Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said: A person is shown in their dream only the thoughts of their heart when they were 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.
- What is the significance of dreams according to the Talmud in this passage?
- To what extent does this approach align with your own experience of dreams?
- What is one of your wackier or recurring dreams? Can you trace it to any source or occurrence in your life?
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.
- What is the significance of dreams according to the Talmud in this passage? Where do they come from?
- Why do you think the Talmud uses the language of "one-sixtieth"? Does 1/60th feel like a lot, or a little?
- Would you rather see your dreams as merely reflective of your day-to-day thoughts, or as something even deeper, almost prophetic?
- Has a dream ever come true for you or have you taken your cues from a dream, almost like prophecy?
Rav Huna bar Ami said that Rabbi Pedat said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One who sees a dream from which their 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 they actively promote its fulfillment? Rather, say as follows: They should better it before three. They 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.
- According to this text, what is the significance of dreams? How does it compare/contrast with the previous two approaches?
- Who are the players here in helping to fulfill dreams, and what roles do they play?
- How does the Talmud suggest we help fulfill our dreams? Do you find the Talmud's recommendation or general framing compelling?
- Looking at the year (or week or month) ahead:
- What is one dream you want to keep top of mind?
- Do you need to reframe that dream in a way that will feel more achievable or less daunting? What would that look like?
- What is the 59/60th effort you can put into fulfilling that dream, and what is the 1/60th you feel is difficult to surmount without a little extra help?
- Who are the people in your life you can present your dream to, and who will support you?
Dreams: The Foundation of the World and Truth of Existence
Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook, Orot HaKodesh (translation by Ben Zion Bokser)
The great dreams are the foundation of the world.
They are manifested on different levels. The prophets dream as God is quoted as saying: “I speak with him [a prophet] in a dream” (Numbers 12:8). The poets dream while awake, the mighty thinkers dream of perfecting the world. All of us dream of the time “when God will return the captivity of Zion” (Psalms 126:6).
The crudeness of conventional life, which is wholly immersed in its materialistic aspect, removes from the world the light of the dream, the splendor of its wide horizons, its ascent above ugly reality. Thus the world is in convulsion with pains engendered by the destructive toxins of reality, devoid of the brightness of the dream.
But these pains are sufferings of love, they will purge the world, and prove the error of those who
boast of reality in its defective state, while only the uninhibited dream, which is in revolt against reality and its limitations, is truly the most substantive truth of existence.
Then the vision of the dream will return and it will become a clear revelation. “I shall speak to him mouth to mouth, plainly and not riddles, and he will behold the likeness of the Lord” (Numbers 12:8).