Vayeshev: Chapter 7

"And Joseph dreamed a dream"

Synopsis

Rabbi Chiya discusses dreams as a form of divine revelation. Situated beneath Prophecy and Vision in the hierarchy of revelatory experiences, dreams comprise a mixture of truth and falsehood, and serve as an admonition to the dreamer. Once given, the interpretation of a dream can influence both its meaning and its fulfillment. According to Rabbi Shimon, the dreamer's awareness and interpretation is not necessary for fulfillment. The interpretation of Joseph's dream by his brothers, whereby they sealed their fate, warns us not to dismiss our dreams too quickly or to share them with those who are not friends.

Relevance

Reading this section raises awareness of the vital information provided by dreams in order to help our spiritual development. We learn to protect ourselves against negative dream interpretations and their manifestation.