Dreams in the Talmud

וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב, שְׁלֹשָׁה צְרִיכִים רַחֲמִים: מֶלֶךְ טוֹב, שָׁנָה טוֹבָה וַחֲלוֹם טוֹב. מֶלֶךְ טוֹב — דִּכְתִיב: ״פַּלְגֵי מַיִם לֶב מֶלֶךְ בְּיַד ה׳״. שָׁנָה טוֹבָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״תָּמִיד עֵינֵי ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ מֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית שָׁנָה״. חֲלוֹם טוֹב — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְתַחֲלִימֵנִי וְתַחֲיֵינִי״.

(....) אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: כׇּל חֲלוֹם, וְלָא טְווֹת. וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: חֶלְמָא דְּלָא מְפַשַּׁר כְּאִגַּרְתָּא דְּלָא מִקַּרְיָא. וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: לָא חֶלְמָא טָבָא מִקַּיַּים כּוּלֵּיהּ וְלָא חֶלְמָא בִּישָׁא מִקַּיַּים כּוּלֵּיהּ. וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: חֶלְמָא בִּישָׁא עֲדִיף מֵחֶלְמָא טָבָא. וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: חֶלְמָא בִּישָׁא — עֲצִיבוּתֵיהּ מִסְתְּיֵיהּ, חֶלְמָא טָבָא — חֶדְוֵיהּ מִסְתְּיֵיהּ. אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: חֶלְמָא טָבָא, אֲפִילּוּ לְדִידִי, בְּדִיחוּתֵיהּ מְפַכְּחָא לֵיהּ. וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: חֶלְמָא בִּישָׁא קָשֶׁה מִנְּגָדָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָאֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה שֶׁיִּרְאוּ מִלְּפָנָיו״, וְאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: זֶה חֲלוֹם רַע. ״הַנָּבִיא אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ חֲלוֹם יְסַפֵּר חֲלוֹם וַאֲשֶׁר דְּבָרִי אִתּוֹ יְדַבֵּר דְּבָרִי אֱמֶת מַה לַתֶּבֶן אֶת הַבָּר נְאֻם ה׳״. וְכִי מָה עִנְיַן בַּר וְתֶבֶן אֵצֶל חֲלוֹם? אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבַר בְּלֹא תֶּבֶן, כָּךְ אִי אֶפְשָׁר לַחֲלוֹם בְּלֹא דְּבָרִים בְּטֵלִים. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה: חֲלוֹם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמִּקְצָתוֹ מִתְקַיֵּים — כּוּלּוֹ אֵינוֹ מִתְקַיֵּים. מְנָא לַן? — מִיּוֹסֵף, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהִנֵּה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ וְגוֹ׳״.

Berakhot 55a:9-17

Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: Three matters require a plea for mercy to bring them about: A good king, a good year, and a good dream. These three, kings, years, and dreams, are all bestowed by God and one must pray that they should be positive and constructive. (...) And a good dream, as it is written: “O Lord, by these things men live, and altogether therein is the life of my spirit; wherefore You will recover me [vataḥlimeni], and make me to live” (Isaiah 38:16). Due to their apparent etymological similarity, the word taḥlimeni is interpreted as deriving from the word ḥalom, dream. (...)

Related to what was stated above, that one should pray for a good dream, the Gemara cites additional maxims concerning dreams and their interpretation. Rav Ḥisda said: One should see any dream, and not a fast. In other words, any dream is preferable to a dream during a fast. And Rav Ḥisda said: A dream not interpreted is like a letter not read. As long as it is not interpreted it cannot be fulfilled; the interpretation of a dream creates its meaning. And Rav Ḥisda said: A good dream is not entirely fulfilled and a bad dream is not entirely fulfilled. And Rav Ḥisda said: A bad dream is preferable to a good dream, as a bad dream causes one to feel remorse and to repent. And Rav Ḥisda said: A bad dream, his sadness is enough for him; a good dream, his joy is enough for him. This means that the sadness or joy engendered by the dream renders the actual fulfillment of the dream superfluous. Similarly, Rav Yosef said: Even for me, the joy of a good dream negates it. Even Rav Yosef, who was blind and ill, derived such pleasure from a good dream that it was never actually realized. And Rav Ḥisda said: A bad dream is worse than lashes, as it is stated: “God has so made it, that men should fear before Him” (Ecclesiastes 3:14), and Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: That is a bad dream that causes man to fear. With regard to the verse: “The prophet that has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What has the straw to do with the grain? says the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:28), the Gemara asks: What do straw and grain have to do with a dream? Rather, Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai: Just as it is impossible for the grain to grow without straw, so too it is impossible to dream without idle matters. Even a dream that will be fulfilled in the future contains some element of nonsense. On a similar note, Rabbi Berekhya said: Even though part of a dream is fulfilled, all of it is not fulfilled. From where do we derive this? From the story of Joseph’s dream, as it is written: “And he said: Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream: and, behold, the sun and the moon

ברכות נ״ה ב:א׳-כ״א

וְהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא אִמֵּיהּ לָא הֲוָת. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי: לְעוֹלָם יְצַפֶּה אָדָם לַחֲלוֹם טוֹב עַד עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁתַּיִם שָׁנָה. מְנָלַן? — מִיּוֹסֵף, דִּכְתִיב: ״אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף בֶּן שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְגוֹ׳״, וּכְתִיב: ״וְיוֹסֵף בֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה בְּעׇמְדוֹ לִפְנֵי פַּרְעֹה וְגוֹ׳״. מִן שַׁבְסְרֵי עַד תְּלָתִין כַּמָּה הָוֵי? — תְּלָת סְרֵי, וְשַׁב דְּשִׂבְעָא וְתַרְתֵּי דְּכַפְנָא — הָא עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁתַּיִם. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: לְאָדָם טוֹב אֵין מַרְאִין לוֹ חֲלוֹם טוֹב, וּלְאָדָם רַע אֵין מַרְאִין לוֹ חֲלוֹם רַע. תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: כׇּל שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל דָּוִד לֹא רָאָה חֲלוֹם טוֹב, וְכׇל שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אֲחִיתוֹפֶל לֹא רָאָה חֲלוֹם רַע. וְהָכְתִיב: ״לֹא תְאֻנֶּה אֵלֶיךָ רָעָה״. וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר רַב יִרְמְיָה בַּר אַבָּא: שֶׁלֹּא יַבְהִילוּךָ לֹא חֲלוֹמוֹת רָעִים וְלֹא הִרְהוּרִים רָעִים. ״וְנֶגַע לֹא יִקְרַב בְּאׇהֳלֶךָ״ — שֶׁלֹּא תִּמְצָא אִשְׁתְּךָ סְפֵק נִדָּה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאַתָּה בָּא מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ. אֶלָּא אִיהוּ לָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ, אַחֲרִינֵי חָזוּ לֵיהּ. וְכִי לָא חֲזָא אִיהוּ, מְעַלְּיוּתָא הוּא? וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי זְעֵירָא: כׇּל הַלָּן שִׁבְעָה יָמִים בְּלֹא חֲלוֹם — נִקְרָא ״רַע״. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׂבֵעַ יָלִין בַּל יִפָּקֶד רָע״. אַל תִּקְרֵי ״שָׂבֵעַ״ אֶלָּא ״שֶׁבַע״. — אֶלָּא, הָכִי קָאָמַר: דַּחֲזָא וְלָא יָדַע מַאי חֲזָא. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בַּר אַמֵּי אָמַר רַבִּי פְּדָת אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הָרוֹאֶה חֲלוֹם וְנַפְשׁוֹ עֲגוּמָה, יֵלֵךְ וְיִפְתְּרֶנּוּ בִּפְנֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה. ״יִפְתְּרֶנּוּ״?! וְהָאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא חֶלְמָא דְּלָא מְפַשַּׁר כְּאִגַּרְתָּא דְּלָא מִקַּרְיָא? אֶלָּא אֵימָא: יְטִיבֶנּוּ בִּפְנֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה. לַיְתֵי תְּלָתָא וְלֵימָא לְהוּ: ״חֶלְמָא טָבָא חֲזַאי״. וְלֵימְרוּ לֵיהּ הָנָךְ: ״טָבָא הוּא וְטָבָא לֶיהֱוֵי, רַחֲמָנָא לְשַׁוְּיֵיהּ לְטָב. שְׁבַע זִימְנִין לִגְזְרוּ עֲלָךְ מִן שְׁמַיָּא דְּלֶהֱוֵי טָבָא, וְיֶהֱוֵי טָבָא״. וְלֵימְרוּ שָׁלֹשׁ הֲפוּכוֹת, וְשָׁלֹשׁ פְּדוּיוֹת, וְשָׁלֹשׁ שְׁלוֹמוֹת. שָׁלֹשׁ הֲפוּכוֹת — ״הָפַכְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי לְמָחוֹל לִי פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה״, ״אָז תִּשְׂמַח בְּתוּלָה בְּמָחוֹל וּבַחֻרִים וּזְקֵנִים יַחְדָּו וְהָפַכְתִּי אֶבְלָם לְשָׂשׂוֹן וְגוֹ׳״, ״וְלֹא אָבָה ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל בִּלְעָם וַיַּהֲפֹךְ וְגוֹ׳״. שָׁלֹשׁ פְּדוּיוֹת, דִּכְתִיב: ״פָּדָה בְשָׁלוֹם נַפְשִׁי מִקְּרׇב לִי וְגוֹ׳״, ״וּפְדוּיֵי ה׳ יְשֻׁבוּן וְגוֹ׳״, ״וַיֹּאמֶר הָעָם אֶל שָׁאוּל הֲיוֹנָתָן יָמוּת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הַיְשׁוּעָה וְגוֹ׳״. שָׁלֹשׁ שְׁלוֹמוֹת, דִּכְתִיב: ״בּוֹרֵא נִיב שְׂפָתָיִם שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב אָמַר ה׳ וּרְפָאתִיו״, ״וְרוּחַ לָבְשָׁה אֶת עֲמָשַׂי וְגוֹ׳״, ״וַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה לֶחָי וְאַתָּה שָׁלוֹם וּבֵיתְךָ שָׁלוֹם וְגוֹ׳״. אַמֵּימָר וּמָר זוּטְרָא וְרַב אָשֵׁי הֲווֹ יָתְבִי בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי. אָמְרִי: כֹּל חַד וְחַד מִינַּן לֵימָא מִלְּתָא דְּלָא שְׁמִיעַ לֵיהּ לְחַבְרֵיהּ. פְּתַח חַד מִינַּיְיהוּ וַאֲמַר: הַאי מַאן דַּחֲזָא חֶלְמָא וְלָא יָדַע מַאי חֲזָא, לִיקוּם קַמֵּי כָּהֲנֵי בְּעִידָּנָא דְּפָרְסִי יְדַיְיהוּ וְלֵימָא הָכִי: ״רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲנִי שֶׁלָּךְ וַחֲלוֹמוֹתַי שֶׁלָּךְ, חֲלוֹם חָלַמְתִּי וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה הוּא. בֵּין שֶׁחָלַמְתִּי אֲנִי לְעַצְמִי וּבֵין שֶׁחָלְמוּ לִי חֲבֵירַי וּבֵין שֶׁחָלַמְתִּי עַל אֲחֵרִים, אִם טוֹבִים הֵם — חַזְּקֵם וְאַמְּצֵם כַּחֲלוֹמוֹתָיו שֶׁל יוֹסֵף. וְאִם צְרִיכִים רְפוּאָה — רְפָאֵם כְּמֵי מָרָה עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, וּכְמִרְיָם מִצָּרַעְתָּהּ, וּכְחִזְקִיָּה מֵחׇלְיוֹ, וּכְמֵי יְרִיחוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֱלִישָׁע. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהָפַכְתָּ קִלְלַת בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע לִבְרָכָה, כֵּן הֲפוֹךְ כׇּל חֲלוֹמוֹתַי עָלַי לְטוֹבָה״. וּמְסַיֵּים בַּהֲדֵי כָּהֲנֵי דְּעָנֵי צִבּוּרָא ״אָמֵן״. וְאִי לָא, לֵימָא הָכִי: ״אַדִּיר בַּמָּרוֹם, שׁוֹכֵן בִּגְבוּרָה, אַתָּה שָׁלוֹם וְשִׁמְךָ שָׁלוֹם. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁתָּשִׂים עָלֵינוּ שָׁלוֹם״. פְּתַח אִידַּךְ וַאֲמַר: הַאי מַאן דְּעָיֵיל לְמָתָא וְדָחֵיל מֵעֵינָא בִּישָׁא, לִנְקוֹט זִקְפָּא דִּידָא דְיַמִּינֵיהּ בִּידָא דִשְׂמָאלֵיהּ וְזִקְפָּא דִּידָא דִשְׂמָאלֵיהּ בִּידָא דְיַמִּינֵיהּ, וְלֵימָא הָכִי: אֲנָא פְּלוֹנִי בַּר פְּלוֹנִי מִזַּרְעָא דְיוֹסֵף קָאָתֵינָא, דְּלָא שָׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ עֵינָא בִישָׁא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן וְגוֹ׳״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״עֲלֵי עָיִן״, אֶלָּא ״עוֹלֵי עָיִן״. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר, מֵהָכָא: ״וְיִדְגּוּ לָרֹב בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ״ — מָה דָּגִים שֶׁבַּיָּם מַיִם מְכַסִּים עֲלֵיהֶם וְאֵין עַיִן רָעָה שׁוֹלֶטֶת בָּהֶם, אַף זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף אֵין עַיִן רָעָה שׁוֹלֶטֶת בָּהֶם. וְאִי דָּחֵיל מֵעֵינָא בִּישָׁא דִּילֵיהּ, לִיחְזֵי אַטְרְפָא דִּנְחִירֵיהּ דִּשְׂמָאלֵיהּ. פְּתַח אִידַּךְ וַאֲמַר: הַאי מַאן דַּחֲלִישׁ, יוֹמָא קַמָּא לָא לְגַלֵּי, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא לִתָּרַע מַזָּלֵיהּ, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ לְגַלֵּי. כִּי הָא דְּרָבָא, כִּי הֲוָה חֲלִישׁ, יוֹמָא קַמָּא לָא מְגַלֵּי מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ אָמַר לֵיהּ לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ: פּוֹק אַכְרֵיז: ״רָבָא חֲלַשׁ״. מַאן דְּרָחֵים לִי — לִבְעֵי עֲלַי רַחֲמֵי, וּמַאן דְּסָנֵי לִי — לִחְדֵּי לִי. וּכְתִיב: ״בִּנְפֹל אוֹיִבְךָ אַל תִּשְׂמָח וּבִכָּשְׁלוֹ אַל יָגֵל לִבֶּךָ פֶּן יִרְאֶה ה׳ וְרַע בְּעֵינָיו וְהֵשִׁיב מֵעָלָיו אַפּוֹ״. שְׁמוּאֵל כִּי הֲוָה חָזֵי חֶלְמָא בִּישָׁא אָמַר: ״וַחֲלֹמוֹת הַשָּׁוְא יְדַבֵּרוּ״. כִּי הֲוָה חָזֵי חֶלְמָא טָבָא אָמַר: וְכִי הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הַשָּׁוְא יְדַבֵּרוּ? וְהָכְתִיב ״בַּחֲלוֹם אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ״! רָבָא רָמֵי: כְּתִיב ״בַּחֲלוֹם אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ״, וּכְתִיב: ״וַחֲלֹמוֹת הַשָּׁוְא יְדַבֵּרוּ״! לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן עַל יְדֵי מַלְאָךְ, כָּאן עַל יְדֵי שֵׁד. אָמַר רַבִּי בִּיזְנָא בַּר זַבְדָּא אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אָמַר רַבִּי פַּנְדָּא אָמַר רַב נַחוּם אָמַר רַבִּי בִּירִים מִשּׁוּם זָקֵן אֶחָד, וּמַנּוּ — רַבִּי בְּנָאָה: עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה פּוֹתְרֵי חֲלוֹמוֹת הָיוּ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, פַּעַם אַחַת חָלַמְתִּי חֲלוֹם וְהָלַכְתִּי אֵצֶל כּוּלָּם, וּמַה שֶּׁפָּתַר לִי זֶה לֹא פָּתַר לִי זֶה, וְכוּלָּם נִתְקַיְּימוּ בִּי. לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כׇּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִים אַחַר הַפֶּה״. אַטּוּ ״כׇּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִים אַחַר הַפֶּה״ קְרָא הוּא? אִין — וְכִדְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁכָּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִין אַחַר הַפֶּה? — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר פָּתַר לָנוּ כֵּן הָיָה״. אָמַר רָבָא: וְהוּא דִּמְפַשַּׁר לֵיהּ מֵעֵין חֶלְמֵיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״אִישׁ כַּחֲלֹמוֹ פָּתָר״. ״וַיַּרְא שַׂר הָאֹפִים״, מְנָא יְדַע? אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד הֶרְאוּהוּ חֲלוֹמוֹ וּפִתְרוֹן חֲלוֹמוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הִשְׁכִּים וְנָפַל לוֹ פָּסוּק לְתוֹךְ פִּיו, הֲרֵי זוֹ נְבוּאָה קְטַנָּה. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, שְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלוֹמוֹת מִתְקַיְּימִין: חֲלוֹם שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית, וַחֲלוֹם שֶׁחָלַם לוֹ חֲבֵירוֹ, וַחֲלוֹם שֶׁנִּפְתַּר בְּתוֹךְ חֲלוֹם. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמֵר: אַף חֲלוֹם שֶׁנִּשְׁנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעַל הִשָּׁנוֹת הַחֲלוֹם וְגוֹ׳״. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: אֵין מַרְאִין לוֹ לְאָדָם אֶלָּא מֵהִרְהוּרֵי לִבּוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַנְתְּ מַלְכָּא רַעְיוֹנָךְ עַל מִשְׁכְּבָךְ סְלִקוּ״. וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא מֵהָכָא: ״וְרַעְיוֹנֵי לִבְבָךְ תִּנְדַּע״. אָמַר רָבָא: תֵּדַע, דְּלָא מַחֲווּ לֵיהּ לְאִינִשׁ לָא דִּקְלָא דְּדַהֲבָא וְלָא פִּילָא דְּעָיֵיל בְּקוֹפָא דְמַחְטָא.

Berakhot 55b:1-21

and eleven stars bowed down to me” (Genesis 37:9), and at that time his mother was no longer alive. According to the interpretation of the dream, the moon symbolizes Joseph’s mother. Even this dream that was ultimately fulfilled contained an element that was not fulfilled. From the same source, Rabbi Levi said: One should always anticipate fulfillment of a good dream up to twenty-two years after the dream. From where do we derive this? From Joseph, as it is written in the story of Joseph’s dream: “These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren” (Genesis 37:2); and it is written: “And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh King of Egypt” (Genesis 41:46). From seventeen to thirty how many years are they? Thirteen; and add seven years of plenty and two of famine; the total is twenty-two and only then was the dream fulfilled when his brothers came and bowed down to him. Rav Huna said: A good person is not shown a good dream and a wicked person is not shown a bad dream; rather, a good person is punished for his relatively few transgressions with bad dreams and a wicked person is rewarded for his relatively few merits with good dreams. That was also taught in a baraita: All of King David’s life he never saw a good dream, and all of Ahitophel’s life he never saw a bad dream. The Gemara raises a difficulty: Is it not written: “No evil shall befall you, neither shall any plague come near your tent” (Psalms 91:10)? And Rav Ḥisda said that Rav Yirmeya bar Abba said in explanation of that verse: This means that you will be frightened neither by bad dreams nor by evil thoughts. Neither shall any plague come near your tent, means that you will never find your wife with the uncertain status of a menstruating woman when you return from a journey. This proves that it is impossible that a righteous person will experience bad dreams throughout his life. Rather, one might say that he does not see bad dreams; others see bad dreams about him. The Gemara asks: And when he does not see a dream, is that a virtue? Didn’t Rabbi Zeira say: Anyone who sleeps seven days without a dream is called evil, as it indicates that God does not wish to appear to him even in that indirect manner. Allusion to this is, as it is stated: “And he that has it shall lie satisfied [vesave’a], he shall not be visited with evil” (Proverbs 19:23). The Sages said: Do not read it as satisfied [vesave’a], rather read it as seven [vesheva], which is an allusion to the fact that one who sleeps seven times and does not experience a dream is considered evil. Rather, one must say that David saw dreams and the baraita says as follows: David certainly saw dreams, but he did not understand what he saw. Rav Huna bar Ami said that Rabbi Pedat said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One who sees a dream from which his soul is distraught, should go and have it interpreted before three. The Gemara is surprised by this: Interpreted? Didn’t Rav Ḥisda say: A dream not interpreted is like a letter not read? If one is concerned about a dream, why would he actively promote its fulfillment? Rather, say as follows: He should better it before three. He should bring three people and say to them: I saw a good dream. And they should say to him: It is good, and let it be good, may God make it good. May they decree upon you from heaven seven times that it will be good, and it will be good. Afterwards they recite three verses of transformation from bad to good, three verses of redemption, and three verses which mention peace. The Gemara elaborates: Three transformations:
“You transformed my mourning into dancing;
You loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness” (Psalms 30:12);
“Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together;
for I will transform their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow” (Jeremiah 31:12);
and: “Nevertheless the Lord your God would not hearken unto Balaam;
but the Lord your God transformed the curse into a blessing unto you” (Deuteronomy 23:6). And three redemptions, as it is written:
“He has redeemed my soul in peace so that none came near me; for they were many that strove with me” (Psalms 55:19);
“The redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10);
and: “The people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel?
So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not” (I Samuel 14:45). And three mentions of peace, as it is written:
“Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, says the Lord that creates the expression of the lips; and I will heal him” (Isaiah 57:19);
“Then the spirit clothed Amasai, who was chief of the captains: Yours are we, David, and on your side, you son of Yishai;
peace, peace be unto you, and peace be to your helpers” (I Chronicles 12:19);
and: “Thus you shall say: All hail and peace be both unto you,
and peace be to your house, and peace be unto all that you have” (I Samuel 25:6). The Gemara relates: Ameimar and Mar Zutra and Rav Ashi were sitting together. They said: Let each and every one of us say something that the other has not heard. One of them began and said: One who saw a dream and does not know what he saw should stand before the priests when they lift their hands during the Priestly Blessing and say the following:
Master of the Universe, I am Yours and my dreams are Yours,
I dreamed a dream and I do not know what it is.
Whether I have dreamed of myself, whether my friends have dreamed of me or whether I have dreamed of others,
if the dreams are good, strengthen them and reinforce them like the dreams of Joseph.
And if the dreams require healing,
heal them like the bitter waters of Mara by Moses our teacher, and like Miriam from her leprosy,
and like Hezekiah from his illness, and like the bitter waters of Jericho by Elisha.
And just as You transformed the curse of Balaam the wicked into a blessing,
so transform all of my dreams for me for the best.
And he should complete his prayer together with the priests so the congregation responds amen both to the blessing of the priests and to his individual request. And if he is not able to recite this entire formula, he should say:
Majestic One on high, Who dwells in power,
You are peace and Your name is peace.
May it be Your will that You bestow upon us peace. Another began and said: One who enters a city and fears the evil eye should hold the thumb [zekafa] of his right hand in his left hand and the thumb of his left hand in his right hand and recite the following: I, so-and-so son of so-and-so, come from the descendants of Joseph, over whom the evil eye has no dominion, as it is stated: “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a fountain [alei ayin]; its branches run over the wall” (Genesis 49:22). Do not read it as alei ayin; but rather, read it as olei ayin, who rise above the eye and the evil eye has no dominion over him. Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: Derive it from here, from what is stated in Jacob’s blessing of Joseph’s sons: “And let them grow like fish into a multitude in the midst of the earth” (Genesis 48:16): Just as fish in the sea are covered by water and the evil eye has no dominion over them as they cannot be seen, so too the offspring of Joseph, the evil eye has no dominion over them. And if he is concerned about his own evil eye, lest it damage others, he should look at the side of his left nostril. Another began and said: One who is sick should not reveal it on the first day of his illness so that his luck should not suffer; from there on he may reveal it. Like that which Rava does when he falls ill; on the first day he does not reveal it, from there on he says to his servant: Go out and announce: Rava is sick. Those who love me will pray that God have mercy on me and those who hate me will rejoice over my distress. And it is written: “Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him” (Proverbs 24:17–18). The joy of my enemy over my distress will also assist my healing. The Gemara relates: Shmuel, when he would see a bad dream, would say: “And the dreams speak falsely” (Zechariah 10:2). When he would see a good dream, he would say: And do dreams speak falsely? Isn’t it written: “I speak with him in a dream” (Numbers 12:6)? Rava raised a contradiction between these verses: On the one hand, it is written: “I speak with him in a dream”; and on the other hand, it is written: “And the dreams speak falsely.” The Gemara resolves this contradiction: This is not difficult because there are two types of dreams. Here, the verse, “I speak with him in a dream,” refers to dreams that come by means of an angel; here, the verse, “And the dreams speak falsely,” refers to dreams that come by means of a demon. In a long chain of those transmitting this statement, it is said that Rabbi Bizna bar Zavda said that Rabbi Akiva said that Rabbi Panda said that Rav Naḥum said that Rabbi Birayim said in the name of one elder, and who is he, Rabbi Bena’a: There were twenty-four interpreters of dreams in Jerusalem. One time, I dreamed a dream and went to each of them to interpret it. What one interpreted for me the other did not interpret for me, and, nevertheless, all of the interpretations were realized in me, to fulfill that which is stated: All dreams follow the mouth of the interpreter. The Gemara asks: Is that to say that all dreams follow the mouth is a verse cited as corroboration? The Gemara responds: Yes, and in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar said: From where is it derived that all dreams follow the mouth of the interpreter? As it is stated in the story of the dreams of Pharaoh’s two ministers. The butler said to Pharaoh: “And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was” (Genesis 41:13). Rava said, one must attach a caveat to this: This is only in a case where it is interpreted for him in a manner akin to the dream, where the interpretation is relevant to the dream, as it is stated in the story of Joseph’s interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh’s two ministers: “Each man according to his dream he did interpret” (Genesis 41:12). With regard to Joseph’s interpretation of these dreams, the Gemara asks, it is written: “The baker saw that the interpretation was good” (Genesis 40:16); from where did the baker know that the interpretation was good? Rabbi Elazar said: This teaches that each of them was shown his dream and the interpretation of the other’s dream. That is how he knew that it was the correct interpretation. With regard to the veracity of dreams, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One who awakened in the morning and a specific verse happens into his mouth, it is a minor prophecy and an indication that the content of the verse will be fulfilled. Rabbi Yoḥanan also said: Three dreams are fulfilled: A dream of the morning, a dream that one’s fellow dreamed about him, and a dream that is interpreted within a dream. And some say that a dream that is repeated several times is also fulfilled, as it is stated: “And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass” (Genesis 41:32). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: A person is shown in his dream only the thoughts of his heart when he was awake, as evidenced by what Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, as it is stated: “As for you, O king, your thoughts came upon your bed, what should come to pass hereafter” (Daniel 2:29). And if you wish, say instead that it is derived from here, a related verse: “And that you may know the thoughts of your heart” (Daniel 2:30). How will you know the thoughts of your heart? By their being revealed to you in a dream. Rava said: Know that this is the case, for one is neither shown a golden palm tree nor an elephant going through the eye of a needle in a dream. In other words, dreams only contain images that enter a person’s mind.

ברכות נ״ו א:א׳-י״ט

אֲמַר לֵיהּ קֵיסָר לְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּרַבִּי חֲנַנְיָא: אָמְרִיתוּ דְּחָכְמִיתוּ טוּבָא, אֵימָא לִי מַאי חָזֵינָא בְּחֶלְמַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חָזֵית דִּמְשַׁחֲרִי לָךְ פָּרְסָאֵי וְגָרְבִי בָּךְ, וְרָעֲיִי בָּךְ שִׁקְצֵי בְּחוּטְרָא דְּדַהֲבָא. הַרְהַר כּוּלֵּיהּ יוֹמָא, וּלְאוּרְתָּא חֲזָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ שַׁבּוּר מַלְכָּא, לִשְׁמוּאֵל: אָמְרִיתוּ דְּחָכְמִיתוּ טוּבָא, אֵימָא לִי מַאי חָזֵינָא בְּחֶלְמַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חָזֵית דְּאָתוּ רוֹמָאֵי וְשָׁבוּ לָךְ, וְטָחֲנִי בָּךְ קַשְׁיָיתָא בְּרִחְיָיא דְּדַהֲבָא. הַרְהַר כּוּלֵּיהּ יוֹמָא, וּלְאוּרְתָּא חֲזָא. בַּר הֶדְיָא מְפַשַּׁר חֶלְמֵי הֲוָה. מַאן דְּיָהֵיב לֵיהּ אַגְרָא — מְפַשַּׁר לֵיהּ לִמְעַלְּיוּתָא, וּמַאן דְּלָא יָהֵיב לֵיהּ אַגְרָא — מְפַשַּׁר לֵיהּ לִגְרִיעוּתָא. אַבָּיֵי וְרָבָא חֲזוֹ חֶלְמָא. אַבָּיֵי יְהֵיב לֵיהּ זוּזָא, וְרָבָא לָא יְהֵיב לֵיהּ. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַקְרִינַן בְּחֶלְמִין ״שׁוֹרְךָ טָבוּחַ לְעֵינֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳״. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פָּסֵיד עִסְקָךְ וְלָא אַהֲנִי לָךְ לְמֵיכַל מֵעוּצְבָּא דְּלִבָּךְ. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַרְוַוח עִסְקָךְ וְלָא אַהֲנִי לָךְ לְמֵיכַל מֵחֶדְוָא דְּלִבָּךְ. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַקְרִינַן ״בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת תּוֹלִיד וְגוֹ׳״ לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּבִישׁוּתֵיהּ. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ נְפִישִׁי, וּמִינַּסְבָן בְּנָתָךְ לְעָלְמָא, וּמִדַּמְיָין בְּאַפָּךְ כִּדְקָא אָזְלָן בְּשִׁבְיָה. אַקְרְיֻין ״בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ נְתֻנִים לְעַם אַחֵר״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ נְפִישִׁין, אַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ לְקָרִיבָךְ וְהִיא אָמְרָה לְקָרִיבַהּ, וְאָכְפָה לָךְ וְיָהֲבַתְּ לְהוֹן לְקָרִיבַהּ, דְּהָוֵי כְּעַם אַחֵר. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דְּבֵיתְהוּ שְׁכִיבָא, וְאָתוּ בְּנֵיהּ וּבְנָתֵיהּ לִידֵי אִיתְּתָא אַחֲרִיתִי. דְּאָמַר רָבָא אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַב: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ נְתֻנִים לְעַם אַחֵר״ — זוֹ אֵשֶׁת הָאָב. אַקְרִינַן בְּחֶלְמִין: ״לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַרְוַוח עִסְקָךְ וְאָכְלַתְּ וְשָׁתֵית וְקָרֵית פְּסוּקָא מֵחֶדְוָא דְלִבָּךְ. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פָּסֵיד עִסְקָךְ, טָבְחַתְּ וְלָא אָכְלַתְּ וְשָׁתֵית וְקָרֵית לְפַכּוֹחֵי פַּחְדָּךְ. אַקְרִינַן ״זֶרַע רַב תּוֹצִיא הַשָּׂדֶה״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ, לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִסֵּיפֵיהּ. אַקְרִינַן ״זֵיתִים יִהְיוּ לְךָ בְּכׇל גְּבוּלֶךָ וְגוֹ׳״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ, לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִסֵּיפֵיהּ. אַקְרִינַן ״וְרָאוּ כׇּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נָפֵק לָךְ שְׁמָא דְּרֵישׁ מְתִיבְתָּא הָוֵית, אֵימְתָךְ נְפַלַת בְּעָלְמָא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בֵּדַיְינָא דְּמַלְכָּא אִתְּבַר, וּמִתְּפַסַתְּ בְּגַנָּבֵי, וְדָיְינִי כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא קַל וָחוֹמֶר מִינָּךְ. לִמְחַר אִתְּבַר בֵּדַיְינָא דְּמַלְכָּא וַאֲתוֹ וְתָפְשִׂי לֵיהּ לְרָבָא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן חַסָּא עַל פּוּם דַּנֵּי. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עִיף עִסְקָךְ כְּחַסָּא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מָרִיר עִסְקָךְ כִּי חַסָּא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן בִּשְׂרָא עַל פּוּם דַּנֵּי. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּסֵים חַמְרָךְ, וְאָתוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְמִזְבַּן בִּשְׂרָא וְחַמְרָא מִינָּךְ. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תָּקֵיף חַמְרָךְ, וְאָתוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְמִזְבַּן בִּשְׂרָא לְמֵיכַל בֵּיהּ. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן חָבִיתָא דִּתְלֵי בְּדִיקְלָא. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִדְּלֵי עִסְקָךְ כְּדִיקְלָא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲלֵי עִסְקָךְ כְּתַמְרֵי. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן רוּמָּנָא דְּקָדְחָא אַפּוּם דַּנֵּי, לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עֲשִׁיק עִסְקָךְ כְּרוּמָּנָא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: קָאוֵי עִסְקָךְ כְּרוּמָּנָא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן חָבִיתָא דִּנְפַל לְבֵירָא. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִתְבְּעֵי עִסְקָךְ, כִּדְאָמַר ״נְפַל פִּתָּא בְּבֵירָא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח״. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פָּסֵיד עִסְקָךְ וְשָׁדֵית לֵיהּ לְבֵירָא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזֵינַן בַּר חֲמָרָא דְּקָאֵי אַאִיסָדַן וְנוֹעֵר. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַלְכָּא הָוֵית, וְקָאֵי אָמוֹרָא עֲלָךְ. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״פֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר״ גְּהִיט מִתְּפִילָּךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְדִידִי חֲזֵי לִי וְאִיתֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וָאו דְּ״פֶטֶר חֲמוֹר״ וַדַּאי גְּהִיט מִתְּפִילָּךְ. לְסוֹף אֲזַל רָבָא לְחוֹדֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דַּשָּׁא בָּרָיְיתָא דִּנְפַל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִשְׁתְּךָ שָׁכְבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי כַּכַּי וְשִׁנַּי דִּנְתוּר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ שָׁכְבָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי תַּרְתֵּי יוֹנֵי דְּפָרְחָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תְּרֵי נְשֵׁי מְגָרְשַׁתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי תְּרֵי גַּרְגְּלִידֵי דְלִפְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תְּרֵין קוּלְפֵי בָּלְעַתְּ. אֲזַל רָבָא הָהוּא יוֹמָא וִיתֵיב בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא כּוּלֵּיהּ יוֹמָא. אַשְׁכַּח הָנְהוּ תְּרֵי סַגִּי נְהוֹרֵי דַּהֲווֹ קָמִנְּצוּ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי. אֲזַל רָבָא לְפָרוֹקִינְהוּ, וּמְחוֹהוּ לְרָבָא תְּרֵי. דְּלוֹ לְמַחוֹיֵיהּ אַחֲרִיתִי, אֲמַר: מִסְתַּיי, תְּרֵין חֲזַאי. לְסוֹף אֲתָא רָבָא וִיהֵיב לֵיהּ אַגְרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי אֲשִׁיתָא דִּנְפַל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נְכָסִים בְּלֹא מְצָרִים קָנֵית. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי אַפַּדְנָא דְּאַבָּיֵי דִּנְפַל וְכַסְּיַין אַבְקֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַבָּיֵי שָׁכֵיב וּמְתִיבְתֵּיהּ אָתְיָא לְגַבָּךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי אַפַּדְנָא דִידִי דִּנְפַל, וַאֲתוֹ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא שְׁקוּל לְבֵינְתָּא לְבֵינְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שְׁמַעְתָּתָךְ מִבַּדְּרָן בְּעָלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּאִבְּקַע רֵישִׁי וּנְתַר מוּקְרִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אוּדְרָא מִבֵּי סָדְיָא נָפֵיק. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַקְרְיוּן הַלֵּלָא מִצְרָאָה בְּחֶלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נִיסֵּי מִתְרַחְשִׁי לָךְ. הֲוָה קָא אָזֵיל בַּהֲדֵיהּ בְּאַרְבָּא. אָמַר: בַּהֲדֵי גַּבְרָא דְּמִתְרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ נִיסָּא לְמָה לִי. בַּהֲדֵי דְּקָא סָלֵיק נְפַל סִיפְרָא מִינֵּיהּ. אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רָבָא וַחֲזָא דַּהֲוָה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ ״כׇּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִין אַחַר הַפֶּה״. אֲמַר: רָשָׁע, בְּדִידָךְ קָיְימָא, וְצַעַרְתַּן כּוּלֵּי הַאי. כּוּלְּהוּ מָחֵילְנָא לָךְ, בַּר מִבְּרַתֵּיה דְּרַב חִסְדָּא. יְהֵא רַעֲוָא דְּלִמְּסַר הַהוּא גַּבְרָא לִידֵי דְּמַלְכוּתָא דְּלָא מְרַחֲמוּ עֲלֵיהּ. אָמַר: מַאי אַעֲבֵיד? גְּמִירִי דְּקִלְלַת חָכָם, אֲפִילּוּ בְּחִנָּם הִיא בָּאָה, וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן רָבָא דִּבְדִינָא קָא לָיֵיט. אָמַר: אֵיקוּם וְאֶגְלֵי, דַּאֲמַר מָר: גָּלוּת מְכַפֶּרֶת עָוֹן. קָם גְּלִי לְבֵי רוֹמָאֵי. אֲזַל יְתֵיב אַפִּתְחָא דְּרֵישׁ טוּרְזִינָא דְּמַלְכָּא. רֵישׁ טוּרְזִינָא חֲזָא חֶלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי חֶלְמָא דְּעָיֵיל מַחְטָא בְּאֶצְבַּעְתִּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי זוּזָא, וְלָא יְהַב לֵיהּ. לָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלָא מִידֵּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּנְפַל תִּכְלָא בְּתַרְתֵּין אֶצְבְּעָתִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי זוּזָא, וְלָא יְהַב לֵיהּ, וְלָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּנְפַל תִּכְלָא בְּכוּלַּהּ יְדָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נְפַל תִּכְלָא בְּכוּלְּהוּ שִׁירָאֵי. שָׁמְעִי בֵּי מַלְכָּא, וְאַתְיוּהּ לְרֵישׁ טוּרְזִינָא קָא קָטְלִי לֵיהּ. אָמַר לְהוּ: אֲנָא אַמַּאי? אַיְיתוֹ לְהַאי דַּהֲוָה יָדַע וְלָא אֲמַר. אַיְיתוּהוּ בַּר הֶדְיָא, אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַמַּטּוּ זוּזָא דִידָךְ חֲרַבוּ

Berakhot 56a:1-19

On a similar note, the Gemara relates that the Roman emperor said to Rabbi Yehoshua, son of Rabbi Ḥananya: You Jews say that you are extremely wise. If that is so, tell me what I will see in my dream. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: You will see the Persians capture you, and enslave you, and force you to herd unclean animals with a golden staff. He thought the entire day about the images described to him by Rabbi Yehoshua and that night he saw it in his dream. King Shapur of Persia said to Shmuel: You Jews say that you are extremely wise. If that is so, tell me what I will see in my dream. Shmuel said to him: You will see the Romans come and take you into captivity and force you to grind date pits in mills of gold. He thought the entire day about the images described to him by Shmuel, and that night he saw it in his dream. The Gemara relates: Bar Haddaya was an interpreter of dreams. For one who gave him a fee, he would interpret the dream favorably, and for one who did not give him a fee, he would interpret the dream unfavorably. The Gemara relates: There was an incident in which both Abaye and Rava saw an identical dream and they asked bar Haddaya to interpret it. Abaye gave him money and paid his fee, while Rava did not give him money. They said to him: The verse: “Your ox shall be slain before your eyes and you shall not eat thereof” (Deuteronomy 28:31) was read to us in our dream. He interpreted their dream and to Rava he said: Your business will be lost and you will derive no pleasure from eating because of the extreme sadness of your heart. To Abaye he said: Your business will profit and you will be unable to eat due to the joy in your heart. They said to him: The verse, “You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity” (Deuteronomy 28:41), was read to us in our dream. He interpreted their dreams, and to Rava he said its literal, adverse sense. To Abaye he said: Your sons and daughters will be numerous, and your daughters will be married to outsiders and it will seem to you as if they were taken in captivity. They said to him: The verse: “Your sons and your daughters shall be given unto another people” (Deuteronomy 28:32), was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said: Your sons and daughters will be numerous. You say, that they should marry your relatives and your wife says that they should marry her relatives and she will impose her will upon you and they will be given in marriage to her relatives, which is like another nation as far as you are concerned. To Rava he said: Your wife will die and your sons and daughters will come into the hands of another woman. As Rava said that Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which is written in the verse: “Your sons and your daughters shall be given unto another people”? This refers to the father’s wife, the stepmother. They said to him: The verse: “Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart” (Ecclesiastes 9:7) was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said: Your business will profit and you will eat and drink and read the verse out of the joy of your heart. To Rava he said: Your business will be lost, you will slaughter but not eat, you will drink wine and read passages from the Bible in order to allay your fears. They said to him: The verse: “You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather little in; for the locust shall consume it” (Deuteronomy 28:38), was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said from the beginning of the verse, that he will enjoy an abundant harvest. To Rava he said from the end of the verse, that his harvest will be destroyed. They said to him: The verse: “You shall have olive-trees throughout all your borders, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olives shall drop off” (Deuteronomy 28:40), was read to us in our dream. And again, to Abaye he said from the beginning of the verse. To Rava he said from the end of the verse. They said to him: The verse: “All the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon you; and they shall be afraid of you” (Deuteronomy 28:10), was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said: Your name will become well-known as head of the yeshiva, and you will be feared by all. To Rava he said: The king’s treasury was broken into and you will be apprehended as a thief, and everyone will draw an a fortiori inference from you: If Rava who is wealthy and of distinguished lineage can be arrested on charges of theft, what will become of the rest of us? Indeed, the next day, the king’s treasury was burglarized, and they came and apprehended Rava. Abaye and Rava said to him: We saw lettuce on the mouth of the barrels. To Abaye he said: Your business will double like lettuce whose leaves are wide and wrinkled. To Rava he said: Your work will be bitter like a lettuce stalk. They said to him: We saw meat on the mouth of barrels. To Abaye he said: Your wine will be sweet and everyone will come to buy meat and wine from you. To Rava he said: Your wine will spoil, and everyone will go to buy meat in order to eat with it, to dip the meat in your vinegar. They said to him: We saw a barrel hanging from a palm tree. To Abaye he said: Your business will rise like a palm tree. To Rava he said: Your work will be sweet like dates which are very cheap in Babylonia, indicating that you will be compelled to sell your merchandise at a cheap price. They said to him: We saw a pomegranate taking root on the mouth of barrels. To Abaye he said: Your business will increase in value like a pomegranate. To Rava he said: Your work will go sour like a pomegranate. They said to him: We saw a barrel fall into a pit. To Abaye he said: Your merchandise will be in demand as the adage says: Bread falls in a pit and is not found. In other words, everyone will seek your wares and they will not find them due to increased demand. To Rava he said: Your merchandise will be ruined and you will throw it away into a pit. They said to him: We saw a donkey-foal standing near our heads, braying. To Abaye he said: You will be a king, that is to say, head of the yeshiva, and an interpreter will stand near you to repeat your teachings to the masses out loud. To Rava he said: I see the words peter ḥamor, first-born donkey, erased from your phylacteries. Rava said to him: I myself saw it and it is there. Bar Haddaya said to him: The letter vav of the word peter ḥamor is certainly erased from your phylacteries. Ultimately, Rava went to bar Haddaya alone. Rava said to him: I saw the outer door of my house fall. Bar Haddaya said to him: Your wife will die, as she is the one who protects the house. Rava said to him: I saw my front and back teeth fall out. He said to him: Your sons and daughters will die. Rava said to him: I saw two doves that were flying. He said to him: You will divorce two women. Rava said to him: I saw two turnip-heads [gargelidei]. He said to him: You will receive two blows with a club shaped like a turnip. That same day Rava went and sat in the study hall the entire day. He discovered these two blind people who were fighting with each other. Rava went to separate them and they struck Rava two blows. When they raised their staffs to strike him an additional blow, he said: That is enough for me, I only saw two. Ultimately, Rava came and gave him, bar Haddaya, a fee. And then Rava, said to him: I saw my wall fall. Bar Haddaya said to him: You will acquire property without limits. Rava said to him: I saw Abaye’s house [appadna] fall and its dust covered me. Bar Haddaya said to him: Abaye will die and his yeshiva will come to you. Rava said to him: I saw my house fall, and everyone came and took the bricks. He said to him: Your teachings will be disseminated throughout the world. Rava said to him: I saw that my head split and my brain fell out. He said to him: A feather will fall out of the pillow near your head. Rava said to him: The Egyptian hallel, the hallel that celebrates the Exodus, was read to me in a dream. He said to him: Miracles will be performed for you. Bar Haddaya was going with Rava on a ship; bar Haddaya said: Why am I going with a person for whom miracles will be performed, lest the miracle will be that the ship will sink and he alone will be saved. As bar Haddaya was climbing onto the ship a book fell from him. Rava found it and saw: All dreams follow the mouth, written therein. He said to bar Haddaya: Scoundrel. It was dependent on you, and you caused me so much suffering. I forgive you for everything except for the daughter of Rav Ḥisda, Rava’s wife, whom bar Haddaya predicted would die. May it be Your will that this man be delivered into the hands of a kingdom that has no compassion on him. Bar Haddaya said to himself: What will I do? We learned through tradition that the curse of a Sage, even if baseless, comes true? And all the more so in the case of Rava, as he cursed me justifiably. He said to himself: I will get up and go into exile, as the Master said: Exile atones for transgression. He arose and exiled himself to the seat of the Roman government. He went and sat by the entrance, where the keeper of the king’s wardrobe stood. The wardrobe guard dreamed a dream. He said to bar Haddaya: I saw in the dream that a needle pierced my finger. Bar Haddaya said to him: Give me a zuz. He did not give him the coin so bar Haddaya said nothing to him. Again, the guard said to him: I saw a worm that fell between my two fingers, eating them. Bar Haddaya said to him: Give me a zuz. He did not give him the coin, so bar Haddaya said nothing to him. Again, the guard said to him: I saw that a worm fell upon my entire hand, eating it. Bar Haddaya said to him: A worm fell upon and ate all the silk garments. They heard of this in the king’s palace and they brought the wardrobe keeper and were in the process of executing him. He said to them: Why me? Bring the one who knew and did not say the information that he knew. They brought bar Haddaya and said to him: Because of your zuz, ruin came upon

ברכות נ״ו ב:א׳-כ״א

שִׁירָאֵי דְּמַלְכָּא! כְּפִיתוּ תְּרֵין אַרְזֵי בְּחַבְלָא, אֲסוּר חַד כְּרָעֵיהּ לְחַד אַרְזָא וְחַד כְּרָעֵיהּ לְחַד אַרְזָא, וּשְׁרוֹ לְחַבְלָא עַד דְּאִצְטְלִיק רֵישֵׁיהּ. אֲזַל כׇּל חַד וְחַד וְקָם אַדּוּכְתֵּיהּ וְאִצְטְלִיק וּנְפַל בִּתְרֵין. שָׁאַל בֶּן דָּמָא בֶּן אֲחוֹתוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֶת רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: רָאִיתִי שְׁנֵי לְחָיַי שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ. אָמַר: שְׁנֵי גְּדוּדֵי רוֹמִי יָעֲצוּ עָלֶיךָ רָעָה, וּמֵתוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ בַּר קַפָּרָא לְרַבִּי: רָאִיתִי חוֹטְמִי שֶׁנָּשַׁר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲרוֹן אַף נִסְתַּלֵּק מִמְּךָ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רָאִיתִי שְׁנֵי יָדַי שֶׁנֶּחְתְּכוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא תִּצְטָרֵךְ לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רָאִיתִי שְׁתֵּי רַגְלַי שֶׁנִּקְטְעוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַל סוּס אַתָּה רוֹכֵב. חֲזַאי דְּאָמְרִי לִי בַּאֲדָר מָיְתַתְּ וְנִיסָן לָא חָזֵית. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּאַדְרוּתָא מָיְתַתְּ וְלָא אָתֵית לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא לְרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: רָאִיתִי שֶׁאֲנִי מַשְׁקֶה שֶׁמֶן לְזֵיתִים. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל אִמּוֹ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּקְטִיף לִי כּוֹכְבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּנַבְתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּבְלַעְתֵּיהּ לְכוֹכְבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל זַבֵּנְתֵּיהּ וַאֲכַלְתְּ לִדְמֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי עֵינַי דְּנָשְׁקָן אַהֲדָדֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל אֲחוֹתוֹ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּנְשַׁקִי סֵיהֲרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּדָרֵיכְנָא בְּטוּנָא דְּאָסָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל נַעֲרָה הַמְאוֹרָסָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי טוּנָא מֵעִילַּאי וְהוּא מִתַּתַּאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִשְׁכָּבְךָ הָפוּךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי עוֹרְבֵי דְּהָדְרִי לְפוּרְיֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִשְׁתְּךָ זָנְתָה מֵאֲנָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי יוֹנֵי דְּהָדְרִי לְפוּרְיֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה טִמֵּאתָ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּנָקֵיטְנָא תְּרֵי יוֹנֵי וּפָרְחָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תַּרְתֵּי נְשֵׁי נְסַבְתְּ וּפְטַרְתִּינּוּן בְּלָא גֵּט. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּקָלֵיפְנָא בֵּיעֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שָׁכְבֵי קָא מְשַׁלְּחַתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כּוּלְּהוּ אִיתַנְהוּ בִּי, בַּר מֵהָא דְּלֵיתֵיהּ. אַדְּהָכִי וְהָכִי אָתְיָא הַאי אִיתְּתָא וְאָמְרָה לֵיהּ: הַאי גְּלִימָא דְּמִכַּסַּתְּ — דְּגַבְרָא פְּלוֹנִי הוּא, דְּמִית וְאַשְׁלַחְתֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּאָמְרִי לִי: שְׁבַק לָךְ אֲבוּךְ נִכְסֵי בְּקַפּוֹדְקְיָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִית לָךְ נִכְסֵי בְּקַפּוֹדְקְיָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָאו. אֲזַל אֲבוּךְ לְקַפּוֹדְקְיָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָאו. אִם כֵּן: קַפָּא כְּשׁוּרָא, דֵּיקָא עַשְׂרָה. זִיל חֲזִי קַפָּא דְּרֵישׁ עַשְׂרָה שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה זוּזֵי. אֲזַל אַשְׁכַּח שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה זוּזֵי. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: הָרוֹאֶה בְּאֵר בַּחֲלוֹם — רוֹאֶה שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּחְפְּרוּ עַבְדֵי יִצְחָק בַּנָּחַל וַיִּמְצְאוּ שָׁם בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים״. רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: מָצָא תּוֹרָה — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי מֹצְאִי מָצָא חַיִּים״, וּכְתִיב הָכָא: ״בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים״. רָבָא אָמַר: חַיִּים מַמָּשׁ. אָמַר רַבִּי חָנָן שָׁלֹשׁ שְׁלוֹמוֹת הֵן: נָהָר, צִפּוֹר, וּקְדֵרָה. נָהָר — דִּכְתִיב: ״הִנְנִי נֹטֶה אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלוֹם״. צִפּוֹר — דִּכְתִיב: ״כְּצִפֳּרִים עָפוֹת כֵּן יָגֵן ה׳ צְבָאוֹת וְגוֹ׳״. קְדֵרָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״ה׳ תִּשְׁפֹּת שָׁלוֹם לָנוּ״. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: וּבִקְדֵרָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ בָּשָׂר שָׁנִינוּ. ״וּפָרְשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר בַּסִּיר וּכְבָשָׂר בְּתוֹךְ קַלָּחַת״. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: הָרוֹאֶה נָהָר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר: ״הִנְנִי נֹטֶה אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלוֹם״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כִּי יָבֹא כַנָּהָר צָר״. הָרוֹאֶה צִפּוֹר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״כְּצִפֳּרִים עָפוֹת כֵּן יָגֵן וְגוֹ׳״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כְּצִפּוֹר נוֹדֶדֶת מִן קִנָּהּ וְגוֹ׳״. הָרוֹאֶה קְדֵרָה בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר: ״ה׳ תִּשְׁפֹּת שָׁלוֹם לָנוּ״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״שְׁפֹת הַסִּיר שְׁפֹת״. הָרוֹאֶה עֲנָבִים בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״כַּעֲנָבִים בַּמִּדְבָּר״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״עֲנָבֵמוֹ עִנְּבֵי רוֹשׁ״. הָרוֹאֶה הַר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר — ״מַה נָּאווּ עַל הֶהָרִים רַגְלֵי מְבַשֵּׂר״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״עַל הֶהָרִים אֶשָּׂא בְכִי וָנֶהִי״. הָרוֹאֶה שׁוֹפָר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״תִּקְעוּ שׁוֹפָר בַּגִּבְעָה״. הָרוֹאֶה כֶּלֶב בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״וּלְכֹל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֶחֱרַץ כֶּלֶב לְשֹׁנוֹ״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״וְהַכְּלָבִים עַזֵּי נֶפֶשׁ״. הָרוֹאֶה אֲרִי בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״עָלָה אַרְיֵה מִסֻּבְּכוֹ״. הָרוֹאֶה תִּגְלַחַת בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״וַיְגַלַּח וַיְחַלֵּף שִׂמְלֹתָיו״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כִּי אִם גֻּלַּחְתִּי וְסָר מִמֶּנִּי כֹחִי״. הָרוֹאֶה בְּאֵר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כְּהָקִיר בַּיִר מֵימֶיהָ״. הָרוֹאֶה קָנֶה בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״קָנֶה רָצוּץ לֹא יִשְׁבּוֹר״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״הִנֵּה בָטַחְתָּ לְּךָ עַל מִשְׁעֶנֶת הַקָּנֶה הָרָצוּץ״. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה קָנֶה בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קְנֵה חָכְמָה״. קָנִים — יְצַפֶּה לְבִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְכׇל קִנְיָנְךָ קְנֵה בִינָה״. אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: קָרָא, קוּרָא, קִירָא, קַנְיָא — כּוּלְּהוּ מְעַלּוּ לְחֶלְמָא. תַּנְיָא: אֵין מַרְאִין דִּלּוּעִין אֶלָּא לְמִי שֶׁהוּא יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ. הָרוֹאֶה שׁוֹר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ הָדָר לוֹ״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כִּי יִגַּח שׁוֹר אֶת אִישׁ״. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּשׁוֹר. הָאוֹכֵל מִבְּשָׂרוֹ — מִתְעַשֵּׁר. נְגָחוֹ — הָוְיִין לֵיהּ בָּנִים שֶׁמְנַגְּחִים בַּתּוֹרָה. נְשָׁכוֹ — יִסּוּרִין בָּאִים עָלָיו. בְּעָטוֹ — דֶּרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה נִזְדַּמְּנָה לוֹ. רְכָבוֹ — עוֹלֶה לִגְדוּלָּה. וְהָתַנְיָא רְכָבוֹ — מֵת! לָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא דְּרָכֵיב הוּא לְתוֹרָא. הָא, דְּרָכֵיב תּוֹרָא לְדִידֵיהּ. הָרוֹאֶה חֲמוֹר בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לִישׁוּעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבוֹא לָךְ צַדִּיק וְנוֹשָׁע הוּא עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר״. הָרוֹאֶה חָתוּל בַּחֲלוֹם — בְּאַתְרָא דְּקָרוּ לֵיהּ ״שׁוּנָּרָא״ — נַעֲשֵׂית לוֹ שִׁירָה נָאָה. ״שִׁינָּרָא״ — נַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ שִׁינּוּי רַע. הָרוֹאֶה עֲנָבִים בַּחֲלוֹם, לְבָנוֹת, בֵּין בִּזְמַנָּן, וּבֵין שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַנָּן — יָפוֹת. שְׁחוֹרוֹת בִּזְמַנָּן — יָפוֹת. שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַנָּן — רָעוֹת. הָרוֹאֶה סוּס לָבָן בַּחֲלוֹם, בֵּין בְּנַחַת, בֵּין בְּרָדוּף — יָפֶה לוֹ. אָדוֹם, בְּנַחַת — יָפֶה, בְּרָדוּף — קָשֶׁה. הָרוֹאֶה יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּחֲלוֹם — תְּפִלָּתוֹ נִשְׁמַעַת. וְדַוְקָא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, אֲבָל טַיָּיעָא בְּעָלְמָא — לָא. הָרוֹאֶה גָּמָל בַּחֲלוֹם — מִיתָה נִקְנְסָה לוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהִצִּילוּהוּ מִמֶּנָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: מַאי קְרָאָה — ״וְאָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה וְאָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ גַם עָלֹה״. רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: מֵהָכָא: ״גַּם ה׳ הֶעֱבִיר חַטָּאתְךָ לֹא תָמוּת״. הָרוֹאֶה פִּינְחָס בַּחֲלוֹם — פֶּלֶא נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ. הָרוֹאֶה פִּיל בַּחֲלוֹם — פְּלָאוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ. פִּילִים — פִּלְאֵי פְּלָאוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ. וְהָתַנְיָא כׇּל מִינֵי חַיּוֹת יָפִין לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מִן הַפִּיל וּמִן הַקּוֹף! לָא קַשְׁיָא,

Berakhot 56b:1-21

the king’s silk garments. They tied two cedar trees together with a rope, and tied one of his legs to one cedar and one of his legs to the other cedar, and they released the rope until his head split open. Each tree went back and stood in its place and bar Haddaya split and fell completely split in two. The Gemara relates a story with regard to a Sage who interpreted dreams, Rabbi Yishmael. Ben Dama, son of Rabbi Yishmael’s sister, asked his uncle, Rabbi Yishmael: I saw in a dream that my two cheeks fell off. What does my dream mean? Rabbi Yishmael said to him: Two Roman battalions spoke ill of you, and they died. Cheeks symbolize a mouth that speaks evil. Similarly, the Gemara relates: Bar Kappara said to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: I saw in a dream that my nose fell off, what is the meaning of my dream? He said to him: This is an allusion that anger [ḥaron af] that had been directed against you has been removed from you. Bar Kappara said to him: I saw in a dream that my two hands were cut off. Rabbi said to him: This dream means that you will not require the labor of your hands, as you will be rich and you will have considerable means without effort. Bar Kappara said to him: I saw my two legs were cut off. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: You are riding a horse. He said to him: I saw that they were saying to me that in the month of Adar I will die and I will not see Nisan He said to him: You will die in glory [adruta] and you will not be brought to temptation [nissayon]. The Gemara relates a different case of dream interpretation: A certain heretic said to Rabbi Yishmael: I saw in my dream that I was irrigating olives with olive oil. What is the interpretation of my dream? He said to him: It is a sign that you had relations with your mother, as oil comes from the olive, and he is returning the oil to the olives. That heretic said to Rabbi Yishmael: I saw that I was plucking a star. He said to him: You kidnapped an Israelite man, as Israel is likened to the stars. The heretic said to him: I saw that I swallowed a star. He said to him: You sold the Israelite man whom you kidnapped and spent the money that you received from the sale. The heretic said to him: I saw my eyes kissing one another. He said to him: You had relations with your sister as siblings are like two eyes. The heretic said to him: I saw myself kissing the moon. He said to him: You slept with an Israelite woman, who is likened to the moon. He said to him: I saw that I was treading in the shade of a myrtle tree. He said to him: You slept with a betrothed young woman, as it was customary to make a canopy of myrtle for the betrothal. He said to him: I saw that the shade was above me, and the tree was below me. He said to him: Your bed is upside-down, your relations with the betrothed woman were unnatural. He said to him: I saw ravens circling my bed. He said to him: Your wife committed adultery with many men. He said to him: I saw doves circling around my bed. He said to him: You defiled many women. He said to him: I saw that I was holding two doves and they were flying. He said to him: You married two women and dismissed them from your house without a divorce. He said to him: I saw myself peeling eggs. He said to him: You stripped dead people, because an egg is eaten at the meal of comfort after burying the dead. The same heretic said to him: Everything you have interpreted is true, with the exception of this one, the last interpretation, which is not true. Meanwhile, this woman came and said to him: This cloak that you are wearing belongs to such-and-such a man, who died and whom you stripped of his clothing. He said to Rabbi Yishmael: I saw that they said to me in a dream: Your father left you property in Cappadocia. Rabbi Yishmael said to him: Do you have property in Cappadocia? The heretic said to him: No. Did your father ever go to Cappadocia? The heretic said to him: No. Rabbi Yishmael said to him: If so, it must be understood as follows: Kappa in Greek means beam; deka means ten. Go look at the tenth beam in your house and you will find that it is full of coins. He went and found that it was full of coins. The Gemara continues dealing with interpretations of the details of dreams: Rabbi Ḥanina said: One who sees a well in a dream sees peace, as it is said: “And Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of living water” (Genesis 26:19), and ultimately there was peace. Rabbi Natan says: One who sees a well in his dream it is a symbol that he has found Torah, as the well symbolizes Torah. As it is stated with regard to the Torah: “For whoever finds me finds life” (Proverbs 8:35), and it is written here: “A well of living water,” and we see that a well is linked to Torah as both are associated with life. Rava said: The well in the dream symbolizes actual life. Rabbi Ḥanan said: There are three items seen in dreams that are indications of peace: A river, a bird and a pot. The Gemara elaborates: A river, as it is written: “I will extend peace to her like a river” (Isaiah 66:12); a bird, as it is written: “As birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem” (Isaiah 31:5); and a pot, as it is written: “Lord, You will establish [tishpot] peace for us” (Isaiah 26:12). Peace is likened to a pot which is placed [shafat] on the fire. And Rabbi Ḥanina said: We learned that a pot in a dream is a sign of peace with regard to a pot that does not have meat in it, as a pot that has meat in it symbolizes calamity, as it is stated: “Yea, they chop them in pieces, as that which is in the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron” (Micah 3:3). Since rivers, birds, and pots have ambiguous connotations, it is recommended that someone who sees them in a dream recite a verse that interprets the dream positively. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who sees something in a dream that may be interpreted ambiguously should quickly recite an appropriate verse suggestive of a positive interpretation. For example, one who sees a river in a dream should rise early and recite: “I will extend peace to her like a river,” before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “For distress will come in like a river” (Isaiah 59:19). One who sees a bird in a dream should rise early and recite: “As birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem,” before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man that wanders from his place” (Proverbs 27:8). One who sees a pot in a dream should rise early and recite: “Lord, You will establish peace for us,” before a different verse, which concludes with a wrathful prophecy, can precede it in becoming reality: “Set on the pot, set it on” (Ezekiel 24:3). Similarly, one who sees grapes in a dream should rise early and recite: “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness” (Hosea 9:10), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “Their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter” (Deuteronomy 32:32). One who sees a mountain in a dream should rise early and recite: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good tidings, that announces peace, the harbinger of good tidings, that announces salvation” (Isaiah 52:7), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing” (Jeremiah 9:9). One who sees a shofar in a dream should rise early and recite: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great shofar shall be sounded; and they shall come that were lost in the land of Assyria, and they that were dispersed in the land of Egypt” (Isaiah 27:13), before a different verse, in which the shofar is a symbol of war, can precede it in becoming reality: “Blow you the horn [shofar] in Giva” (Hosea 5:8). One who sees a dog in a dream should rise early and recite: “But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue” (Exodus 11:7), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “Yea, the dogs are greedy” (Isaiah 56:11). One who sees a lion in a dream should rise early and recite: “The lion has roared, who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations is set out, gone forth from his place” (Jeremiah 4:7). One who sees a shave in a dream should rise early and recite: “And he shaved himself, and changed his raiment” (Genesis 41:14), which was said with regard to Joseph when he left prison and rose to greatness, before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak” (Judges 16:17). One who sees a well in a dream should rise early and recite: “A well of living waters” (Song of Songs 4:15), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “As a cistern wells with her waters, so it wells in its wickedness” (Jeremiah 6:7). One who sees a reed in a dream should rise early and recite: “A bruised reed shall he not break” (Isaiah 42:3), in praise of the Messiah, before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “Now, behold, you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed” (II Kings 18:21), which is a disparaging depiction of Egypt. The Sages teach: One who sees a reed [kaneh] in a dream should expect wisdom, as it is stated: “Get [kene] wisdom” (Proverbs 4:7). One who sees several reeds [kanim] should expect understanding, as it said: “Yea, with all your acquisitions [kinyanekha] acquire understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). Rabbi Zeira said: Pumpkin [kara], heart of palm [kura], wax [kira], and reed [kanya], are all advantageous when one dreams about them. It was taught in a baraita: A pumpkin is only shown in a dream to one who fears Heaven with all his might, because pumpkins [delu’im] are interpreted as an acronym for dalu einai lamarom, “My eyes were raised on high” (Isaiah 38:14). One who sees an ox in a dream, should rise early and recite: “His firstling bullock, majesty is his” (Deuteronomy 33:17), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “And if an ox gore a man” (Exodus 21:28). The Sages taught in a baraita: Five matters are said about dreams with regard to the ox. One who dreams that he ate from its flesh will become wealthy. One who dreams that it gored him will have sons who are Torah scholars, who gore each other in an attempt to better understand Torah. One who dreams that it bit him, suffering is coming to him. One who dreams that it kicked him will be required to travel a great distance in the future. One who dreams that he was riding it, it is a sign that he will rise to greatness. The Gemara challenges: Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that one who dreams that he was riding it, it is a sign that he will die? The Gemara responds: This is not difficult. This, which taught that he will rise to greatness, refers to a case where he saw that he was riding the ox, while this, which taught that it is a sign of his imminent death, refers to a case where he saw that the ox was riding him. One who sees a donkey in a dream should anticipate salvation, as it is said: “Behold, your king comes unto you; he is triumphant, and victorious, lowly, and riding upon a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). One who sees a cat in a dream in a place where in Aramaic they call it shunra, a nice song [shira na’a] will be composed for him. If he sees a cat in a place where they call cats shinra, it is a sign that he will undergo a change for the worse [shinui ra]. One who sees grapes in a dream and they were white or light colored, regardless of whether it was in their season or not in their season, it is a good sign. One who sees black grapes in their season, it is a good omen. However, one who sees black grapes when it was not in their season, it is a bad omen. One who sees a white horse in a dream, regardless of whether the horse was walking or running, it is a good omen for him. One who sees a red horse walking, it is a good omen; running, it is a bad omen. The Gemara says: One who sees Ishmael in a dream, it is an omen that his prayer will be heard, just as Ishmael’s prayer was heard. The Gemara notes: This refers specifically to where one saw Ishmael, son of Abraham, but not if one saw a random Arab. One who sees a camel [gamal] in a dream, it is an omen that death was decreed upon him from heaven but he was spared. Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: What verse alludes to this? “I will go down with you into Egypt; and I will also surely bring you up again [gam alo]” (Genesis 46:4), the acronym for which is gamal. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: The source for this is from here, another verse: “The Lord also [gam] has put away your sin; you shall not die” (II Samuel 12:13). One who sees Pinehas in a dream, it is an omen that a miracle will be performed on his behalf, just as miracles were performed for Pinehas. One who sees an elephant [pil] in a dream it is an omen that miracles [pelaot] will be performed for him. One who sees multiple elephants in a dream, miracles upon miracles will be performed for him. The Gemara asks: Was it not taught in a baraita: All species of animals are good omens in a dream, with the exception of an elephant and a monkey? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult.

ברכות נ״ז א:א׳-כ״ב

הָא דִּמְסָרַג, הָא דְּלָא מְסָרַג. הָרוֹאֶה הוּנָא בַּחֲלוֹם — נֵס נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ. חֲנִינָא, חֲנַנְיָא, יוֹחָנָן — נִסֵּי נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ. הָרוֹאֶה הֶסְפֵּד בַּחֲלוֹם — מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם חָסוּ עָלָיו וּפְדָאוּהוּ. וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי בִּכְתָבָא. הָעוֹנֶה ״יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ״ — מוּבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. הַקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע — רָאוּי שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה עָלָיו שְׁכִינָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין דּוֹרוֹ זַכַּאי לְכָךְ. הַמַּנִּיחַ תְּפִילִּין בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לִגְדוּלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְרָאוּ כׇּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם ה׳ נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳״. וְתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַגָּדוֹל אוֹמֵר: אֵלּוּ תְּפִילִּין שֶׁבָּרֹאשׁ. הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל בַּחֲלוֹם — סִימָן יָפֶה לוֹ. וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי דְּלָא סַיֵּים. הַבָּא עַל אִמּוֹ בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לְבִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי אִם לַבִּינָה תִקְרָא״. הַבָּא עַל נַעֲרָה מְאוֹרָסָה — יְצַפֶּה לְתוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תּוֹרָה צִוָּה לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״מוֹרָשָׁה״ אֶלָּא ״מְאוֹרָשָׂה״. הַבָּא עַל אֲחוֹתוֹ בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֱמֹר לַחׇכְמָה אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ״. הַבָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ בַּחֲלוֹם — מוּבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי דְּלָא יָדַע לַהּ וְלָא הַרְהַר בַּהּ מֵאוּרְתָּא. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא: הָרוֹאֶה חִטִּים בַּחֲלוֹם — רָאָה שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַשָּׂם גְּבוּלֵךְ שָׁלוֹם חֵלֶב חִטִּים יַשְׂבִּיעֵךְ״. הָרוֹאֶה שְׂעוֹרִים בַּחֲלוֹם — סָרוּ עֲוֹנוֹתָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְסָר עֲוֹנֶךָ וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר״. אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: אֲנָא לָא סְלַקִי מִבָּבֶל לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד דַּחֲזַאי שְׂעָרֵי בְּחֶלְמָא. הָרוֹאֶה גֶּפֶן טְעוּנָה בַּחֲלוֹם — אֵין אִשְׁתּוֹ מַפֶּלֶת נְפָלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה״. שׂוֹרֵקָה — יְצַפֶּה לַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן עִירֹה וְלַשֹּׂרֵקָה בְּנִי אֲתֹנוֹ״. הָרוֹאָה תְּאֵנָה בַּחֲלוֹם — תּוֹרָתוֹ מִשְׁתַּמֶּרֶת בְּקִרְבּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נוֹצֵר תְּאֵנָה יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ״. הָרוֹאֶה רִמּוֹנִים בַּחֲלוֹם, זוּטְרֵי — פָּרֵי עִסְקֵיהּ כְּרִמּוֹנָא, רַבְרְבֵי — רָבֵי עִסְקֵיהּ כְּרִמּוֹנָא. פַּלְגֵי, אִם תַּלְמִיד חָכָם הוּא — יְצַפֶּה לְתוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַשְׁקְךָ מִיַּיִן הָרֶקַח מֵעֲסִיס רִמֹּנִי״. וְאִם עַם הָאָרֶץ הוּא — יְצַפֶּה לְמִצְוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כְּפֶלַח הָרִמּוֹן רַקָּתֵךְ״. מַאי רַקָּתֵךְ — אֲפִילּוּ רֵיקָנִין שֶׁבָּךְ, מְלֵאִים מִצְוֹת כְּרִמּוֹן. הָרוֹאֶה זֵיתִים בַּחֲלוֹם, זוּטְרֵי — פָּרֵי וְרָבֵי וְקָאֵי עִסְקֵיהּ כְּזֵיתִים. וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי פֵּרֵי, אֲבָל אִילָנֵי — הָוְיִין לֵיהּ בָּנִים מְרוּבִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִלֵי זֵיתִים וְגוֹ׳״. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי הָרוֹאֶה זַיִת בַּחֲלוֹם — שֵׁם טוֹב יוֹצֵא לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״זַיִת רַעֲנָן יְפֵה פְרִי תֹאַר קָרָא ה׳ שְׁמֵךְ״. הָרוֹאֶה שֶׁמֶן זַיִת בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לִמְאוֹר תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ״. הָרוֹאֶה תְּמָרִים בַּחֲלוֹם — תַּמּוּ עֲוֹנוֹתָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תַּם עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת צִיּוֹן״. אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף, הָרוֹאֶה עֵז בַּחֲלוֹם — שָׁנָה מִתְבָּרֶכֶת לוֹ, עִזִּים — שָׁנִים מִתְבָּרְכוֹת לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְדֵי חֲלֵב עִזִּים לְלַחְמְךָ״. הָרוֹאֶה הֲדַס בַּחֲלוֹם — נְכָסָיו מַצְלִיחִין לוֹ. וְאִם אֵין לוֹ נְכָסִים — יְרוּשָּׁה נוֹפֶלֶת לוֹ מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר. אָמַר עוּלָּא, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: וְהוּא דַּחֲזָא בְּכַנַּיְיהוּ. הָרוֹאֶה אֶתְרוֹג בַּחֲלוֹם — הָדוּר הוּא לִפְנֵי קוֹנוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים״. הָרוֹאֶה לוּלָב בַּחֲלוֹם — אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא לֵב אֶחָד לְאָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. הָרוֹאֶה אַוּוֹז בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״חׇכְמוֹת בַּחוּץ תָּרֹנָּה״. וְהַבָּא עָלֶיהָ הָוֵי רֹאשׁ יְשִׁיבָה. אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: אֲנִי רְאִיתִיהָ, וּבָאתִי עָלֶיהָ, וּסְלֵקִית לִגְדוּלָּה. הָרוֹאֶה תַּרְנְגוֹל בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לְבֵן זָכָר. תַּרְנְגוֹלִים — יְצַפֶּה לְבָנִים זְכָרִים. תַּרְנְגוֹלֶת — יְצַפֶּה לְתַרְבִּיצָה נָאָה וְגִילָה. הָרוֹאֶה בֵּיצִים בַּחֲלוֹם — תְּלוּיָה בַּקָּשָׁתוֹ. נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ — נַעֲשֵׂית בַּקָּשָׁתוֹ. וְכֵן אֱגוֹזִים, וְכֵן קִשּׁוּאִים, וְכֵן כׇּל כְּלֵי זְכוּכִית, וְכֵן כׇּל הַנִּשְׁבָּרִים כָּאֵלּוּ. הַנִּכְנָס לַכְּרַךְ — נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ חֲפָצָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּנְחֵם אֶל מְחוֹז חֶפְצָם״. הַמְגַלֵּחַ רֹאשׁוֹ בַּחֲלוֹם — סִימָן יָפֶה לוֹ. רֹאשׁוֹ וּזְקָנוֹ — לוֹ וּלְכׇל מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ. הַיּוֹשֵׁב בַּעֲרֵיבָה קְטַנָּה — שֵׁם טוֹב יוֹצֵא לוֹ. בַּעֲרֵיבָה גְּדוֹלָה — לוֹ וּלְכׇל מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ. וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי דְּמִדַּלְיָה דַּלּוֹיֵי. הַנִּפְנֶה בַּחֲלוֹם — סִימָן יָפֶה לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִהַר צֹעֶה לְהִפָּתֵחַ״. וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי דְּלָא קַנַּח. הָעוֹלֶה לַגַּג בַּחֲלוֹם — עוֹלֶה לִגְדוּלָּה. יָרַד — יוֹרֵד מִגְּדוּלָּתוֹ. אַבָּיֵי וְרָבָא דְּאָמְרִי תַּרְוַויְיהוּ: כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלָה — עָלָה. הַקּוֹרֵעַ בְּגָדָיו בַּחֲלוֹם — קוֹרְעִים לוֹ גְּזַר דִּינוֹ. הָעוֹמֵד עָרוֹם בַּחֲלוֹם, בְּבָבֶל — עוֹמֵד בְּלֹא חֵטְא. בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל — עָרוֹם בְּלֹא מִצְוֹת. הַנִּתְפָּס לְסַרְדְּיוֹט — שְׁמִירָה נַעֲשֵׂית לוֹ. נְתָנוּהוּ בְּקוֹלָר — הוֹסִיפוּ לוֹ שְׁמִירָה עַל שְׁמִירָתוֹ. וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי בְּקוֹלָר, אֲבָל חַבְלָא בְּעָלְמָא — לָא. הַנִּכְנָס לַאֲגַם בַּחֲלוֹם — נַעֲשֶׂה רֹאשׁ יְשִׁיבָה. לְיַעַר — נַעֲשֶׂה רֹאשׁ לִבְנֵי כַלָּה. רַב פָּפָּא וְרַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ חֲזוֹ חֶלְמָא: רַב פָּפָּא דְּעָיֵיל לְאַגְמָא — נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁ יְשִׁיבָה. רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּעָיֵיל לְיַעַר — נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁ לִבְנֵי כַּלָּה. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי תַּרְוַויְיהוּ לְאַגְמָא עָיְילִי, אֶלָּא רַב פָּפָּא דִּתְלֵי טַבְלָא — נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁ יְשִׁיבָה, רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּלָא תְּלֵי טַבְלָא — נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁ לִבְנֵי כַּלָּה. אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: אֲנָא עֲיַילִית לְאַגְמָא וּתְלַאי טַבְלָא וְנַבַּחִי בַּהּ נַבּוֹחֵי. תָּנֵי תַּנָּא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: הַמַּקִּיז דָּם בַּחֲלוֹם — עֲוֹנוֹתָיו מְחוּלֵין לוֹ. וְהָתַנְיָא: עֲוֹנוֹתָיו סְדוּרִין לוֹ! מַאי סְדוּרִין — סְדוּרִין לִימָּחֵל. תָּנֵי תַּנָּא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב שֵׁשֶׁת: הָרוֹאֶה נָחָשׁ בַּחֲלוֹם פַּרְנָסָתוֹ מְזוּמֶּנֶת לוֹ. נְשָׁכוֹ — נִכְפְּלָה לוֹ. הֲרָגוֹ — אָבְדָה פַּרְנָסָתוֹ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁנִּכְפְּלָה פַּרְנָסָתוֹ. וְלָא הִיא, רַב שֵׁשֶׁת הוּא דַּחֲזָא חִוְיָא בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ וְקַטְלֵיהּ. תָּנֵי תַּנָּא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל מִינֵי מַשְׁקִין יָפִין לַחֲלוֹם חוּץ מִן הַיַּיִן, יֵשׁ שׁוֹתֵהוּ וְטוֹב לוֹ, וְיֵשׁ שׁוֹתֵהוּ וְרַע לוֹ. יֵשׁ שׁוֹתֵהוּ וְטוֹב לוֹ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח לְבַב אֱנוֹשׁ״, וְיֵשׁ שׁוֹתֵהוּ וְרַע לוֹ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תְּנוּ שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד וְיַיִן לְמָרֵי נָפֶשׁ״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לְתַנָּא: תְּנִי: תַּלְמִיד חָכָם לְעוֹלָם טוֹב לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְלַחֲמִי וּשְׁתוּ בְּיַיִן מָסָכְתִּי״.

Berakhot 57a:1-22

This opinion, that seeing an elephant is a good omen, refers to a case where one saw it saddled, while this opinion, that it is a bad omen, refers to a case where the elephant is not saddled. One who sees a man named Huna in a dream, it is a sign that a miracle will be performed for him, because the letter nun in the name Huna represents the word nes, miracle. One who sees a man named Ḥanina, Ḥananya, or Yoḥanan, it is a sign that many miracles will be performed for him, since the letter nun appears twice in those names. One who sees a eulogy in a dream, it is a sign that the heavens had mercy upon him, and spared him from a divine death sentence and there will be no need to eulogize him in reality. The Gemara restricts this statement and says that this only applies if he saw the eulogy written and not yet delivered. One who answers in a dream: May His great name be blessed from kaddish is assured that he is one who has a place in the World-to-Come. One who sees himself reciting Shema in a dream is worthy of having the Divine Presence rest upon him, but his generation is unworthy, and, therefore, the Divine Presence does not actually rest upon him. One who sees himself don phylacteries in a dream should anticipate greatness, as it is stated: “And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon you; and they shall be afraid of you” (Deuteronomy 28:10). And it was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer the Great says: That the Name of the Lord is called upon you, refers to phylacteries of the head, as they represent God’s name upon man. One who sees himself pray in a dream, it is an auspicious omen. However, the Gemara adds a caveat and says: This only applies in a case where he saw in the dream that he had not yet finished his prayer and is therefore still close to God. If, in the dream, he had already finished his prayer, it is not an omen. One who sees that he had relations with his mother [em] in a dream, he should anticipate attaining understanding, as it is stated: “Yea if [im] you call for understanding” (Proverbs 2:3), and in this homiletic interpretation im is considered to be the equivalent of em. One who sees that he had relations with a betrothed young woman in a dream, he should anticipate Torah, as it is stated: “Moses commanded us Torah, an inheritance [morasha] of the congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:4). Do not read it as morasha; rather, read it as me’orasa, betrothed. One who sees that he had relations with his sister in a dream, should anticipate wisdom, as it is stated: “Say unto wisdom: You are my sister” (Proverbs 7:4). One who sees that he had relations with a married woman in a dream is assured that he is one who has a place in the World-to-Come. He receives his place as well as that of another person in the Garden of Eden, as the married woman represents a portion belonging to someone else. However, the Gemara adds a caveat and says: This only applies in a case where he did not know her and was not thinking about her that evening; rather, he saw an unidentified woman in his dream by chance. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: One who sees wheat in a dream has seen peace, as it is stated: “He makes your borders peace; He gives you in plenty the fat of wheat” (Psalms 147:14). And one who sees barley [se’orim] in a dream has received a sign that his iniquities are taken away, as it is stated: “And your iniquity is taken away [vesar avonekh], and your sin expiated” (Isaiah 6:7); se’orim is an acronym for sar avon. Rabbi Zeira said: I did not ascend from Babylonia to Eretz Yisrael until I saw barley in my dream. One who sees a vine laden with grapes in a dream, it is an omen that his wife will not miscarry, as it is stated: “Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine, in the innermost parts of your house” (Psalms 128:3). One who sees a planted vine branch in a dream should anticipate the Messiah, as it is stated: “Binding his foal unto the vine and his donkey’s colt unto the vine branch” (Genesis 49:11). One who sees a fig tree in a dream, it is a sign that his Torah is preserved within him, as it is stated: “One who keeps the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof” (Proverbs 27:18). One who sees pomegranates in a dream, if they were small, his business will flourish like the seeds of the pomegranate, which are numerous; and if they were large, his business will increase like a pomegranate. One who saw slices of pomegranates in his dream, if he is a Torah scholar, he should anticipate Torah, as it is stated: “I would cause you to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate” (Song of Songs 8:2), which is traditionally understood as an allusion to Torah. And if the dreamer is an ignoramus, he should anticipate mitzvot, as it is stated: “Your temples are like a split pomegranate” (Song of Songs 4:3). As the Gemara previously interpreted homiletically: What is the meaning of the word “Your temples [rakatekh]”? Even the most ignorant [reikanin] among you, Israel, are full of mitzvot like a pomegranate. One who sees olives in a dream, and they were small, it is a sign that his business will flourish, increase and be durable like olives. However, the Gemara adds a caveat, saying that this applies only when he sees the fruit of an olive tree; but, one who sees olive trees, it is a sign that he will have many children, as it is stated: “Your children like olive plants, round about your table” (Psalms 128:3). Some say that one who sees an olive tree in a dream, it is a sign that a good reputation will spread for him, as it is stated: “The Lord called your name a leafy olive tree, fair with goodly fruit” (Jeremiah 11:16). One who sees olive oil in a dream should anticipate the light of Torah, as it is stated: “That they bring unto you pure olive oil beaten for the light” (Exodus 27:20). One who sees palm trees [temarim] in a dream has seen a sign that his transgressions have ceased, as it is stated: “Your iniquity is finished, O daughter of Zion” (Lamentations 4:22), as the Gemara likens temara, date, to tam ra, evil has ceased. Rav Yosef says: One who sees a goat in a dream, it is a sign that his year will be blessed; one who sees goats, his years will be blessed, as it is stated: “And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food, for the food of your household; and sustenance for your maidens” (Proverbs 27:27). One who sees myrtle in a dream, it is a sign that his property will be successful. And if he does not own property, it is a sign that he will receive an inheritance. Ulla said, and some say it was taught in a baraita: This applies exclusively to a case where he saw them on their stem. One who sees a citron [etrog] in a dream has seen a sign that he is honored [hadur] before his Creator, as it is stated with regard to the citron: “The fruit of goodly trees [hadar], branches of palm trees” (Leviticus 23:40). One who sees a palm branch [lulav] in a dream, it is a sign that he has but one heart for his Father in heaven. Lulav is interpreted homiletically as lo lev, he has a heart. One who sees a goose in a dream should anticipate wisdom, as it is stated: “Wisdoms cry aloud in the streets, she utters her voice in the broad places” (Proverbs 1:20); geese tend to sound their voices. One who dreams that he has relations with the goose will become head of the yeshiva. Rav Ashi said: I saw a goose and had relations with it in my dream and I ascended to greatness and became head of the yeshiva. One who sees a rooster in a dream should anticipate a male child. One who sees multiple roosters should expect male children. One who sees a hen [tarnegolet] should anticipate a beautiful garden and reason to rejoice [tarbitza na’a vegila], as tarnegolet is interpreted as an acronym for tarbitza na’a vegila. One who sees eggs in a dream, it is a sign that his request is pending, as egg in Aramaic is beya, which is similar to the term for request. If one saw that the eggs broke, it is a sign that his request has already been granted, as that which was hidden inside the shell was revealed. The same is true of nuts, and the same is true of cucumbers, and the same is true of all glass vessels, and the same is true of anything similarly fragile that broke in his dream, it is a sign that his request was granted. One who dreams that he entered a city, it is a sign that his desires will be fulfilled, as it is stated: “And He led them unto their desired haven” (Psalms 107:30). One who shaves his head in a dream, it is a good omen for him, as the removal of undesired hairs is a sign of renewal and greatness. If he shaved his head and his beard in a dream, it is a good omen for him and his entire family. One who sits in a small boat in a dream, it is a sign that a good reputation will spread for him. If he sees himself sitting in a large boat in a dream, a good reputation will spread for him and his entire family. The Gemara notes that this only applies where the boat was floating high on the waves. One who defecates in a dream, it is a good omen for him, as it is stated: “He that is bent down shall speedily be loosed; and he shall not go down dying into the pit, neither shall his bread fail” (Isaiah 51:14). The Gemara notes that this only applies where he does not wipe and get his hands dirty. One who climbs up to the roof in a dream, it is a sign that he will ascend to greatness. If, after he climbed up, he climbed back down, it is a sign that he will descend from the greatness he achieved. Abaye and Rava both said: Once one ascended to the roof in his dream, he ascended, and even if he dreams that he descended, it remains a good omen for him. One who rips his clothing in a dream, it is a sign that they rip up his sentence. One who stands naked in Babylonia in a dream, it is a sign that he stands free of transgression. Although living outside Israel is itself a transgression, his nakedness symbolizes that he has been absolved of that sin. If one dreamed that he stood naked in Eretz Yisrael, it is a sign that he is naked without mitzvot. One who dreams that he was apprehended and guarded by a soldier [sardeyot], it is a sign that protection was provided him by heaven. If he sees that he is wearing a neck chain [kolar], it is a sign that they have increased his level of protection. However, the Gemara notes that this only applies to a case where his neck was placed in a neck chain; if his neck was simply placed in a noose, it does not indicate heavenly protection. One who enters a marsh in a dream, it is a sign that he will become head of a yeshiva, as he appears to be standing alone with all the bulrushes, large and small, surrounding him like the head of a yeshiva, around whom all the students gather. One who dreams that he entered a forest and sees only large trees around him, it is a sign that he will be made head of only the advanced students [kalla], where he will explain the lessons only to the outstanding students in the yeshiva, each of whom is himself a great tree, set apart from the others. The Gemara relates: Rav Pappa and Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, each saw a dream: Rav Pappa, who saw that he entered a marsh in his dream, was appointed head of a yeshiva. Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, who saw that he entered a forest in his dream, was appointed head of the advanced students. Some say that both of them dreamed that they entered a marsh, but Rav Pappa, who dreamed that a drum hung from his neck, was appointed head of the yeshiva, as banging a drum symbolizes the head of a yeshiva who sounds his voice in public. Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, who did not dream that a drum hung around his neck, was only appointed head of the advanced students. Rav Ashi said: I dreamed that I entered a marsh and hung a drum and beat it, and Rav Ashi became head of the yeshiva. The tanna who recited mishnayot before Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak taught: One who lets blood in a dream, it is a sign that his transgressions have been forgiven, because red, the color of blood, is a metaphor for sin: “Though your sins be as scarlet…though they be red like crimson” (Isaiah 1:18). Consequently, bloodletting can symbolize transgressions leaving him. The Gemara asks: Was it not taught in a baraita: One who sees that he is letting-blood in a dream, it is a sign that his transgressions are enumerated before him? The Gemara answers: What is meant by enumerated? This means that they are enumerated to be forgiven. The tanna who recited mishnayot before Rav Sheshet taught: One who sees a snake in a dream, it is a sign that his livelihood is accessible to him just as dust is readily accessible to a snake. If one saw that the snake bit him in his dream, it is a sign that his livelihood will double. If he killed the snake, it is a sign that he will lose his livelihood. Rav Sheshet said to the tanna: On the contrary, if one dreamed that he killed the snake it is a sign that all the more so his livelihood will double. The Gemara remarks: But that is not so. Rav Sheshet saw a snake in his dream and killed it, so he sought to interpret his dream positively. The tanna who recited mishnayot before Rabbi Yoḥanan taught: One who sees any kind of drink in a dream it is a good omen, except for wine, as there is one who drinks it in a dream and it is a good omen for him, and there is one who drinks it in a dream and it is a bad omen for him. The Gemara elaborates: There is one who drinks wine and it is a good omen for him, as it is stated: “And wine that makes glad the heart of man” (Psalms 104:15), and there is one who drinks it in a dream and it is a bad omen for him, as it is stated: “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto the bitter in soul” (Proverbs 31:6). Rabbi Yoḥanan said to the tanna: You should teach that for a Torah scholar, a dream of wine is always a good omen, as it is stated: “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled” (Proverbs 9:5).

ברכות נ״ז ב:א׳-כ״ב

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הִשְׁכִּים וְנָפַל פָּסוּק לְתוֹךְ פִּיו — הֲרֵי זֶה נְבוּאָה קְטַנָּה. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן, שְׁלֹשָׁה מְלָכִים הֵם: הָרוֹאֶה דָּוִד בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לַחֲסִידוּת. שְׁלֹמֹה — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה. אַחְאָב — יִדְאַג מִן הַפּוּרְעָנוּת. שְׁלֹשָׁה נְבִיאִים הֵם: הָרוֹאֶה סֵפֶר מְלָכִים — יְצַפֶּה לִגְדוּלָּה. יְחֶזְקֵאל — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה. יְשַׁעְיָה — יְצַפֶּה לְנֶחָמָה. יִרְמְיָה — יִדְאַג מִן הַפּוּרְעָנוּת. שְׁלֹשָׁה כְּתוּבִים גְּדוֹלִים הֵם: הָרוֹאֶה סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים — יְצַפֶּה לַחֲסִידוּת, מִשְׁלֵי — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה, אִיּוֹב — יִדְאַג מִן הַפּוּרְעָנוּת. שְׁלֹשָׁה כְּתוּבִים קְטַנִּים הֵם: הָרוֹאֶה שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לַחֲסִידוּת. קֹהֶלֶת — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה. קִינוֹת — יִדְאַג מִן הַפּוּרְעָנוּת. הָרוֹאֶה מְגִלַּת אֶסְתֵּר — נֵס נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ. שְׁלֹשָׁה חֲכָמִים הֵם: הָרוֹאֶה רַבִּי בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה — יְצַפֶּה לַעֲשִׁירוּת. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן אֱלִישָׁע — יִדְאַג מִן הַפּוּרְעָנוּת. שְׁלֹשָׁה תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים הֵם: הָרוֹאֶה בֶּן עַזַּאי בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לַחֲסִידוּת. בֶּן זוֹמָא — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה. אַחֵר — יִדְאַג מִן הַפּוּרְעָנוּת. כׇּל מִינֵי חַיּוֹת יָפוֹת לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מִן הַפִּיל וְהַקּוֹף וְהַקִּפּוֹד. וְהָאָמַר מָר, הָרוֹאֶה פִּיל בַּחֲלוֹם פֶּלֶא נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ! לָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא דִּמְסָרַג, הָא דְּלָא מְסָרַג. כׇּל מִינֵי מַתֶּכֶת יָפִין לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מִמָּר, פְּסָל, וְקַרְדּוֹם. וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי דַּחֲזַנְהוּ בְּקַתַּיְיהוּ. כׇּל מִינֵי פֵּירוֹת יָפִין לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מִפַּגֵּי תְמָרָה. כׇּל מִינֵי יְרָקוֹת יָפִין לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מֵרָאשֵׁי לְפָתוֹת. וְהָאָמַר רַב: לָא אִיעַתַּרִי עַד דַּחֲזַאי רָאשַׁי לְפָתוֹת! כִּי חֲזָא — בְּכַנַּיְיהוּ חֲזָא. כׇּל מִינֵי צִבְעוֹנִין יָפִין לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מִן הַתְּכֵלֶת. כׇּל מִינֵי עוֹפוֹת יָפִין לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מִן קַרְיָא וְקִפּוֹפָא וְקוּרְפְּרַאי. (הַגּוּף, הַגּוּף, מֵעֵין, מְשִׁיבִין, וּמַרְחִיבִין, סִימָן). שְׁלֹשָׁה נִכְנָסִין לַגּוּף, וְאֵין הַגּוּף נֶהֱנֶה מֵהֶן: גּוּדְגְּדָנִיּוֹת, וְכַפְנִיּוֹת, וּפַגֵּי תְמָרָה. שְׁלֹשָׁה אֵין נִכְנָסִין לַגּוּף, וְהַגּוּף נֶהֱנֶה מֵהֶן, אֵלּוּ הֵן: רְחִיצָה, וְסִיכָה, וְתַשְׁמִישׁ. שְׁלֹשָׁה מֵעֵין הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אֵלּוּ הֵן: שַׁבָּת, שֶׁמֶשׁ, וְתַשְׁמִישׁ. תַּשְׁמִישׁ דְּמַאי? אִילֵּימָא תַּשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה — הָא מִכְחָשׁ כָּחֵישׁ! אֶלָּא תַּשְׁמִישׁ נְקָבִים. שְׁלֹשָׁה מְשִׁיבִין דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, אֵלּוּ הֵן: קוֹל, וּמַרְאֶה, וָרֵיחַ. שְׁלֹשָׁה מַרְחִיבִין דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, אֵלּוּ הֵן: דִּירָה נָאָה, וְאִשָּׁה נָאָה, וְכֵלִים נָאִים. חֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁשָּׁה וַעֲשָׂרָה סִימָן: חֲמִשָּׁה אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים, אֵלּוּ הֵן: אֵשׁ, דְּבַשׁ, וְשַׁבָּת, וְשֵׁינָה, וַחֲלוֹם. אֵשׁ — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לְגֵיהִנָּם. דְּבַשׁ — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לַמָּן. שַׁבָּת — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. שֵׁינָה — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לַמִּיתָה. חֲלוֹם — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לַנְּבוּאָה שִׁשָּׁה דְּבָרִים סִימָן יָפֶה לַחוֹלֶה, אֵלּוּ הֵן: עִטּוּשׁ, זֵיעָה, שִׁלְשׁוּל, קֶרִי, וְשֵׁינָה, וַחֲלוֹם. עִטּוּשׁ — דִּכְתִיב: ״עֲטִישׁוֹתָיו תָּהֵל אוֹר״. זֵיעָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם״. שִׁלְשׁוּל — דִּכְתִיב: ״מִהַר צֹעֶה לְהִפָּתֵחַ וְלֹא יָמוּת לַשַּׁחַת״. קֶרִי — דִּכְתִיב: ״יִרְאֶה זֶרַע יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים״. שֵׁינָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״יָשַׁנְתִּי אָז יָנוּחַ לִי״. חֲלוֹם — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְתַחֲלִימֵנִי וְהַחֲיֵנִי״. שִׁשָּׁה דְּבָרִים מְרַפְּאִין אֶת הַחוֹלֶה מֵחׇלְיוֹ וּרְפוּאָתוֹ רְפוּאָה, אֵלּוּ הֵן: כְּרוּב, וּתְרָדִין, וְסִיסִין יְבֵשִׁין, וְקֵיבָה, וְהֶרֶת, וְיוֹתֶרֶת הַכָּבֵד. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אַף דָּגִים קְטַנִּים. וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁדָּגִים קְטַנִּים מַפְרִין וּמַבְרִין כׇּל גּוּפוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם. עֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים מַחֲזִירִין אֶת הַחוֹלֶה לְחׇלְיוֹ, וְחׇלְיוֹ קָשֶׁה, אֵלּוּ הֵן: הָאוֹכֵל בְּשַׂר שׁוֹר, בָּשָׂר שָׁמֵן, בְּשַׂר צָלִי, בְּשַׂר צִפֳּרִים, וּבֵיצָה צְלוּיָה, וְתִגְלַחַת, וְשַׁחֲלַיִם, וְהֶחָלָב, וְהַגְּבִינָה וְהַמֶּרְחָץ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַף אֱגוֹזִים. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַף קִשּׁוּאִים. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָן קִשּׁוּאִים — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן קָשִׁין לַגּוּף כַּחֲרָבוֹת. אִינִי, וְהָכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ לָהּ שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ״: אַל תִּקְרֵי ״גּוֹיִם״ אֶלָּא ״גֵּיִים״, וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אֵלּוּ אַנְטוֹנִינוּס וְרַבִּי, שֶׁלֹּא פָּסַק מִשֻּׁלְחָנָם לֹא צְנוֹן וְלֹא חֲזֶרֶת וְלֹא קִשּׁוּאִין, לֹא בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְלֹא בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים. לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא בְּרַבְרְבֵי, הָא בְּזוּטְרֵי. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מֵת בַּבַּיִת — שָׁלוֹם בַּבַּיִת. אָכַל וְשָׁתָה בַּבַּיִת — סִימָן יָפֶה לַבַּיִת. נָטַל כֵּלִים מִן הַבַּיִת — סִימָן רַע לַבַּיִת. תַּרְגְּמַהּ רַב פָּפָּא בִּמְסָאנָא וְסַנְדָּלָא. כֹּל דְּשָׁקֵיל שָׁכְבָא — מְעַלֵּי, בַּר מִמְּסָאנָא וְסַנְדָּלָא. כׇּל דְּיָהֵיב שָׁכְבָא — מְעַלֵּי, בַּר מֵעַפְרָא וְחַרְדְּלָא. מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּעֶקְרָה מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה מַרְקוּלִיס, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁנָּתַן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם לְעוֹבְרֵי רְצוֹנוֹ״. מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּעֶקְרָה מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁעָקַר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מֵאַרְצֵנוּ. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁנֶּעֶקְרָה מִמָּקוֹם זֶה כֵּן תֵּעָקֵר מִכׇּל מְקוֹמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהָשֵׁב לֵב עוֹבְדֵיהֶם לְעׇבְדֶךָ״. וּבְחוּץ לָאָרֶץ אֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר ״וְהָשֵׁב לֵב עוֹבְדֵיהֶם לְעׇבְדֶךָ״ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁרוּבָּהּ גּוֹיִים. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: אַף בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר כֵּן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעֲתִידִים לְהִתְגַּיֵּיר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָז אֶהְפֹּךְ אֶל עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה״. דָּרַשׁ רַב הַמְנוּנָא: הָרוֹאֶה בָּבֶל הָרְשָׁעָה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ חָמֵשׁ בְּרָכוֹת. רָאָה בָּבֶל, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁהֶחֱרִיב בָּבֶל הָרְשָׁעָה״. רָאָה בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁהֶחֱרִיב בֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הָרָשָׁע״. רָאָה גּוֹב שֶׁל אֲרָיוֹת אוֹ כִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה״. רָאָה מַרְקוּלִיס, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁנָּתַן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם לְעוֹבְרֵי רְצוֹנוֹ״. רָאָה מָקוֹם שֶׁנּוֹטְלִין מִמֶּנּוּ עָפָר, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … אוֹמֵר וְעוֹשֶׂה גּוֹזֵר וּמְקַיֵּים״. רָבָא כִּי הֲוָה חָזֵי חֲמָרֵי דְּשָׁקְלִי עַפְרָא, טָרֵיף לְהוּ יְדָא עַל גַּבַּיְיהוּ, וְאָמַר: רְהוּטוּ צַדִּיקֵי לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתָא דְמָרַיְיכוּ. מָר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבִינָא כִּי הֲוָה מָטֵי לְבָבֶל הֲוָה שָׁקֵיל עַפְרָא בְּסוּדָרֵיהּ וְשָׁדֵי לְבַרָּא, לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְטֵאטֵאתִיהָ בְּמַטְאֲטֵא הַשְׁמֵד״. אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: אֲנָא, הָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא לָא שְׁמִיעַ לִי, אֶלָּא מִדַּעְתַּאי בָּרֵיכְתִּינְהוּ לְכוּלְּהוּ.

Berakhot 57b:1-22

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One who awakened in the morning and a verse immediately falls into his mouth, it is a minor prophecy. The Sages taught: There are three kings whose appearance in a dream is significant. One who sees David in a dream should expect piety; one who sees Solomon should expect wisdom; and one who sees Ahab should be concerned about calamity. There are also three books of Prophets whose appearance in a dream is meaningful: One who sees the book of Kings should anticipate greatness, royalty; one who sees the book of Ezekiel should anticipate wisdom, as the configuration of the Divine Chariot is described therein; one who sees the book of Isaiah should anticipate consolation; and one who sees the book of Jeremiah should be concerned about calamity, because Jeremiah prophesied extensively of impending calamity. Similarly, there are three great books of Writings whose appearance in a dream has particular significance: One who sees the book of Psalms should anticipate piety; one who sees the book of Proverbs should anticipate wisdom; one who sees the book of Job should be concerned about calamity. There are also three minor books of Writings whose appearance in a dream is significant: One who sees Song of Songs in a dream should anticipate piety, as it describes God’s love for Israel; one who sees Ecclesiastes should anticipate wisdom; one who sees Lamentations should be concerned about calamity; and one who sees the scroll of Esther, it is a sign that a miracle will be performed on his behalf. There are three Sages whose appearance in a dream is significant: One who sees Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi in a dream should anticipate wisdom; one who sees Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya should anticipate wealth, as he was particularly wealthy; and one who sees Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha should be concerned about calamity, as he was one of the ten martyrs executed by the Romans. There are three Torah scholars who, despite their greatness in Torah, were never given the title Rabbi, and whose appearance in a dream is significant: One who sees Ben Azzai in a dream should anticipate piety; one who sees Ben Zoma should anticipate wisdom; and one who sees Aḥer, Elisha ben Avuya, should be concerned about calamity, as he strayed from the path of righteousness. The Gemara says: All types of animals are auspicious signs for a dream except for an elephant, a monkey and a long-tailed ape. The Gemara asks: Didn’t the Master say: A miracle will be performed for one who sees an elephant in a dream? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This statement that a vision of an elephant is a good omen refers to a case where it is saddled, while this statement that it is not a good omen refers to a case where it is not saddled. Similarly, the Gemara says: All types of metal utensils are auspicious signs for a dream, except for a hoe, a chisel, and an axe, as these are instruments of destruction. The Gemara notes that this applies specifically when they are seen on their handles. On a similar note, the Gemara says: All kinds of fruit are auspicious signs for a dream except for unripe dates. All kinds of vegetables are auspicious signs for a dream except for turnip heads. The Gemara challenges: Didn’t Rav say: I did not become wealthy until I saw turnip heads in my dream? Apparently turnip heads are a good omen. The Gemara responds: When Rav saw them, he saw them on their stems; if one sees turnip heads already picked, it is a bad omen. Similarly, all kinds of colors are auspicious signs for a dream, except for sky-blue [tekhelet]. All kinds of birds are auspicious signs in a dream except for an eagle-owl, and an owl, and a kurferai, all of which are nocturnal and have strange and frightening appearances. The words: The body, the body, microcosm, ease, and comfort are mnemonics for matters that the Gemara will discuss, each of which represents a list with shared qualities, similar to the lists cited above. The Gemara says: Three food items enter the body yet the body does not benefit from them: Cherries, bad dates, and unripe dates. In contrast: Three matters do not enter the body yet the body benefits from them, and they are: Washing, anointing, and usage [tashmish], commonly used as a euphemism for conjugal relations. Three matters are microcosms of the World-to-Come, and they are: Sabbath, the sun and usage. The Gemara asks: Usage of what benefits the body and is a microcosm of the World-to-Come? If you say that it refers to conjugal relations, doesn’t that weaken the body? Rather, it refers to usage of his orifices, relieving oneself. Three matters ease one’s mind, and they are: Voice, sight, and smell, when they are pleasant and aesthetic. Three matters give a person comfort, and they are: A beautiful abode, a beautiful wife, and beautiful vessels. The numbers five, six, and ten are mnemonics for the categories to follow. The Gemara says: There are five matters in our world which are one-sixtieth of their most extreme manifestations. They are: Fire, honey, Shabbat, sleep, and a dream. The Gemara elaborates: Our fire is one-sixtieth of the fire of Gehenna; honey is one-sixtieth of manna; Shabbat is one-sixtieth of the World-to-Come; sleep is one-sixtieth of death; and a dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy. Similarly: Six matters are good omens for the sick: Sneezing, sweating, diarrhea, a seminal emission, sleep, and a dream. These are all alluded to in Scripture: Sneezing, as it is written: “His sneezes flash forth light” (Job 41:10), indicating that by means of a sneeze one comes to see the light of the world. Sweat, as it is written: “In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Diarrhea, as it is written: “He that is bent down shall speedily be loosed; and he shall not go down dying into the pit” (Isaiah 51:14). A seminal emission, as it is written: “That he might see his seed, prolong his days” (Isaiah 53:10). Sleep, as it is written: “I should have slept; then had I been at rest” (Job 3:13). A dream, as it is written: “Wherefore You recover me [vataḥalimeni], and make me to live” (Isaiah 38:16); vataḥalimeni is interpreted as etymologically similar to ḥalom, dream. Similarly: Six matters cure a sick person from his illness, and their cure is an effective cure. They are: Cabbage, beets, dried foley, a medicinal plant, the stomach, the placenta, and the diaphragm of an animal. Some say that small fish also possess these qualities. Furthermore, small fish cause one’s entire body to flourish and become healthy. In contrast, there are ten matters that cause a sick person who has recovered to suffer a relapse of his illness, and his illness is even more severe, and they are: Eating ox meat, eating fatty meat in general, eating roasted meat, eating poultry, eating a roasted egg, shaving, eating cress, drinking milk, eating cheese, and bathing in a bathhouse. And some say eating nuts, and some say even eating cucumbers. It was taught in the school of Rabbi Yishmael: Why are they called cucumbers [kishu’im]? Because they are as harmful [kashim] to the body as swords. The Gemara asks: Is that really so? Is it not written: “And the Lord said unto her: Two nations [goyim] are in your womb” (Genesis 25:23) and the Gemara says: Do not read it as goyim, rather read it as gayim, proud ones. And Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: This verse was fulfilled in these two great individuals who descended from Rebecca: Antoninus and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, whose tables, because of their wealth, never lacked for radish, lettuce or cucumbers, neither in summer nor in the rainy season. Apparently, cucumbers are good and are even a delicacy of kings. The Gemara resolves: This is not difficult. This that says they are harmful to the body refers to large ones, while this that says they were always served on the table of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Antoninus refers to small ones. With regard to dreams, the Sages taught: One who dreams that he sees a corpse in his house, it is a sign of peace in his house. If the corpse ate and drank in the house, it is good omen for the house. If the corpse removed vessels from the house, it is a bad omen for the house, as it suggests that the corpse is taking someone from the house with him. Rav Pappa explained this only if the dream was with regard to a shoe and a sandal, as that indicates that someone from the house is going to embark on a long journey. As the Sages said: Everything that a corpse takes in a dream is a good omen except a shoe and a sandal; everything that a corpse gives in a dream is a good omen except dust and mustard, which looks like dust, as they portend burial.