מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם
שֶׁהֶחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה,
רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ:
Thankful I am before You, Living and Eternal Majesty,
You have graciously returned my soul to me.
Your faith (in me) is so great!"
Modeh ani lefanecha
Melech Chai v'Kayam
Sheheche-zarta bi nishmati bechemlah
Rabbah emunatecha
Zohar I, 200a - 13th c. Spain
"At night, all things return to their original root and source...
When a person lies in bed, the soul goes out and wanders the world above, and enters the Place (haMakom) that she enters... When a person awakes, the soul tells the person about the dream."
THE ORIGINAL WAY OF PROPHECY
Rabbi Jill Hammer
In Genesis most of the revelations are dreams. It's not until Exodus (burning bush, Mt Sinai) that revelation comes in waking visions where the prophet channels Divine speech that is recorded into a codified text. The first revelations in the Torah are dream revelations. Powerful dreams were considered to be remnants of an encounter with the sacred, and that's the kind of revelation that I'm most interested in. How does the holy manifest to us as individuals? What does my personal wonder and revelation have to do with yours?
Talmud Berachot 57b
Shabbat is one-sixtieth of the World-to-Come;
sleep is one-sixtieth of death;
and a dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy.
Midrash Bereshit Rabbah (Genesis 17:7 )
“The buds of prophecy are dreams.”
Sefer Yetzira:
"A dream is more precise than a vision & may explain what’s obscure in a vision."
Rabbi Judah the Hasid: "Whatever will happen to a person -- be it good or bad -- is shown to him beforehand in dream symbolism…The symbolic imagery of dreams may be compared to sign language. When a person is traveling to a foreign country, he will meet people whose language he does not understand. They will communicate to him through sign language, much like we communicate with the deaf. A sage can discern what he is being shown in his dream, and why it was shown to him in those symbols, and what the symbols stand for."
Rabbi Elijah, the Gaon of Vilna in 1800, told his disciples that sleep exists for the sole purpose of conveying the mysteries of the cosmos through the vehicle of dreams.
(י) וַיֵּצֵ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃ (יא) וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ (יב)
וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹקִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃
(יג) וְהִנֵּ֨ה ה׳ נִצָּ֣ב עָלָיו֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ אֲנִ֣י ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יךָ וֵאלֹקֵ֖י יִצְחָ֑ק הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ שֹׁכֵ֣ב עָלֶ֔יהָ לְךָ֥ אֶתְּנֶ֖נָּה וּלְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃
(10) Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran. (11) He came upon a certain place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. (12) He had a dream; a ladder was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it. (13) And Hashem was standing upon him and said, “I am YHWH, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring.
Nefesh Ha-Hayyim (I.19), R. Hayyim of Volozhin interpreted an idea of the Zohar as follows: Regarding the vision of the ladder "set toward the ground," ... note that it does not say "set in the ground (baaretz), but towards the ground (artzah), to signify that its principal anchoring is in the heavens above, and from there it devolves downward, until it reaches the earth. This signifies the Neshamah in man... From there it descends like a ladder and chain, joining with the spirit (Ruah), then with the soul (Nefesh), until it finally comes down to this world and into the body of man. Divine angels go up and down it, as we said above, along its length which is the living soul of the worlds, the forces and the angels of the upper spheres, whose entire ascent and descent, indeed all their actions at every moment, depend solely on the inclination of the deeds, speech, and thoughts that are in the body of man at every moment. (As for what is written, 'ascending first, then descending', the entire thrust of human life is first to elevate the entire world from below to above, and after that, heavenly lights are drawn from above downwards.)
Ohr HaChayim: "He dreamed that there was a ladder." Since many dreams contain matter without import, the Torah added the word "And behold!" [in Hebrew, "v'hinei"] to indicate that in this dream every detail appeared to Jacob as especially vivid and important. He had total recall of everything he dreamed, and referred to each detail later on. This is why the word "Behold" is repeated before every segment of the dream. The Torah thereby characterizes the dream as a prophetic revelation
(יג) וְהִנֵּ֨ה ה׳ נִצָּ֣ב עָלָיו֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ אֲנִ֣י ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יךָ וֵאלֹקֵ֖י יִצְחָ֑ק הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ שֹׁכֵ֣ב עָלֶ֔יהָ לְךָ֥ אֶתְּנֶ֖נָּה וּלְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (יד) וְהָיָ֤ה זַרְעֲךָ֙ כַּעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ וּפָרַצְתָּ֛ יָ֥מָּה וָקֵ֖דְמָה וְצָפֹ֣נָה וָנֶ֑גְבָּה וְנִבְרְכ֥וּ בְךָ֛ כׇּל־מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָ֖ה וּבְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (טו) וְהִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י עִמָּ֗ךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּ֙יךָ֙ בְּכֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־תֵּלֵ֔ךְ וַהֲשִׁ֣בֹתִ֔יךָ אֶל־הָאֲדָמָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את כִּ֚י לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱזׇבְךָ֔ עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִם־עָשִׂ֔יתִי אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי לָֽךְ׃ (טז) וַיִּיקַ֣ץ יַעֲקֹב֮ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָכֵן֙ יֵ֣שׁ ה׳ בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְאָנֹכִ֖י לֹ֥א יָדָֽעְתִּי׃ (יז) וַיִּירָא֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מַה־נּוֹרָ֖א הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֣ין זֶ֗ה כִּ֚י אִם־בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹקִ֔ים וְזֶ֖ה שַׁ֥עַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (יח) וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה וַיִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ׃ (יט) וַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאוּלָ֛ם ל֥וּז שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ (כ) וַיִּדַּ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב נֶ֣דֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־יִהְיֶ֨ה אֱלֹקִ֜ים עִמָּדִ֗י וּשְׁמָרַ֙נִי֙ בַּדֶּ֤רֶךְ הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י הוֹלֵ֔ךְ וְנָֽתַן־לִ֥י לֶ֛חֶם לֶאֱכֹ֖ל וּבֶ֥גֶד לִלְבֹּֽשׁ׃ (כא) וְשַׁבְתִּ֥י בְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וְהָיָ֧ה ה׳ לִ֖י לֵאלֹקִֽים׃ (כב) וְהָאֶ֣בֶן הַזֹּ֗את אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֙מְתִּי֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה יִהְיֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹקִ֑ים וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י עַשֵּׂ֖ר אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּ לָֽךְ׃
(13) And behold! standing beside him was ה׳, who said, “I am ה׳, the God of your father Abraham’s [house] and the God of Isaac’s [house]: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring. (14) Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. (15) Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (16) Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely ה׳ is present in this place, and I did not know it!” (17) Shaken, he said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven.” (18) Early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. (19) He named that site Bethel; but previously the name of the city had been Luz. (20) Jacob then made a vow, saying, “If God remains with me, protecting me on this journey that I am making, and giving me bread to eat and clothing to wear, (21) and I return safe to my father’s house— ה׳ shall be my God. (22) And this stone, which I have set up as a pillar, shall be God’s abode; and of all that You give me, I will set aside a tithe for You.”
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DREAM?
THE LADDER OF ASCENDING/DESCENDING
IN SLEEP CONSCIOUSNESS
Jewish mystics who practiced soul journeying in dreams and trance states called themselves "Yordei Merkava - Descenders of the Chariot."
Each night we are like the angels in Jacob's dream, going down and then back up the ladder of consciousness. This happens 5 times during a healthy night of sleep! (Chaya Kaplan-Lester)
"When we dream the logic centers in our brain - the frontal lobes- go dark, and chemicals associated with self-control drop. At the same time the emotion centers light up: we have a perfect chemical canvas for dramatic, psychologically intense visions." (Science Journalist Alice Robb)
"Dreams sometimes speak from an intelligence that seems wiser than our waking selves... a dream can offer advice but rarely in a direct way a, the way a friend or therapist does. Mostly dreams express themselves through images, bending characters and narratives into strange shapes we wouldn't see in waking life... We might say that dreams are the poems we and Divine send one another." (Rabbi Jill Hammer)
According to Modeh Ani - our soul returns to us when we wake up. So where did it go while we were sleeping?
The soul/neshamah/lifebreath/consciousness is the greater "I" that is witnessing all of the sensations, feelings, and thoughts that are happening right now. The soul is the essence of who we are which is rooted in the Tree of Life, the SOUL of the universe.
"At night, all things return to their original root and source...
When a person lies in bed, the soul goes out and wanders the world above, and enters the Place that she enters... When a person awakes, the soul tells the person about the dream."
(Zohar I, 200a - 13th c. Spain)
Considering that we spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping and dreaming, what do you think is the purpose of dreams?
According to scientistific research, dreams:
1. Help us creatively solve problems we couldn't solve while awake
2. Help us regain emotional health and peace
3. Generalize our learning and think more flexibly by sifting through the overwhelming amount of information we receive during the day and drawing out the bigger lessons.
Where do our dreams come from? What is the source of the images and experiences in our dreams?
"The dream is a journey beyond the ordinary bounds of self. On that journey, one can meet divine messengers, ancestors, demons. In this understanding of dreaming, the dreamworld is not an enclosed world inside the individual self, but a world of the soul- a world we all share... Through our explorations of dreams, we will perhaps get glimmers of how we as finite (limited) beings connect, each in our own way, to this larger Being - and how that changes us." (Rabbi Jill Hammer)
(ו) ענין החלום:...
ואמנם חקק ה׳ עוד שהנפש העליונה שזכרנו תנתק קצת באותו הזמן מקישוריה הגופניים וחלקים ממנה דהיינו עד הרוח יהיו מתעלים ומתנתקים מן הגוף ורק החלק הא׳ שהוא הנפש יהיה נשאר עם הנפש התחתונה...
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto
The Ramchal (1707-1746 Italy)
What happens when a person dreams?
“God decreed that the bond between body and divine soul should be loosened (disconnected a bit) while we sleep. The portions of the soul from the level of ruach and above rise and sever from the body. Only the nefesh (life force in the blood) remain with the animal soul.
The freed portions of the soul can move about in the spiritual realm and associate with spiritual beings such as angels who oversee natural phenomena, other angels associated with prophecy and shedim (demons), god forbid, depending on variety of factors.
When the higher levels of soul perceive something, they can transmit it step by step until it reaches the animal soul. (Jacobs ladder) The imagination is then stimulated and forms images in its normal manner. A dream can be true or false or blurry…A person can receive info about his future if G-d decrees it...
Dreams can arise either solely from the imagination or from the stimulation of soul/neshama.”
Ramchal,Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Derech Hashem 3:1:6
When we sleep, most of what happens is that our bodies rest and our brains are given the chance to sort out the thoughts of our day.
However, something else occurs at the same time. The higher parts of our souls become slightly detached from our bodies. (This is why our first prayer upon awakening in the morning is thanking God for returning our souls to us (modeh ani). Only the lowest part of our souls – the “animal soul” all living creatures possess – stays with us overnight.) Once our souls depart our bodies, they are able to roam the spiritual planes of existence where they are most at home. While there, they may interact with other spiritual entities, such as angels, and may hear (or overhear) some of what the future holds in store for man. The message may be actual prophecy, or simply an omen – depending upon the level of being which communicates with the soul. That information might in turn trickle down into our consciousness and work their way into our dreams.
Thus, while dreaming, a person has the potential to become aware of future events which his waking soul would never be privy to – which will then become mixed in with the rest of the nonsense going through his dreaming mind.
(א) הגדרת הנבואה ושלמות כוחות הנביא הגדרת הנבואה – שלמות מעמד האדם 1 דע שאמיתת הנבואה ומהותה היא שפע השופע מאת ה׳ יתהדר ויתרומם באמצעות השכל הפועל: תחילה על הכוח ההוגה, ואחר כך על הכוח המדמה. זו היא דרגת האדם הגבוהה ביותר, ושיא השלמות שיכולה להיות במינו. שלמות הכוח המדמה ופעולתו 2 מצב זה הוא שיא שלמות הכוח המדמה. זה דבר שבשום אופן אינו אפשרי בכל אדם, ואינו דבר שמגיעים אליו על ידי שלמות בחכמות העיוניות ושיפור המידות כך שתהיינה כולן במצבן הטוב והיפה ביותר האפשרי, מבלי שיצטרף לכך שיא השלמות האפשרית של הכוח המדמה מעיקר הטבע המולד. אתה כבר יודע ששלמות הכוחות הגופניים הללו, שהכוח המדמה הוא אחד מהם, באה רק בעקבות כך שהאבר הנושא את אותו כוח הוא בעל המזג הטוב ביותר האפשרי לו, ובגודל האופטימלי, ובעל החומר הזך ביותר האפשרי. וזה דבר שבשום אופן אי אפשר לרפא את חסרונו ולתקן את פחיתותו באמצעות הנהגה. כי האבר שמזגו היה רע מלידה – שיא ההנהגה המאזנת אותו הוא להשאיר אותו במצב בריא מסוים, לא להביא אותו לתכונתו המיטבית ביותר. אך אם המום שלו הוא בגודלו או בתנוחתו או בעצם שלו, כוונתי לעצם החומר שהוא עשוי ממנו, הרי אין תחבולה נגד זה. כל זה ידוע לך, כך שאין תועלת להאריך בביאורו.
(ב) פעולת הכוח המדמה בכלל ובנבואה בפרט 3 כמו כן ידועות לך פעולותיו של הכוח המדמה הזה, שהן זכירת המוחשים והרכבתם והחיקוי שבטבעו; ושפעולתו הגדולה והנכבדת ביותר היא רק כשהחושים נחים ושובתים מפעולותיהם, ואז שופע עליהם שפע מסוים בהתאם להכנה. 4 הוא הסיבה לחלומות האמת, והוא עצמו סיבת הנבואה. ההבדל ביניהם הוא רק ברב ובמעט, לא במין. א) ידועה לך אמירתם החוזרת ונשנית (של חז"ל) "חלום אחד מששים בנבואה" (בבלי ברכות נז,ב), ואין משווים בין שני דברים ממינים שונים. אי אפשר לומר: "שלמות האדם היא פי כך וכך משלמות הסוס". ב) הם חזרו על העניין הזה בבראשית רבה ואמרו: "נובלת נבואה – חלום" (יז,ה; מד,יז). וזה דימוי מופלא, כי הנובלת היא היא הפרי עצמו, אלא שהוא נפל לפני שלמותו ולפני שהגיע זמנו. כך פעולת הכוח המדמה בעת השינה היא פעולתו בעת הנבואה, אלא שיש בו חסרון ואין הוא מגיע עד תכליתו. ג) ומדוע נודיע לך זאת מדבריהם ז"ל ונעזוב את פסוקי התורה: "אִם יִהְיֶה נְבִיאֲכֶם ה׳, בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע, בַּחֲלוֹם אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ" (במדבר יב,ו)? הרי שהוא יתעלה סיפר לנו על אמיתת הנבואה ומהותה והודיע לנו שהיא שלמות הבאה בחלום או במראָה. ו"מראָה" נגזרת מ"ראה", והוא שהכוח המדמה משיג שלמות פעולה שכזו עד שהכוח הזה רואה דבר כאילו הוא חיצוני, ודבר שהתחיל מהכוח הזה יהיה כאילו הגיע אליו על ידי חישה חיצונית. בשני החלקים האלה, במראה או בחלום, נמצאות כל דרגות הנבואה, כמו שיתבאר (ב,מא-מד). 5 כבר נודע שמה שהאדם עסוק בו מאוד ושוקד עליו ומשתוקק לו כשהוא ער וחושיו פועלים, הוא שהכוח המדמה פועל בו בעת השינה, כאשר שופע עליו השכל בהתאם להכנתו. מיותר להביא דוגמאות ולהאריך בזה, כי זה דבר ברור שכל אחד מכיר, והוא דומה להשגת החושים, שלא יחלוק עליה אף אחד מן השלמים בטבעם המולד.
(ג) תנאי המועמד לנבואה 6 אחרי ההקדמות האלה, דע לך שאם תנאי א) עצם מוחו של אחד מבני האדם, מעיקר טבעו, הוא בשיא האיזון בזַכּוּת חומרו ובמזגו המיוחד בכל חלק מחלקיו ובגודלו ובתנוחתו, ולא ימנעו אותו מונעים מצד המזג מאבר אחר; תנאי ב) ואחר כך קנה האדם הזה דעת וחכמה עד שיצא מן הכוח אל הפועל, ונעשו לו שׂכל אנושי באופן מושלם וגמור, ומידות אנושיות טהורות ומאוזנות, תנאי ג) וכל תשוקותיו יהיו לידיעת סודות המציאות הזו והכרת סיבותיה, ומחשבתו פונה תמיד אל הדברים הנשגבים, ואין הוא מתעניין אלא בהכרת האלוק וההתבוננות בפעולותיו ומה שראוי להאמין בכך; 7 תנאי ד) והשבית את מחשבותיו וביטל את תשוקתו לדברים הבהמיים, כלומר העדפת הנאת האכילה והשתייה ויחסי המין, כללו של דבר: חוש המישוש, שאריסטו ביאר ב"אתיקה" (אתיקה ניקומכית ג, 10, 1118ב 1-410) ואמר שהחוש הזה הוא חרפה לנו. וכמה נאה מה שאמר, וכמה נכון שהוא חרפה, כי הוא לנו באשר אנו בעלי חיים ותו לא, כשאר הבהמות, ואין בו כלום מעניין האנושיות. ואילו שאר הנאות החושים, כמו הריח והשמיעה והראייה, הרי אף על פי שהן גופניות, יש בהן לעתים הנאה לאדם באשר הוא אדם, כמו שביאר אריסטו (שם). התגלגלנו לדבר על מה שאינו מן המטרה אך יש בו צורך עבורה, כי רוב מחשבותיהם של המצטיינים מאנשי החכמה טרודות בהנאות החוש הזה והם משתוקקים אליו, ועם זאת הם מתפלאים מדוע אין הם מתנבאים, אם הנבואה היא טבעית. 8 תנאי ה) כמו כן על האדם הזה להשבית את מחשבתו ולבטל את תשוקתו לשררות שאינן אמיתיות, כוונתי לשאיפה להשתלטות, או לכך שיגדל בעיני המון העם ושישיג מהם כבוד וציות לשם זה בלבד; אלא יתייחס לכל האנשים לפי מצביהם, שהם לפיהם בלי ספק כבהמות מרעה או כחיות פרא, שכשיחשוב עליהם השלם המיוחד, לא יחשוב אלא כיצד להיחלץ מן ההיזק של המזיקים מהם אם הזדמן לו להיות בחברתם, או כיצד לקבל מהם תועלת אם יזדקק לכך באחד מצרכיו. 9 תוצאה) האדם שזהו תיאורו, אין ספק שכאשר יפעל כוחו המדמה, הנמצא בשיא השלמות האפשרית, ויקבל שפע מן השכל בהתאם לשלמותו העיונית – הרי הוא לא ישיג אלא דברים אלוהיים מופלאים מאוד, ולא יראה דבר מלבד ה׳ ומלאכיו ולא ירגיש ולא תושג לו ידיעה אלא בדברים שהם דעות נכונות והנהגות כלליות לתיקון בני האדם זה עם זה.
(ד) הבדל בכוחות הנביאים 10 ידוע ששלושת הנושאים האלה שדנּו בהם – א) שלמות הכוח ההוגה על ידי קניית דעת, ב) ושלמות הכוח המדמה מטבעו המולד, ג) ושלמות המידות על ידי השבתת המחשבה בכל הנאות הגוף וסילוק התשוקה למיני ההתפארויות הטיפשיות והרעות – יש בהם הבדל רב מאוד במעלה בין השלמים, ובהתאם לשוני במעלה בכל אחד משלושת הנושאים האלה, יהיה השוני בדרגות כל הנביאים.
(ה) הבדל בכוחות נביא מסוים תלוי נסיבות 11 ידוע לך שכל כוח גופני פעמים מתעייף ונחלש ומשתבש ופעמים אחרות תקין. והכוח המדמה הוא ללא ספק כוח גופני. לכן אתה מוצא שנבואתם של הנביאים פוסקת בעת האבל או הכעס וכיוצא בהם. ידועים לך דבריהם (של חז"ל): "אין הנבואה שורה לא מתוך עצבות ולא מתוך עצלות" (בבלי שבת ל,ב), ושלא באה התגלות אל יעקב אבינו כל הימים שהתאבל, משום שהכוח המדמה שלו היה טרוד בהעדרו של יוסף (פרקי דרבי אליעזר, פרק לח), ושלא באה התגלות אל משה עליו השלום כמו שבאה אליו מלפנים, מאחר תלונת המרגלים עד שמתו דור המדבר כולם (ספרא, דיבורא דנדבה, א,ב, ומקבילות), משום שנלאה מלסבול את טורחם בשל גודל תלונותיהם. זאת אף על פי שבנבואתו, עליו השלום, לא היה מקום לכוח המדמה, אלא השכל שפע עליו בלי תיווכו, כמו שצייַנּו כמה פעמים (ב,לה1 ושם בהפניות) שהוא לא התנבא במשל כשאר הנביאים. דבר זה עוד יתבאר (על המשלים: ב,מז), ואין זאת מטרת הפרק.
(ו) 12 וכן אתה מוצא גם שכמה נביאים התנבאו תקופה מסוימת ואז הסתלקה מהם הנבואה ולא המשיכה בגלל מאורע שאירע. זו היא בלי ספק הסיבה העצמית הקרובה לסילוק הנבואה בזמן הגלות: איזו עצלות או עצבות יכולות להיות לאדם במצב כלשהו, יותר מהיותו עבד נרצע משועבד לבורים המופקרים, המשלבים יחד חוסר דעת אמיתי ושלמות התאוות הבהמיות, "וְאֵין לְאֵל יָדֶךָ" (דברים כח,לב)? בזה איים עלינו, ולכך כיוון בדבריו: "יְשׁוֹטְטוּ לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת דְּבַר ה׳ וְלֹא יִמְצָאוּ" (עמוס ח,יב), ונאמר: "מַלְכָּהּ וְשָׂרֶיהָ בַגּוֹיִם אֵין תּוֹרָה, גַּם נְבִיאֶיהָ לֹא מָצְאוּ חָזוֹן מֵה׳" (איכה ב,ט). זה נכון וסיבתו ברורה, כי הכלי הושבת. וזו גם הסיבה לשיבת הנבואה אלינו כקדם לימות המשיח מהרה יגלה, כמו שהבטיח.
(1) PROPHECY is, in truth and reality, an emanation sent forth by the Divine Being through the medium of the Active Intellect, in the first instance to man’s rational faculty, and then to his imaginative faculty; it is the highest degree and greatest perfection man can attain: it consists in the most Perfect development of the imaginative faculty. Prophecy is a faculty that cannot in any way be found in a person, or acquired by man, through a culture of his mental and moral faculties: for even if these latter were as good and perfect as possible, they would be of no avail, unless they were combined with the highest natural excellence of the imaginative faculty. You know that the full development of any faculty of the body, such as the imagination, depends on the condition of the organ, by means of which the faculty acts. This must be the best possible as regards its temperament and its size, and also as regards the purity of its substance. Any defect in this respect cannot in any way be supplied or remedied by training. For when any organ is defective in its temperament, proper training can in the best case restore a healthy condition to some extent, but cannot make such an organ perfect. But if the organ is defective as regards size, position, or as regards the substance and the matter of which the organ is formed, there is no remedy. You know all this, and I need not explain it to you at length.
(2) Part of the functions of the imaginative faculty is, as you well know, to retain impressions by the senses, to combine them, and chiefly to form images. The principal and highest function is performed when the senses are at rest and pause in their action, for then it receives, to some extent, divine inspiration in the measure as it is predisposed for this influence. This is the nature of those dreams which prove true, and also of prophecy, the difference being one of quantity, not of quality. Thus our Sages say, that dream is the sixtieth part of prophecy: and no such comparison could be made between two things of different kinds, for we cannot say the perfection of man is so many times the perfection of a horse. In Bereshit Rabba (sect. xvii.) the following saying of our Sages occurs, “Dream is the nobelet (the unripe fruit) of prophecy.” This is an excellent comparison, for the unripe fruit (nobelet) is really the fruit to some extent, only it has fallen from the tree before it was fully developed and ripe. In a similar manner the action of the imaginative faculty during sleep is the same as at the time when it receives a prophecy, only in the first case it is not fully developed, and has not yet reached its highest degree. But why need I quote the words of our Sages, when I can refer to the following passage of Scripture: “If there be among you a prophet, I, the Lord, will make myself known unto him in a vision, in a dream will I speak to him” (Num. 12:6). Here the Lord tells us what the real essence of prophecy is, that it is a perfection acquired in a dream or in a vision (the original mareh is a noun derived from the verb raah); the imaginative faculty acquires such an efficiency in its action that it sees the thing as if it came from without, and perceives it as if through the medium of bodily senses. These two modes of prophecy, vision and dream, include all its different degrees. It is a well-known fact that the thing which engages greatly and earnestly man’s attention whilst he is awake and in the full possession of his senses forms during his sleep the object of the action of his imaginative faculty. Imagination is then only influenced by the intellect in so far as it is predisposed for such influence. It would be quite useless to illustrate this by a simile, or to explain it fully, as it is clear, and every one knows it. It is like the action of the senses, the existence of which no person with common sense would ever deny.
(3) After these introductory remarks you will understand that a person must satisfy the following conditions before he can become a prophet: The substance of the brain must from the very beginning be in the most perfect condition as regards purity of matter, composition of its different parts, size and position: no part of his body must suffer from ill-health; he must in addition have studied and acquired wisdom, so that his rational faculty passes from a state of potentiality to that of actuality; his intellect must be as developed and perfect as human intellect can be; his passions pure and equally balanced; all his desires must aim at obtaining a knowledge of the hidden laws and causes that are in force in the Universe; his thoughts must be engaged in lofty matters: his attention directed to the knowledge of God, the consideration of His works, and of that which he must believe in this respect. There must be an absence of the lower desires and appetites, of the seeking after pleasure in eating, drinking, and cohabitation: and, in short, every pleasure connected with the sense of touch. (Aristotle correctly says that this sense is a disgrace to us, since we possess it only in virtue of our being animals; and it does not include any specifically human element, whilst enjoyments connected with other senses, as smell, hearing, and sight, though likewise of a material nature, may sometimes include [intellectual] pleasure, appealing to man as man, according to Aristotle. This remark, although forming no part of our subject, is not superfluous, for the thoughts of the most renowned wise men are to a great extent affected by the pleasures of this sense, and filled with a desire for them. And yet people are surprised that these scholars do not prophesy, if prophesying be nothing but a certain degree in the natural development of man.) It is further necessary to suppress every thought or desire for unreal power and dominion; that is to say, for victory, increase of followers, acquisition of honour, and service from the people without any ulterior object. On the contrary, the multitude must be considered according to their true worth; some of them are undoubtedly like domesticated cattle, and others like wild beasts, and these only engage the mind of the perfect and distinguished man in so far as he desires to guard himself from injury, in case of contact with them, and to derive some benefit from them when necessary. A man who satisfies these conditions, whilst his fully developed imagination is in action, influenced by the Active Intellect according to his mental training,—such a person will undoubtedly perceive nothing but things very extraordinary and divine, and see nothing but God and His angels. His knowledge will only include that which is real knowledge, and his thought will only he directed to such general principles as would tend to improve the social relations between man and man.
(4) We have thus described three kinds of perfection: mental perfection acquired by training, perfection of the natural constitution of the imaginative faculty, and moral perfection produced by the suppression of every thought of bodily pleasures, and of every kind of foolish or evil ambition. These qualities are, as is well known, possessed by the wise men in different degrees, and the degrees of prophetic faculty vary in accordance with this difference.
(5) Faculties of the body are, as you know, at one time weak, wearied, and corrupted, at others in a healthy state. Imagination is certainly one of the faculties of the body. You find, therefore, that prophets are deprived of the faculty of prophesying when they mourn, are angry, or are similarly affected. Our Sages say, Inspiration does not come upon a prophet when he is sad or languid. This is the reason why Jacob did not receive any revelation during the period of his mourning, when his imagination was engaged with the loss of Joseph. The same was the case with Moses, when he was in a state of depression through the multitude of his troubles, which lasted from the murmurings of the Israelites in consequence of the evil report of the spies, till the death of the warriors of that generation. He received no message of God, as he used to do, even though he did not receive prophetic inspiration through the medium of the imaginative faculty, but directly through the intellect. We have mentioned it several times that Moses did not, like other prophets, speak in similes. This will be further explained (chap. xlv.), but it is not the subject of the present chapter.
(6) There were also persons who prophesied for a certain time and then left off altogether, something occurring that caused them to discontinue prophesying. The same circumstance, prevalence of sadness and dulness, was undoubtedly the direct cause of the interruption of prophecy during the exile: for can there be any greater misfortune for man than this: to be a slave bought for money in the service of ignorant and voluptuous masters, and powerless against them as they unite in themselves the absence of true knowledge and the force of all animal desires? Such an evil state has been prophesied to us in the words, “They shall run to and fro to seek the word of God, but shall not find it” (Amos 8:12); “Her king and her princes are among the nations, the law is no more, her prophets also find no vision from the Lord” (Lam. 2:9). This is a real fact, and the cause is evident; the pre-requisites [of prophecy] have been lost. In the Messianic period—may it soon commence—prophecy will therefore again be in our midst, as has been promised by God.
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION:
The Maimonides Dream Laboratory at the Maimonides Medical Center in New York City was the site of intensive investigation into the possible paranormal qualities of our dreams. In a series of many experiments, carried out over several years, convincing data were obtained on this issue. In an article titled "Dreams and Other Altered Conscious States" published in the Journal of Communication (winter 1975), Dr. Stanley Krippner reviewed the findings of twelve separate studies and concluded, "Telepathy and dreams can be demonstrated in a laboratory setting." Dr. Montague Ullman, concluded in the same publication that our dreams sometimes appear able to attract and incorporate information regarding events occurring "at a spatial distance from us, about which we would have no way of knowing." Ullman noted, was also that "they appear to gather information distant in time, as in the case of events which have not yet occurred."
BRAIN WAVES: In a nutshell, there are five major brain wave ranges: Beta (12-30Hz) is present in normal waking consciousness and is heightened during times of stress; the Alpha brain wave (7.5-14Hz) in deep relaxation; Theta (4-7.5Hz) in meditation and light sleep; and the slowest, Delta (0.5-4Hz) in deep dreamless sleep and transcendental meditation. The less recognised Gamma is fastest (above 40Hz) and associated with sudden insight. The optimal level for visualization is the Alpha-Theta Border at 7-8Hz. It is the gateway to your subconscious mind.
Mnemonic for Brain waves
– Gamma…Beta…Alpha…Theta…Delta….‘Get Big And Then Dream’….
Frequency NameUsually associated with:
> 40 HzGamma wavesHigher mental activity, including perception, problem solving, and consciousness
13–39 HzBeta wavesActive, busy thinking, active processing , active concentration, arousal, and cognition
7–13 HzAlphawavesCalm relaxed yet alert state
4–7 HzTheta wavesDeep meditation /relaxation, REM sleep
< 4 HzDelta wavesDeep dreamless sleep, loss of body awareness
WHAT OCCURS WHILE WE SLEEP:
A recent study, undertaken by a research team under the direction of Robert Stickgold – a professor of psychiatry at Harvard University Medical School and one of the most respected experts on sleep in the world – suggests that eight of hours of sleep is the ideal amount required to achieve the goals listed above. In no case should it be less than six hours, whereas more than eights hours of sleep a night is a waste of time!
Prof. Stickgold explains that during an eight hour night, there are two main critical stages during which the brain undergoes both physical and chemical changes:
The first part of the night. And the early morning, during the last two hours of sleep.
The interaction between these two stages strengthens and establishes the memory. In the first stage of sleep, information flows from the memory center of the brain, the hippocampus, to the cerebral cortex. Afterwards, over a period of four hours, the brain slowly distributes the new information that was studied and acquired during the day to the appropriate locations amidst the neurons of the central nervous system. “The process is similar to the period required for dough to rise,” says Dr. Stickgold. (Note - Dough = Bread = Lechem – same letters as Halom!)
In the second stage – known as the active dream state and the period in which sleep ends – rapid chemical processes also take place. The hippocampus disconnects from the cerebral cortex and the brain once again processes the information that had undergone previous refinement, strengthening the connection between this new material and the nerve cells at all levels of the memory system.
Prof. Stickgold surmises that his study has important repercussions for students and others seeking to acquire new information or skills in various areas of endeavor. Namely, that the acquisition and application of new knowledge depends much more on the right amount of quality sleep than on study techniques or time invested by the student – and it is even more important than his or her level of intelligence.
It is worth noting that a recent publication of this study merited headlines in the press around the world, particularly in scientific journals.
Turn to the Mishneh Torah, the classic text of Maimonides, which delineates all of the laws of the Torah and their relevant customs. Here Maimonides states simply – amidst other remarkable pieces of advice concerning physical and spiritual health – that eight hours of sleep is sufficient for people, while more than that provides no benefit to a person’s health: “The night and the day together equal twenty-four hours. It is enough for a person to sleep for a third of them, which is eight hours.”
It is interesting to note that certain kabbalistic masters found an allusion to this principle in a biblical verse: “For now I have lain down and should be quiet, I slept and then should be rested” (Job 3:13). The numerical value of the letters of the Hebrew word “then” – az – is eight: aleph(1) + zayin(7) = az(8). Hence the verse can be paraphrased: “I slept ‘eight’ (az) and then should be rested!”
DREAM CHEVRUTAH
What Do we know from our own experience?
Have you ever had recurring dreams? Or a dream that seemed significant when you were having it so that the images and feelings stayed with you after you woke up?
Have you ever had a dream that seemed to be telling you something about your life?
Or a really bizarre dream that was perplexing?
א"ר בירים משום זקן אחד ומנו ר' בנאה
עשרים וארבעה פותרי חלומות היו בירושלים פעם אחת חלמתי חלום והלכתי אצל כולם ומה שפתר לי זה
לא פתר לי זה וכולם נתקיימו בי
לקיים מה שנאמר כל החלומות הולכים אחר הפה
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.
Talmud Berachot 55a
And Rav Ḥisda said: A dream not interpreted is like an unread letter. As long as it is not interpreted it cannot be fulfilled; the interpretation of a dream creates its meaning.
"The process of reflecting on a dream, whether alone in writing or in conversation with others, is a key to recovering its hidden blessing and wisdom."
(Rabbi Jill Hammer)
Qu. Is it possible for someone else to interpret your dreams?
What are the benefits of sharing your dreams with others?
Can someone else's dream hold meaning for us?
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A BAD DREAM?
What is the purpose of a nightmare or disturbing dream?
What can we do with them to transform them into something good?
Healing Conflict - with Others & the Other Within
Moving from מלחמה – War to חֶמלָה - Hemla Compassion
to מָחוּל – Machul/Mechila Forgiveness
to מחול Machol - Circle of Connection
Healing Sickness in Self & World
Moving from מַחֲלָה Illness to החלמה Recovery to חלם – Vitality
The Sefer Habahir #40
שאלו תלמידיו מהו חולם א''ל נשמה ושמו חולם
שאם תשמע תחלים גופך לעתיד לבא ואם תמרוד בה ישובו הלאים בראשך וחלים בראשה
ועוד אמרו שכל חלום הוא בחלום וכל מרגלית לבנה היא בחלם כדכתיב ואחלמה
His students asked, “What is the holem?” (the meaning of the vowel sound that looks like a dot above the vav). He answered, “It is the soul (the neshama) and its name is holem. If you listen to her your body will be vigorous (halam) in the ultimate future. If you rebel against her then sicknesses (halaim) will sit on your head and illness on her head”. He also said, “Every dream (halom) is in the holem, as it is written “achlama”. Every wise precious stone is in the holem (from the breast plate) – the white stone – amethyst (achlama).”
Psyche = soul in Greek + ology = knowledge of
Psychology = knowledge of the soul
Jacob’s Model of Integration/Unification of Self – Integration of Shadow Material
Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head Jacob and set it as a monument; and he poured oil on its head (28:18)
(יא) וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃
(11) He came upon a certain place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place.
(יח) וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה וַיִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ׃
(18) Early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.
But earlier it says, “He took of the stones of the place and put them under his head.” This tells us that all the stones gathered themselves together into one place, and each one said: “Upon me shall this righteous man rest his head.” Thereupon all were merged into one. (Talmud, Chullin 91b)
Rashi --- “and placed [them] at his head”: He arranged them in the form of a drainpipe around his head because he feared the wild beasts. They [the stones] started quarreling with one another. One said, “Let the righteous man lay his head on me,” and another one said, “Let him lay [his head] on me.” Immediately, the Holy One, blessed be He, made them into one stone. This is why it is stated (verse 18):“and he took the stone [in the singular] that he had placed at his head.” [From Chullin 91b]
12 stones were quarreling, each one wanted to be the one at the head of their father Jacob... What does this remind us of in Jacob's life?
YISRAEL: WRESTLING WITH G-D
(ד) וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יַעֲקֹ֤ב מַלְאָכִים֙ לְפָנָ֔יו אֶל־עֵשָׂ֖ו אָחִ֑יו אַ֥רְצָה שֵׂעִ֖יר שְׂדֵ֥ה אֱדֽוֹם׃ (ה) וַיְצַ֤ו אֹתָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֔וּן לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ עַבְדְּךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֔ב עִם־לָבָ֣ן גַּ֔רְתִּי וָאֵחַ֖ר עַד־עָֽתָּה׃ (ו) וַֽיְהִי־לִי֙ שׁ֣וֹר וַחֲמ֔וֹר צֹ֖אן וְעֶ֣בֶד וְשִׁפְחָ֑ה וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה֙ לְהַגִּ֣יד לַֽאדֹנִ֔י לִמְצֹא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (ז) וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּ֤אנוּ אֶל־אָחִ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו וְגַם֙ הֹלֵ֣ךְ לִקְרָֽאתְךָ֔ וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֥וֹת אִ֖ישׁ עִמּֽוֹ׃ (ח) וַיִּירָ֧א יַעֲקֹ֛ב מְאֹ֖ד וַיֵּ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ וַיַּ֜חַץ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ וְאֶת־הַצֹּ֧אן וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֛ר וְהַגְּמַלִּ֖ים לִשְׁנֵ֥י מַחֲנֽוֹת׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אִם־יָב֥וֹא עֵשָׂ֛ו אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה הָאַחַ֖ת וְהִכָּ֑הוּ וְהָיָ֛ה הַמַּחֲנֶ֥ה הַנִּשְׁאָ֖ר לִפְלֵיטָֽה׃ (י) וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ יַעֲקֹב֒ אֱלֹקֵי֙ אָבִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם וֵאלֹקֵ֖י אָבִ֣י יִצְחָ֑ק ה׳ הָאֹמֵ֣ר אֵלַ֗י שׁ֧וּב לְאַרְצְךָ֛ וּלְמוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וְאֵיטִ֥יבָה עִמָּֽךְ׃ (יא) קָטֹ֜נְתִּי מִכֹּ֤ל הַחֲסָדִים֙ וּמִכׇּל־הָ֣אֱמֶ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֣י בְמַקְלִ֗י עָבַ֙רְתִּי֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה וְעַתָּ֥ה הָיִ֖יתִי לִשְׁנֵ֥י מַחֲנֽוֹת׃ (יב) הַצִּילֵ֥נִי נָ֛א מִיַּ֥ד אָחִ֖י מִיַּ֣ד עֵשָׂ֑ו כִּֽי־יָרֵ֤א אָנֹכִי֙ אֹת֔וֹ פֶּן־יָב֣וֹא וְהִכַּ֔נִי אֵ֖ם עַל־בָּנִֽים׃ (יג) וְאַתָּ֣ה אָמַ֔רְתָּ הֵיטֵ֥ב אֵיטִ֖יב עִמָּ֑ךְ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּח֣וֹל הַיָּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב׃ (יד) וַיָּ֥לֶן שָׁ֖ם בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֑וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִן־הַבָּ֧א בְיָד֛וֹ מִנְחָ֖ה לְעֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיו׃ (טו) עִזִּ֣ים מָאתַ֔יִם וּתְיָשִׁ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֑ים רְחֵלִ֥ים מָאתַ֖יִם וְאֵילִ֥ים עֶשְׂרִֽים׃ (טז) גְּמַלִּ֧ים מֵינִיק֛וֹת וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֑ים פָּר֤וֹת אַרְבָּעִים֙ וּפָרִ֣ים עֲשָׂרָ֔ה אֲתֹנֹ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וַעְיָרִ֖ם עֲשָׂרָֽה׃ (יז) וַיִּתֵּן֙ בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֔יו עֵ֥דֶר עֵ֖דֶר לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ עִבְר֣וּ לְפָנַ֔י וְרֶ֣וַח תָּשִׂ֔ימוּ בֵּ֥ין עֵ֖דֶר וּבֵ֥ין עֵֽדֶר׃ (יח) וַיְצַ֥ו אֶת־הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן לֵאמֹ֑ר כִּ֣י יִֽפְגׇשְׁךָ֞ עֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֗י וּשְׁאֵֽלְךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְמִי־אַ֙תָּה֙ וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֔ךְ וּלְמִ֖י אֵ֥לֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ (יט) וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ לְעַבְדְּךָ֣ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב מִנְחָ֥ה הִוא֙ שְׁלוּחָ֔ה לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו וְהִנֵּ֥ה גַם־ה֖וּא אַחֲרֵֽינוּ׃ (כ) וַיְצַ֞ו גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִ֗י גַּ֚ם אֶת־הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י גַּ֚ם אֶת־כׇּל־הַהֹ֣לְכִ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י הָעֲדָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תְּדַבְּר֣וּן אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו בְּמֹצַאֲכֶ֖ם אֹתֽוֹ׃ (כא) וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם גַּ֗ם הִנֵּ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יַעֲקֹ֖ב אַחֲרֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־אָמַ֞ר אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה פָנָ֗יו בַּמִּנְחָה֙ הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנָ֔י וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי׃ (כב) וַתַּעֲבֹ֥ר הַמִּנְחָ֖ה עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וְה֛וּא לָ֥ן בַּלַּֽיְלָה־הַה֖וּא בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (כג) וַיָּ֣קׇם ׀ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֗וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י נָשָׁיו֙ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו וְאֶת־אַחַ֥ד עָשָׂ֖ר יְלָדָ֑יו וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֔ר אֵ֖ת מַעֲבַ֥ר יַבֹּֽק׃ (כד) וַיִּ֨קָּחֵ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲבִרֵ֖ם אֶת־הַנָּ֑חַל וַֽיַּעֲבֵ֖ר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ׃ (כה) וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ (כו) וַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֙קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ׃ (כז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַֽׁלֵּחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּרַכְתָּֽנִי׃ (כח) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹֽב׃ (כט) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹקִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃ (ל) וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃
(4) Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, (5) and instructed them as follows, “Thus shall you say, ‘To my lord Esau, thus says your servant Jacob: I stayed with Laban and remained until now;
(6) I have acquired cattle, asses, sheep, and male and female slaves; and I send this message to my lord in the hope of gaining your favor.’”
(7) The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau; he himself is coming to meet you, and his retinue numbers four hundred.”
(8) Jacob was greatly frightened; in his anxiety, he divided the people with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, (9) thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, the other camp may yet escape.”
(10) Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham’s [house] and God of my father Isaac’s [house], O ה׳, who said to me, ‘Return to your native land and I will deal bountifully with you’! (11) I am unworthy of all the kindness that You have so steadfastly shown Your servant: with my staff alone I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. (12) Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; else, I fear, he may come and strike me down, mothers and children alike. (13) Yet You have said, ‘I will deal bountifully with you and make your offspring as the sands of the sea, which are too numerous to count.’” (14) After spending the night there, he selected from what was at hand these presents for his brother Esau: (15) 200 she-goats and 20 he-goats; 200 ewes and 20 rams; (16) 30 milch camels with their colts; 40 cows and 10 bulls; 20 she-asses and 10 he-asses. (17) These he put in the charge of his servants, drove by drove, and he told his servants, “Go on ahead, and keep a distance between droves.” (18) He instructed the one in front as follows, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, ‘Who’s your master? Where are you going? And whose [animals] are these ahead of you?’ (19) you shall answer, ‘Your servant Jacob’s; they are a gift sent to my lord Esau; and [Jacob] himself is right behind us.’” (20) He gave similar instructions to the second one, and the third, and all the others who followed the droves, namely, “Thus and so shall you say to Esau when you reach him. (21) And you shall add, ‘And your servant Jacob himself is right behind us.’” For he reasoned, “If I propitiate him with presents in advance, and then face him, perhaps he will show me favor.” (22) And so the gift went on ahead, while he remained in camp that night. (23) That same night he arose, and taking his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven sons, he crossed the ford of the Jabbok. (24) After taking them across the stream, he sent across all his possessions. (25) Jacob was left alone. And a figure wrestled with him until the break of dawn. (26) When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained as he wrestled with him. (27) Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” (28) Said the other, “What is your name?” He replied, “Jacob.” (29) Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.” (30) Jacob asked, “Pray tell me your name.” But he said, “You must not ask my name!” And he took leave of him there.
The name Jacob – Yaakov - comes either from the Hebrew root עקב ʿqb meaning "to follow, to be behind" but also "to supplant, circumvent, assail, overreach", or from the word for "heel", עֲקֵב ʿaqeb.
JACOB’S DREAM FORMULAS; (Chaya Kaplan-Lester)
Fight – Like Jacob fought the ‘ish’
Invite – Call in dream helpers (like Shlomo’s warriors).
Invite the negative dream character to be a friend.
Light– Ask for and receive a gift or blessing – like Jacob asking for blessing
Ignite – Emerge, like Jacob, with a new name – Israel, Your Integrated Self.
INVITE DREAM WARRIORS TO HELP
B. A. C. A. Bikers Against Child Abuse: Bikers in Utah who created a not for profit org that escorts children to go to court to face their abusers on the stand – they give the kid a leather jacket, and their own biker name, they create the fight in that kid that s/he are going to need to stand up to the abuser.
We do not try to just heal the abuser in the beginning – in the beginning you have to fight the abuser – you stand up against them and fight them, and you bring in all these dudes to help you out
(יט) הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֺמֹה שִׁשִּׁים גִּבֹּרִים סָבִיב לָהּ מִגִּבֹּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלָּם אֲחֻֽזֵי חֶֽרֶב מְלֻמְּ֒דֵי מִלְחָמָה אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ עַל יְרֵכוֹ מִפַּֽחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת
(19) Behold the bed of Solomon! Sixty mighty men [are set] around it, of the mighty men of Israel. All of them armed with swords, trained in warfare; each man has his sword at his side, because of the dread of the night.
Transforming Negative into Positive – Hatavat Chalom
how to handle hostile dream images
חלום - dream
Exercise/Meditation: Think of a scary dream. Imagine doing it differently. Plan it out for yourself and then "reenter" the dream while awake and change the outcome.
5 minutes - Write down a painful or scary dream (anything that brings up anxiety or emotion) that you had and write out that dream image in the present tense.
Then write out options if you could do it over again write out how you would confront it? What would you do?
Then if you did that thing (asked that question, argue or fight it, offer compassion) what would it say?
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.
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 make it better 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.
Hatavat Chalom (lit. "making a dream good") - Prayer for a Negative Dream
According to the Talmud, one who has a dream that he does understand should recite a prayer asking for clarity. The prayer is to be said during the time of the Priestly Benediction.
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.
Qu. How is interpreting a dream like interpreting the Torah?
How is the Torah itself like a dream?
THE TORAH AS OUR COLLECTIVE DREAMS
AND INTERPRETING DREAMS AS TORAH
I want to give you a golden key that helped me open up the inner gates of Torah early on. It was given to me by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner and later by Rabbi Jill Hammer…
Torah and midrash are not meant to be read as history books or text books, although there is the peshat level and that is an essential first step it is not the goal and destination. Torah is meant to be studied and interpreted as a collection of our dreams as a people... When we see Torah as our collective dream, as a distant memory imprinted deep in our souls, the mythical dreamlike language of the Torah, the talking snakes, and the supernatural miracles are no longer a problem for us because we are not reading a newspaper article or a textbook, we are studying our dreams. This is the Drash level of Pardes in the orchard of Torah study.
And when we enter the study of these dreams together, we find endless layers of meaning that continuously illuminate our waking lives. We come to see that own life stories are a living continuation of Torah. This is the remez level of Torah study.
Studying and interpreting Torah together can help us become lucid dreamers.
Like Neo woke up from the matrix. Torah study enables us to wake up and find out that each of us are central characters in the dream of the Jewish people,
This is the drash level in the orchard of Torah study.
And from that place we can begin to know the sod - the hidden secret of Torah
That all of this great story of the earth and humanity that we are a part of, G-d is the one dreaming this story right now and we are the main characters in God’s dream…
Just as when you dream everything in the dream is an expression of your inner self, so too we are all an expression of G-ds inner self. This is the great awakening that the Torah is pointing us toward in the time when there will be a tipping point when a wakefulness will spread collectively for all of humanity. the Time of Mashiach.
But all of this lucid dreaming, this waking up to our true nature is not something that comes automatically. Remember what Rav Chisda taught that “A dream that is not interpreted, is like an unread letter.” The power of Torah, the collective dream of our people, is in our hands… But we must open it and read and interpret, this is the key to unlock the Torah's secrets. Tze ulamed - now let us go out and learn!
.
Best Practices for Healing Dreams:
- Kriyat Shema - Say Bedtime Shema, Hamapil blessing, and archangel prayer
- She'elat Chalom - State out loud a question or intention you want to have answered in your dream before bed
- Sefer Chalomot - Keep a dream journal - when you first wake up stay completely still and eyes closed and do reverse recall (tell story backwards or just recall whatever you can), Can also do a voice memo on your phone, and review your dreams during waking hours with others whom you trust.