בס”ד


Parshat Miketz describes Pharaoh’s two consecutive dreams. These prophetic dreams ultimately paved the way for Joseph the Righteous to rise to the position of Viceroy, saving the entire world from perishing in the famine. This was the start of the exile of the sons of Jacob to Egypt. Why was the initiation of this exile driven by a dream that influenced the entire world?

The Talmud establishes the founding principle: “There is no dream without nonsense.” Every dream, even a dream that carries a true message or divine prophecy as was sometimes revealed to the prophets, involves absurd elements, meaningless or impossible in reality. This means that even in prophetic dreams (concerning the future), the true message requires a separation between the content and the absurd in order to separate the true message from the impossible reality. A dream has the ability to transcend the usual boundaries of time, logic, and gradual progression, a dream operates above these limitations.

The gap between the impossible reality in the dream and the visible reality serves as an analogy for the concept of exile and redemption. The exile is likened to a dream. The historical period of exile is likened to a dream, because the status of the people of Israel among the nations is illogical according to its goal in the world. In a dream, one is not fully aware and conscious of what is going on. In addition, not all nations have yet formally accepted the Seven Commandments of Noah. On a personal level there can also exist a state of exile. Exile is a state of spiritual sleep. Similar to a dream, it allows a person to live within an internal contradiction without sensing it. The danger of Exile is that this abnormal state begins to feel natural.

The prophecy states that in the future: “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the L-rd, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). This means that all humanity will come to a full recognition of the unity of G-d and His kingdom. Redemption is in a sense, awakening. This awakening requires all humanity to emerge from the reality of an irrational dream in which idolatry, murder, and social corruption exist, into the reality of a universal moral order, defined by the Seven Commandments of Noah.

This ongoing process of receiving the Seven Commandments is one of the important factors in transforming the absurdity of the “dream” of exile into a rectified awakening from it: into the reality of infinite divine revelation in our physical world. G-d cannot be quantified or assessed by the terms or cognitive tools through which we experience reality. While He instituted the legal frameworks of time, the laws of nature and space, He Himself remains entirely above the dominion of nature, space and time. In the true and complete redemption, “when the Lord restores Zion,” a transition from “dream” to “reality” occurs (Psalm 126:1). Then, the absurdity of exile will be replaced by the complete truth of redemption, in which it will be fully revealed that the Lord is King over the entire creation.

By Rabbi Moshe Bernstein

Source: Tractate Berachot 55 and Sanhedrin 31. Genesis 37:10. Psalm 126:1. Isaiah 11:9. Likutei Sichos Vol. 1 page 85.

Rabbi Moshe Bernstein is the author of the books:

Light Onto the Nation: A Guide to the Seven Noahide Laws

Light Onto the Torah Portions.

Insights on the Torah Portions for Noahides 2 volumes.

Stories of Faith for Noahides: Inspiring Stories for Noahides from the Righteous of all Generations.



If you want more questions for contemplation, SEE THE OTHER BLOGS FROM RABBI MOSHE BERNSTEIN

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