Yehuda's rise to greatness, qualifying him to be the father of the Davidic line (Mashiach ben David), was due to his righteous character. This was exemplified when he confronted the truth about his past. He and his brothers, after selling Yosef to the passing tradesmen, had dipped Yosef's coat in goat's blood so that their father Yaakov would not know of their guilt, and would think that Yosef had died. The brothers presented the coat to Yaakov, saying

"recognize, please" (Genesis 37:32) - is this Yosef's coat?

Later, following a series of unique and unexpected events, Yehuda slept with a disguised widow who was actually his dauhter-in-law, Tamar. When Yehuda learned that Tamar was pregnant, still unaware that he was the responsible one, he ordered that she be taken out and burned. Tamar, however, had taken "security" from Yehuda (his signet, cords and staff) so she sent these to him with a message: "by the man whose these are, am I with child;

recognize, please" (Genesis 38:25). Yehuda replied "she is more righteous than I". What a situation, and what timing, for the repetition of this wording (repeated no where else in the Torah). This was the wake-up call that Yehuda needed to confront the truth of his mis-deeds. He then acted like the leader he would become by acknowledging all of his guilt.