Nachal novea; makor chochma -
A flowing river; the source of wisdom (Mish. 18:4)

Judah brings rectification to the world through prayer.  We know that Judah's method was to serve G-d through prayer, for his mother Leah was Divinely inspired to say the following upon naming him: "This time I will praise G-d" (Genesis 29:35).  Following in the tradition of his  forebear, King David, a descendant of Judah, wrote the book of Psalms, which is f illed with prayers and praises to G-d.  To be able to sing praises to G-d, one must be able to be in a state of happiness.   A sad person is unable to sing.  Therefore, Judah's method in helping to bring the Messiah, is to spread joy throughout the world, so that people will be able to come closer to G-d through the medium of prayer.  We say three times daily, in the Shemonei Esrai, “[First 0 G-d] Remove from us [all] sorrow and sighing, [so that You can] rule over us [eternally, through the King Messiah]."  From this prayer it is quite evident, that universal happiness is a prerequisite for the Messiah's coming and coming close to G-d.  This is accomplished by our praying for happiness, in order that the Messiah can appear.  Thus we see that one method in bringing rectification to the world, is through expressing all our inner thoughts and desires to G-d, which is the method of prayer.
 
Joseph brings rectification to the world through Torah study.   If a person is serious and committed to finding G-d, he will allow G-d's word, that he has studied, to influence his behavior.  This method brings a person to joy,  and this joy can have a positive influence upon the person and upon those around him.  Joseph served G-d using this method, as we see that "The house of Joseph shall be a flame" (Obadia 1:18).  The flame in this verse, refers to the happiness kindled in one's heart through the study of the word of G-d, the Torah.  A flame refers to Torah study as defined in the following verse: "For the [performance of) commandments is [like] a lamp, and the Torah [is like) a light [of the lamp, which is the flame)" (Proverbs 6:23).

The heart, when given the right stimulation, brings happiness to a person.  For the verse says: "You [G-d] have placed happiness in my heart" (Psalms 4:8). The inner happiness of the heart, refers to the aspect of Joseph, the flame of the Torah, which burns within one's heart.  However, to kindle and sustain the flame of happiness within one's heart, one needs the method of Judah, the voice of prayer.

The ears enables a listener to hear what is being spoken.  Acceptance of the contents of what is being spoken, is dependent on the heart.  Therefore, in our verse, Judah had requested to speak a word in [as opposed to "to"] the ears of Joseph.  "Into the ears of my master," refers to the acceptance of the heart. "Let my words penetrate into your ears" (Rashi).  Our verse is therefore letting us know, that it is the voice, which has the ability to manipulate the heart  Judah was therefore trying to talk to Joseph's heart.  The words that Judah wanted to speak, were words of faith, holy words.  It is words of faith, that have the ability to instill joy into a person.  Judah made an appeal to Joseph's heart to have mercy.  This was a form of prayer.  Therefore, we see that Torah study by itself, is not sufficient enough, to arouse and sustain joy in one's heart.  To sustain joy in one's heart one needs prayer.  This is why our verse tells us that Judah, who represents joy through prayer, spoke to Joseph's heart, who represents joy through Torah study, informing us that the joy that comes through Torah study needs the joy that comes through prayer to sustain the joy in one's heart.

Words of holiness have the power to drive away all sorrow from the heart and bring it to joy.  It is when a person is in a state of sorrow and depression, that the forces of evil have the power to harm him with a fierce vengeance.  This is why we know that Judah spoke holy words to Joseph, for our verse says: "Let not your [Joseph’s) fierce anger burn [in your heart, through being unhappy with what I have to say, as a result of the forces of evil residing in your heart] against your servant (Judah]" (Genesis 44:18).  In other words, let my holy words manipulate your heart, to bring you to joy.

The holy Zohar tells us, that Jacob was very careful not to allow all of his sons to be born outside the land of Israel.  For when Joseph,  Jacob's eleventh son, was born in Lavan's house, outside the land of Israel, he immediately wanted to return to the land of Israel.  The Zohar says, that if Benjamin, Jacob's twelfth and last son, would have been born outside the land of Israel as his eleven other brothers were, Jacob would have never been able to extricate himself from Lavan's house.

For what is the definition of holiness? It is to bring oneself to the point where one becomes so happy from the fulfillment of G-d's commandments, that one is able to become merged with G-d, the source of all joy.  The twelve son's of Jacob, were all very holy men.  For, not only were they extremely happy men, and thus holy men for themselves, but they had the ability to draw the happiness that emanates from G-d into the world.  Therefore, the twelve sons of Jacob were the human source or root of all happiness that could be drawn into the world from G-d.  For they had discovered and established methods in serving G-d, which all other people could follow. This would enable those who would come after them to draw from the twelve brother's established methods in serving G-d, which would enable these people to draw to themselves the happiness of G-d as well.

Therefore, if all of the twelve sons would have been born in the extremely impure environment, outside the land of Israel, great destruction would have come to the world.  For all life and existence, including the existence of the forces of evil, is sustained from the holiness that emanates from G-d.  Therefore, the continued existence and life-giving nourishment, which sustains the of forces of evil in the world, can only be derived from what they can steal from the side of holiness.  If the twelve sons, the earthly source of all holiness and happiness, would have been established in the realm of impurity outside the Holy Land, the forces of evil would have then had free access to all the joy and holiness that emanates from G-d.  This means that the forces of evil would have had a free hand to steal all the holiness brought into the world.  Then all joy would be under their control, and thus take the form of the desire to seek the false pleasures of this world.  This situation would then inf luence everyone to act corruptly and to only pursue false joy and pleasure,  the path which distances a person from G-d.  For all of the powers of holiness would have then been established in the impure realm and thus come under their exclusive control.  There would then be no chance for holiness to manifest itself in this world.  It was this very situation that King David tried to prevent through his prayers, all throughout his life: "[G-d] Don't allow my enemies [the forces of evil] to wrongfully rejoice over me [by stealing true joy from the side of holiness, and converting it to false joy, which is pleasure seeking]" (Psalms 35:19).

Any item or endeavor usually cannot be of any value or use unless all of its components are in place.  For example, a radio or computer is rendered useless if it is missing just one wire or chip. The final component of Jacob's holy edifice, Benjamin, was established in the Holy Land.  As mentioned, it is the completion of a project, that gives any item or endeavor its value and usefulness.  Therefore, it Benjamin's being born in the Holy Land that enabled all the roots of holiness, derived from the twelve brothers, to be firmly established in the realm of holiness.  For Benjamin was Jacob's twelfth and final son.  The birth of Benjamin brought about the completion of Jacob's project that he had begun outside the Holy Land in the wicked Lavan's house.  Benjamin, who was born in the Holy Land, was the final component of Jacob's project, the establishment of a holy nation.  It was this final act, the birth of Benjamin in the Holy Land, that made it as if all of Jacob's twelve sons were born in the Holy Land.  For the twelve sons of Jacob, were all linked together, because each one of the twelve sons represented a vital component which went into the completed unit, the holy nation.

The principle place where the holiness of the twelve son's of Jacob was established, for all time, was in the territory of Benjamin, the site of the holy Temple in Jerusalem.  Now that their holiness was firmly planted in the realm of holiness--Jerusalem, the Jewish People would have eternal access to the powers of holiness.  This means that all Jews, even those living in the Diaspora, can draw from this power.  They can draw these powers of happiness and holiness to the "Mikdash Milott", the Synagogue and to the study hall, wherever they might happen to be.  This is why the Talmud teaches that ; the most effective place for prayer, in our times, is to pray in a study hall or a Synagogue.  This is why the Talmud also teaches that we should always direct our prayers in the direction of the site of the Holy Temple, so we can draw from its power.

King David, "the sweet singer of Israel" (2 Samuel 1:23), the epitome of happiness itself, was the one to discover the actual location of the Temple site in Jerusalem.  He was privileged for this distinction because he worked with the utmost diligence in locating the spot. For the verse says: "Remember, 0 G-d, to David all his afflictions; How he swore to G-d; how he vowed to the mighty One of Jacob...I will not grant any sleep to my eyes...Until I have found a place for G-d, a dwelling-place for the mighty One of Jacob" (Psalms 132: 1-5  In addition, it was King David, who always worked hard on himself to be extremely happy at all times and in all circumstances.  It is very easy for a person to be happy when times are good; however, a truly happy person is a person who has the ability to be happy, even in the face of adversity.  This is what King David was able to do better than anyone else.  As is well known, King David suffered and endured the most incredible afflictions known to man, all of the days of his life.  Despite all of the afflictions he endured, he ways always able to maintain his composure and reach high levels of happiness, despite his troubles.  From what he wrote in the Book of Psalms, it is evident that no matter what he was forced to suffer, he was always able to turn and elevate his suffering into an experience of happiness, through the songs he sang to G-d, whether he experienced suffering or joy.  For the verse recommends that a person should do the following in times of trouble: "Pour out your heart [in prayer) before the face of G-d" (Lamentations 2:19).  After pouring out one's heart to G-d in times of trouble, the results are the following: "May my words [of prayer] be pleasant to Him; I will rejoice in G-d [because I became merged with happiness, G-d, by expressing my inner thoughts and pain to Him]" (Psalms 104:34).  It was through these techniques that King David was able to sensitize himself and become attuned to happiness.  Due to his great sensitivity for joy, he was then able to spiritually detect from where the source of all joy was emanating from: the site of the Temple in Jerusalem.  This fact indicates to us that the source of all joy comes to the world, through the work of Jacob and his sons to be our heritage for all time.

Therefore, the final redemption and rectification of all that is wrong with the world, will be accomplished by the Messiah who will be a descendant of King David.  For the Messiah will be able to combine and employ the methods developed by both Joseph and David.  He will be able to spread joy throughout the world, using both methods, prayer and the study of the Torah, the word of G-d.  Until the advent of the Messiah, it is the job of each individual to do their part in improving the world, through bringing joy into their own lives and spreading it into the lives of others.  This can be accomplished through talking to G-d, and by following, in the ways of G-d,, through the guidance derived from studying the words of the living G-d, as transmitted through the oral and written Torahs.
 
Therefore,  our verse talks about the incident of Judah communicating with Joseph.  It is meant to inform us that to accomplish G-d's goals, it is necessary for us to serve Him using a combination of both methods; which were initiated by Judah and Joseph, the combination of Torah study and prayer. (Lekutai Halachot: Orach Chiam: Hilchot Hodawah 6:47-49)