Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on December 12, 2014 by David Wallach
Night Seder Chevrutas Binyamin Cohen and David Wallach join together to reflect on this week's parshah.
בראשית ל”ז:י”ט-כ’
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל-אָחִיו הִנֵּה בַּעַל הַחֲלֹמוֹת הַלָּזֶה בָּא. וְעַתָּה לְכוּ וְנַהַרְגֵהוּ וְנַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בְּאַחַד הַבֹּרוֹת וְאָמַרְנוּ חַיָּה רָעָה אֲכָלָתְהוּ וְנִרְאֶה מַה-יִּהְיוּ חֲלֹמֹתָיו.
They said to one another, “here comes the dreamer! Let’s kill him and throw him into one of the wells, and say that a wild beast ate him; then let’s see what will become of his dreams!”
Dreams seem to play a large role in this week’s parsha. At the beginning of the parsha, we see Joseph sharing his dreams with his less than enthused brothers. At the end of the parsha, we find Joseph in jail, listening, and subsequently interpreting the dreams of his cell mates in Egyptian jail. With dreams playing such a significant role in this parsha, we are challenged to think about the role of dreams, and their deeper meaning. To be sure, our opening verse reinforces the idea that the brothers were troubled specifically by his dreams, and were sure to refer to him as a “dreamer.” So again we ask – what role do dreams play in our parsha?
The first thing that is essential in answering this question, is what exactly is a dream? Up until now, the Torah has presented dreams as a form of prophecy. We see God appearing to Avimelech in a dream to inform him of Isaac’s lie. We see Jacob dreaming in Bet El, seeing angels ascending and descending. Jacob concludes from this that he had an interaction with God. Dreams seem to represent an interaction with God. Unfortunately for us, our parsha breaks with the model of dreams in the Torah thus far. Josephs dream is portrayed as his own imagination. We don’t hear from God, neither do we hear the text affirming that this dream is from God. Moreover, we don’t hear any reassurance that this dream is prophetic.
Feeling this tension, Rashi comments on the words “וְנִרְאֶה מַה-יִּהְיוּ חֲלֹמֹתָיו “/”then let’s see what will become of his dreams!” saying
This verse says: “Expound on me.” [I.e., this verse demands a midrashic interpretation.] The Holy Spirit says thus: They (the brothers) say, “Let us kill him,” but the verse concludes: “and we will see what will become of his dreams.” Let us see whose word will stand up, yours or Mine. It is impossible that they (the brothers) are saying, “and we will see what will become of his dreams,” because, since they will kill him, his dreams will come to nought.”
In his reading of the verse, Rashi is making an assumption that Joseph’s dreams (and possibly all dreams) are prophetic. That his dreams, and all dreams are God’s words. Rashi doesn’t stand alone in this assumption. Maimonides, and the Talmud claim that all dreams are 1/60th of prophecy. While this seems like a smooth resolution, it is unclear from the text that the dreams are anything but Joseph’s subconscious musing. Rav Kook even points out that his dreams contained inaccuracies. Prophecies generally do not contain anything but the truth. We’re back at square one.
What exactly are dreams? Dreams are, at the very basic level, subconscious musings. What makes dreams so impactful though, is their ability to transcend reality. What is completely impossible in reality is commonplace in dreams. Dreams represent a potential that in reality seems unattainable. When we dream, most of us merely discount our dreams as the fantasy they seem to be. So, are dreams subconscious, unrealistic musings? Or are they prophecy?
So, are dreams subconscious, unrealistic musings? Or are they prophecy?
Rabbi Nosson Meir Wachtfogel, the former Lakewood Yeshiva Mashgiach, offers us a helpful comment to bring our two definitions of dreams (prophecy and unrealistic subconscious musings) together. He states that dreams are God giving us the raw materials with which to build a future. In this way, dreams entirely represent the potential we would otherwise never think about. Dreams are only 1/60th of prophecy, because their actualization comes from us. Dreams are potential. We need to figure out what to do with that potential.So what was the problem with Joseph’s dreams? Or more importantly, why were the brothers so offended and troubled by the dreams? The brothers’ actions are impulsive. They hear the seemingly arrogant words coming from Joseph’s mouth and get mad. They plot to kill him, or seek physical revenge on him in some way. To be sure, later in our parsha, we see the brothers acting impulsively to avenge their sister’s honour.Joseph’s thinking was different. As we see later in his life, Joseph knows how to play the long game. The way he handles and controls the brothers when they are in Egypt is indicative of this: he plots an elaborate scheme in order to exact a specific form of punishment on them. So when Joseph reacts to his dreams, he doesn’t see the arrogance. Rather, he sees them as a potential future, something that could be fulfilled, and something that has a positive upside, not just for him but for his whole family.
So what was the problem with Joseph’s dreams? Or more importantly, why were the brothers so offended and troubled by the dreams? The brothers’ actions are impulsive. They hear the seemingly arrogant words coming from Joseph’s mouth and get mad. They plot to kill him, or seek physical revenge on him in some way. To be sure, later in our parsha, we see the brothers acting impulsively to avenge their sister’s honour.Joseph’s thinking was different. As we see later in his life, Joseph knows how to play the long game. The way he handles and controls the brothers when they are in Egypt is indicative of this: he plots an elaborate scheme in order to exact a specific form of punishment on them. So when Joseph reacts to his dreams, he doesn’t see the arrogance. Rather, he sees them as a potential future, something that could be fulfilled, and something that has a positive upside, not just for him but for his whole family.
Joseph’s thinking was different. As we see later in his life, Joseph knows how to play the long game. The way he handles and controls the brothers when they are in Egypt is indicative of this: he plots an elaborate scheme in order to exact a specific form of punishment on them. At no point in his life, do we see Joseph struggling with the circumstances brought upon him. The Torah even describes him as an “איש מצליח”/ a succesful man. So when Joseph reacts to his dreams, he doesn’t see the arrogance, as his brothers do. Rather, he sees them as a potential future, something that could be fulfilled, and something that has a positive upside, not just for him but for his whole family. When Joseph dreams, he sees hope. When his brothers hear the dream, they hear subconscious musings. The brothers saw the world as it lay before them, Joseph saw the potential of the world not yet actualized.
There is an interesting story told in the Talmud about Choni the Circle Maker. The Talmud tells us that Choni was troubled by the verse in Psalms 126 “When Hashem will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers.” (traditionally said before Birkat HaMazon on Festive Days) Choni couldn’t figure out how someone could be a dreamer for so long. One day, he saw a man planting a carob tree. He asked the man how long does it take [for this tree] to bear fruit? The man replied: Seventy years. He then further asked him: Are you certain that you will live another seventy years? The man replied: I found [ready grown] carob trees in the world; as my forefathers planted these for me so I too plant these for my children.
Choni sat down to have a meal and sleep overcame him. As he slept a rocky formation enclosed upon him which hid him from sight and he continued to sleep for seventy years. When he awoke he saw a man gathering the fruit of the carob tree and he asked him, Are you the man who planted the tree? The man replied: I am his grandson. Thereupon he exclaimed: It is clear that I slept for seventy years.”
(Translation from Torah.org)
On the basic level, the story proved to Choni that 70 years can pass by in a moment. However, on a deeper level, the Talmud taught us something deep about the nature of a dreamer. Choni, like the brothers in our parsha, could only see what was right in front of him. He was only interested in the final product, the completed promise. What the carob tree taught Choni is that to be a dreamer is to know the seeds are planted and to have faith in the potential for them to create a better future. A dreamer sees not the seeds hidden beneath the ground, but the tree shading the next generation.
What created so much animosity against Joseph was the same reason he merited to really succeed in life. The ability to be a dreamer, and to see life not for what it is, but for what it can be is what kept Joseph going. Often in life, we can’t even see the seeds beneath the ground, but we must always keep our faith strong, knowing that there is always hope and potential.
As Cinderella taught us, “A dream is a wish your heart makes when you’re fast asleep.” Turn those wishes into reality.
May we all be blessed to see the trees that could be, even when all we have are seeds.
Keep on dreaming!
Shabbat Shalom!
