(ה) וַיַּחֲלֹ֤ם יוֹסֵף֙ חֲל֔וֹם וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאֶחָ֑יו וַיּוֹסִ֥פוּ ע֖וֹד שְׂנֹ֥א אֹתֽוֹ׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֕א הַחֲל֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלָֽמְתִּי׃ (ז) וְ֠הִנֵּה אֲנַ֜חְנוּ מְאַלְּמִ֤ים אֲלֻמִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֛ה קָ֥מָה אֲלֻמָּתִ֖י וְגַם־נִצָּ֑בָה וְהִנֵּ֤ה תְסֻבֶּ֙ינָה֙ אֲלֻמֹּ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וַתִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖יןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִֽי׃ (ח) וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ אֶחָ֔יו הֲמָלֹ֤ךְ תִּמְלֹךְ֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ אִם־מָשׁ֥וֹל תִּמְשֹׁ֖ל בָּ֑נוּ וַיּוֹסִ֤פוּ עוֹד֙ שְׂנֹ֣א אֹת֔וֹ עַל־חֲלֹמֹתָ֖יו וְעַל־דְּבָרָֽיו׃
(5) Once Joseph had a dream which he told to his brothers; and they hated him even more.
(6) He said to them, “Hear this dream which I have dreamed:
(7) There we were binding sheaves in the field, when suddenly my sheaf stood up and remained upright; then your sheaves gathered around and bowed low to my sheaf.”
(8) His brothers answered, “Do you mean to reign over us? Do you mean to rule over us?” And they hated him even more for his talk about his dreams.
Where we find dreams in the Torah:
-
- Jacob’s ladder
- Joseph’s dreams in our Torah portion, Vayeshev
- Baker and cupbearer's dreams in our Torah portion, Vayeshev
- Pharoah’s dreams
- Avimelech’s dream
- Bila’am's dream
(1) A song of ascents. When the LORD brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream.
What is this verse of Psalms referring to?
What does it mean "we were like unto them that dream?"
(1) A song of ascents. When the LORD restores the fortunes of Zion —we will be as dreamers
What do you think this verse from Psalms is referring to according to this translation?
What does it mean for a people to "be as dreamers?"
שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת בְּשׁ֣וּב יי אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃
A song of ascents. When the LORD restores the fortunes of Zion —we see it as in a dream—
Does this translation of the verse from Psalms change your understanding of what it means? How so?
Im tirtzu ein zo agadah. ("If you will it, it is no dream.")
-Theodor Herzl
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
In this week's Parasha we learn that besides all the above, Joseph knows how to use dreams: not for changing the future set out in them, but to read them as guidelines for thoughtful action: Dreams are not merely informative, but also provide opportunities for improving the future. This extra understanding of the possibilities afforded by
correct interpretation of dreams is Joseph's advantage.
--Rabbi Esther Israel on Parashat Miketz
R. Levi said: A man should await the fulfilment of a good dream for as much as twenty-two years. Whence do we know this? From Joseph. For it is written: “These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph being seventeen years old, etc.”; and it is further written, “And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh.” How many years is it from seventeen to thirty? Thirteen. Add the seven years of plenty and two of famine, and you have twenty-two. (BT Berakhot 55b)
The Talmud tells us that we since Joseph waited for many years for his dream to become a reality, we should be willing to do so as well. Is patience common in our modern culture? Does change happen too quickly to wait for years for a dream to come true? Or are certain dreams timeless, worthy of waiting as long as we can?
What are your personal dreams for the year ahead?
What are your dreams for Temple Beth Shalom in the year to come?