Rabbi Minkowicz Weekly Torah Lesson Parsha Vayeishev 5779

welcome to this week's Torah lesson this week's Torah portion splashes vasive the question of the week is how can we be strong amidst our challenges so in this week's Torah portion passivation we learn about the famous story where Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers now his brothers sold into slavery for 20 silver silver coins now we know that every four silver coins equals a shekel so they basically sold into five shekel so the Talmud teaches us that because they sold Joseph for five second 12 20 silver coins therefore we have to create atonement there's two types of atonement one is where since each tribe got a half of a shekel because they sold them for five shekel so every tribe got a half of a shot go therefore we give the max max as a shekel they have a shekel to atone for selling Joseph's that's one atonement the second thing is we know that since Joseph was the oldest his mother Rachel so he was the before so therefore till today every male firstborn you have to give five shekel to the Cohen to the priest so let me ask the question if the purpose for atonement so we know we give Marcus a shekel that's for atonement and that's the purpose it says no to work for atonement but the five shekel that we get the five shekel that we give for to redeem the firstborn that's because the first one is holy and it belongs to God so what's the connection and Rebbe explains a fascinating then he says as follows that when the brothers sold Joseph into slavery they would righteous people had they come to selling the brother into slavery so the Rebbe explains that's because since God told Abraham that at the at the when he made the bond with him that the Jewish people are going to go into exile so the fact that the Jewish people into exile that's because God want wanted based on his plan that we should go into exile which come out with tremendous wealth so the whole plan of the brothers wanting to sell them sell their brother was because God put that in their mind to accomplish his mission and God was in agreement and God orchestrated it not only that but not only God orchestrated God Orcs it in a way that the brother should sell him and they sold them they were actually partners with Joseph in Egypt and therefore even though Joseph was in Egypt it's not wasn't just that Joseph was in Egypt every single brother and God was with Joseph and Eve Egypt on the previous on the internal level externally yes we sold him and we went to Egypt and we were slaves in Egypt but on a spiritual level it was all part of God's plan for us to go down to Egypt do we have to do in Egypt and come out with tremendous physical and spiritual and material wealth on all levels so the answer the question how can we be strong amidst all our challenges is to know that wherever we're going through it's God's plan so he can give us great success after we overcome our challenges thanks for joining us this week's Torah lesson is dedicated in the memory of Barack Benari Lee and Ben Joseph may their souls be elevated by the Torah was studying in their memory for more information please see our website