And Yoseif Dreamed1

By Gerry Burk

The opening passages in Vayeshev (Bereshis 37:5-10) describe

Yoseif’s two dreams:

“[5] And Joseph dreamed a dream and told his brothers,

and they continued to hate him. [6] And he said to them,
"Listen now to this dream, which I have dreamed: [7]
Behold, we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field,
and behold, my sheaves arose and also stood upright,
and behold, your sheaves encircled [it] and prostrated
themselves to my sheaves. [8] So his brothers said to
him, "Will you reign over us, or will you govern us?" And
they continued further to hate him on account of his
dreams and on account of his words. [9] And he again
dreamed another dream, and he related it to his brothers,
and he said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream,
and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were
prostrating themselves to me. [10] And he told [it] to his
father and to his brothers, and his father rebuked him and
said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed?
Will we come I, your mother, and your brothers to
prostrate ourselves to you to the ground?"

The structure and format of Yoseif’s dreams are different then the
dreams of Pharoah or his servants. Pharoah and his servants’ dreams were
structured to contain within the dream an explanation of what the dream,
meant. Yoseif’s dreams are open to interpretation. This is not only seen in
the context of the dreams, but by Yoseif’s brothers asking their question after
Yoseif’s first dream whether Yoseif will reign over them or govern them.
That shows that the message of Yoseif’s dream was not clearly understood.2
1
When reviewing the Torah section on Yoseif’s dreams I notice several issues and began to ponder various
ideas and resolutions. After working on this a bit, and coming up with some answers, I attempted to see if I
could find someone who shared my concerns. I found an article by Rabbi Elchanan Samet
(http://etzion.org.il/en/meaning-yosefs-dreams) who raised several of the same issues I did. Rabbi Samet’s
article also listed points which I missed and gave similar answers to the ones I came up with. I am indebted
to Rabbi Samet’s article and have utilized some of his thoughts and structure herein.
2
The Ibn Ezra explains this double use of rulership in that the brothers were asking whether Yoseif was to
reign over them with their consent or was he to dominate them without their consent. This answer shows
there was doubt as how to understand Yoseif’s dream. As discussed herein, no one truly understood Yoseif’s

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 Yoseif’s dreams appear fundamentally different from each other as
opposed to Pharoah and his servant’s dreams whose dreams had similar
representations and patterns. Yoseif’s 1st dream, has a three part structure
(the term “behold” represents a different section in the dream). Yoseif 2nd
dream is continuous. Why the difference? Yoseif 1st dream deals with earthly
items and stalks bending, a physical possibility. Yoseif ‘s 2nd dream uses the
Sun, Moon and Stars, cosmic entities, which prostrate themselves, a physical
impossibility. Why this shift?

Pharaoh dreams are repeated (both had 7 items and the weak items
devour the strong items) to inform Pharaoh of its certainty and its
imminency. Yet, Yoseif’s dreams do not imply certainty or imminency. The
bowing and brothers in both dreams apparently do not teach us anything as
to the dreams certainty or imminency. And if its sole purpose was to show
that Yoseif at some future date would collectively oversee everyone only the
2nd dream was needed as the 2nd dream includes Yoseif’s “parents”
(represented by the Sun and Moon). Why are there two dreams?

It appears that unlike Pharaoh and his servants’ dreams, Yoseif’s 2nd
dream is not meant to interpret or reinforce the 1st dream. Each dream is
presenting its own message.

The 1st dream deals with real events that will occur over time that will
affect Klal Yisrael on a physical level.This is shown by the dream only
dealing with earthly items, food. As it involves food, only the brothers are
portrayed as the responsibilities for working the fields and providing food
for the family was given over to them. That this salvation will be acted out in
stages over time is shown by the progressive nature of the dream. Initially,
Yoseif is part of the collective (all brothers are binding sheaves). Yoseif then
breaks away from the collective and rises to a position of authority, (as
Yoseif ‘s sheaf separate itself and stands up.) Finally, his brothers appear in
front of Yoseif and recognize his authority, (as all the sheaves bow to
Yoseif’s sheaf).3

dream in detail at the time it was dreamt and only later as events unfolded was Yoseif’s dream understood.
3
A position that neither the brothers agreed to or was imposed upon them by the Yoseif, showing that
Yoseif and his brothers misunderstood the dreams and their purpose.

2
 The 2nd dream deals with maintaining Klal Yisrael spiritual integrity in
which Yoseif would be the central figure. This is symbolized by using
cosmic items which are thought of as higher spirits or deities of power that
control fate. The purpose of the prostration, an impossible act for a celestial
body, was to show that these symbols were not to be thought of in the
“classical” world view as independent entities possessing their own power,
or as items of Avodah Zarah, but as representation of Klal Yisrael’s spiritual
needs.4 As the 2nd dream represented a spiritual dimension, it included the
entire Jewish nation. This was symbolized by including the “father” (the
Sun) and the “mother” (the Moon) in the dream with the brothers. Yoseif’s
second task, was to guard Klal Yisrael’s spiritual integrity which Yoseif did
by giving Klal Yisrael their own land, separate and apart from the Egyptians
so that their interrelationship with the Egyptians would be minimized.

Given these explanations, we now see how these dreams “fit”

together. However, one final question remains. Why was Yoseif given these
dreams in the first place? The Torah relates later on when Yoseif’s brothers
came to Egypt, only then did Yoseif understand the 1st dream (Bereshis
42:9), so the dream did not motivate Yoseif to take the actions he took to that
point. And it would appear that Yoseif’s later actions, securing his family
physical and spiritual existence, would be a normal and expected behavior
from Yoseif. So why was it necessary for Yoseif to have these dreams?

The answer to this question, which is well discussed by many (e.g.,

Ramban, Abarbanel, Akeidas Yitzchak, Rav Yosher Ber Soloveitchik...) is
that the dreams were given to Yoseif to inform him that he had to go beyond
the expected. Yoseif had to involve himself directly in healing the rift
between his brothers and himself. That reconciliation might not have
occurred naturally or under normal circumstances. Also, it informed Yoseif
that he had a duty to take action and help his brothers do teshuva.5

4
This idea that stars in a dream connotates the future of Klal Yisrael is derivable from Avraham’s dream
where Hashem showed him the stars. Some view Yoseif’s dream as a continuation of the vision shown
Avraham. See Rabbi Ari Kahn’s article at http://www.aish.com/tp/i/moha/79160192.html which gives an
interesting explanation of all the dreams dreamt and interpreted by Yoseif.
5
Rabbi David Silver elucidates this point very beautifully and forcibly in his article at
http://www.hatanakh.com/en/content/yosefs-dreams-and-treatment-his-brothers-egypt

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 This idea that Yoseif needed to take action and bring Binyamin into
the picture can be seen from the 1st dream which required all the brothers to
appear before Yoseif. Yet the verse (Bereshis 42:9) uses the plural, dreams.
Was this use of the plural simply historic that Yoseif remembered these
actions collectively, but only the 1st dream was critical, or was the 2nd dream
equally important to remember at that time?

The 2nd dream is actually the more important dream. The 2nd dream
grants Yoseif the moral authority to take the actions he took. It is the 2nd
dream that expresses to Yoseif that he has a duty to ensure Klal Yisrael
spiritual needs and that he has to resolve the conflicts between the brothers.
It would not be enough to only resolve the physical welfare and contractual
needs between the brothers. What Yoseif needed to do was to resolve the
internal and external conflicts within the family. It is the 2nd dream that
permits these actions.

But, there is another way to explain why Yoseif was given these
dreams. Each Avos had a different role and task. Avraham represented the
relationship between Jew to the Non-Jew; Yitzchak between Jew and Jew;
and Yakkov between the Non-Jew to the Jew.6 Yoseif not only inherited all
these spiritual skill sets from the Avos, but because of his personality, his
ability to be apart from the community yet remain connected to his roots,
made him the best suited to take the lead role in sustaining Klal Yisrael.

However, simply because one has a natural skill does not mean that
the skill does not need honing. Yoseif had to be separated from his brethren
and go through many steps and situations to allow these traits to fully
blossom. The purpose of the dreams was to inform Yoseif not only of his
innate capabilities, but of his eventual role. This subconscious message lived
within Yoseif and emerged at the critical junction when he was reunited with
his brothers.

6
A discussion of this particular idea in full is beyond the scope of this paper. But this idea can easily be
seen within the Torah. Avraham, the first Jew, reached out to mankind to teach the world about Hashem and
how to conduct oneself. Avraham was the spokesman and the example of how a Jew deals with the Non-
Jewish world they live in. Yitzchak, concern himself primarily with his family. Yitzchak did not actively
reach out to teach Judaism. Yitzchak was confined to Eretz Yisrael (when Yitzchak wanted to leave Eretz
Yisrael to go down to Egypt he was not allowed to go even though Avraham did and it was a time of famine
- the only act it appears that Yitzchak could not do that his father did). This symbolize Yitzchak’s special
connection to Eretz Yisrael and that he was to tend to the internal needs of the residents of Eretz Yisrael, the
land of the Jews. Yakkov left Eretz Yisrael, the domain of the Jew and worked for his father-in- law, the
Non-Jewish Laban. Yakkov had to learn what it was to be a Jew in a non-Jewish environment.

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 In this sense, the dreams had multiple roles. It was Yoseif’s 1st dream
that told him about his abilities to work both passively and actively with
Non-Jews, but it also informed him how to approach the next phase when it
came to dealing with his brothers. When the verse (Bereshis 42:9) relates
that Yoseif remembered his dreams it was meant in the historic sense as the
crucial part at this nexus was the 1st dream. However, both dreams were
needed to inform Yoseif of his overall destiny and how to live a double life,
of being a Jew who shows kindness to all, how to handle adversity from all
(Jew and Non-Jew), how to work in the “outside” world, and at the same
time how he must resolve that life with being committed and part of the
Jewish people.

Yoseif is referred to as “Yoseif Ha’Tzaddik”. Yoseif is not referred to

as a tzaddik because he had a “tzaddik personality” from his youth, or did
acts of tzidkus all the time. It was because he managed through all his
travails to retain his Jewish spirit. He learned from his mistakes he made in
his youth. He was never broken to act inappropriately in critical situations
when sorely tempted. It was these “dreams” that gave him the fortitude,
knowledge and courage to keep on trucking even in the most adverse
situations. These dreams taught him that it is possible to balance all these
different aspects together to become a complete person. That is why Yoseif
earned the title of “Ha’Tzaddik.”