruch Hu was going to write that he saved Yosef, he would have picked Yosef up on his shoulders and run him all the way back to Yaakov. Had Aharon known that Hashem would write that he was happy in his heart upon greeting Moshe Rabbeinu, he would have done so with musical instruments, and had Boaz known that it would be recorded that he gave roasted grain to Rus, he would have offered her the finest meat.