Daf 183a (דַּף קפ״ג ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how much that love which he loved him more (כַּמָּה גָּרִים לֵיהּ הַהוּא רְחִימוּתָא דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ יַתִּיר), caused that he be revealed to his father (דְּגָרַם לֵיהּ דְּאִתְגְּלֵי מֵאֲבוֹי), and his father be revealed with him (וְאִתְגְּלִי אֲבוֹי בַּהֲדֵיהּ), and it caused exile to them (וְגָרַם לְהוּ גָּלוּתָא), and to the Shekhinṭa that was revealed among them (וְלִשְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא בֵּינַיְיהוּ). And even though the decree was decreed (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְגְּזִירַת גְּזֵרָה), it was established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ), that it was on account of the coat of many colors that he made for him more than the others (דִּבְגִין כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים דְּעֲבַד לֵיהּ יַתִּיר), what is written? “And his brothers saw…” (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיִּרְאוּ אֶחָיו). “And Yosef dreamed a dream, etc.” (וַיַּחֲלֹם יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם וְגו׳).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Numbers 12): “And He said: Hear now My words: if your prophet be of Hashem, in vision will I make Myself known to him, in a dream will I speak to him.” (וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְעוּ נָא דְּבָרָי, אִם יִהְיֶה נְבִיאֲכֶם יְיָ, בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע, בַּחֲלוֹם אֲדַבֵּר בּוֹ). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how many levels upon levels Kudsha Berikh Hu made (כַּמָּה דַּרְגִּין לְדַרְגִּין עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and all are established one upon the other (וְכֻלְּהוּ קָיְימֵי דָּא עַל דָּא): level above level (דַּרְגָּא עַל דַּרְגָּא), this one above that one (דָּא לְעֵיל מִן דָּא), and all draw from one another appropriately (וְכֻלְּהוּ יָנְקִין אִלֵּין מִן אִלֵּין כְּדְקָא חָזֵי לוֹן) some from the right and some from the left (אִלֵּין מִימִינָא וְאִלֵּין מִשְּׂמָאלָא), and all are appointed one over another, all properly (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְמַנָּן אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין, כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): all the prophets of the world (כָּל נְבִיאֵי דְעָלְמָא), all draw from one side (כֻּלְּהוּ יָנְקֵי מִסִּטְרָא חָדָא), from within two known levels (מִגּוֹ תְּרִין דַּרְגִּין יְדִיעָן), and those levels were seen through a dark mirror (וְאִינוּן דַּרְגִּין הֲווּ אִתְחַזְיָין בְּגוֹ אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּלָא נָהֲרָא), as it is written: “In a vision will I make Myself known” (דִּכְתִיב: בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע). What is mar’eh (מַאי הוּא מַרְאָה)? As it is said-some say: mar’eh (ד״א: ל״ג דְּמַרְאָה) a vision in which all colors are seen (חֵיזוּ דְּכָל גְּוָונִין אִתְחַזְיָין בְּגַוָּוהּ), and this is the mirror that does not shine (וְדָא הִיא אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא דְּלָא נָהֲרָא). “In a dream I will speak with him” (בַּחֲלוֹם אֲדַבֵּר בּוֹ) this is one of the sixty portions in prophecy (דָּא הוּא חַד מִשִּׁתִּין בִּנְבוּאָה), as it was established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ). And this is the sixth degree from that degree of prophecy (וְאִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא שְׁתִיתָאָה מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דִּנְבוּאָה), and it is the level of Gavri’el (וְאִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא דְגַבְרִיאֵל), who is appointed over dreams (דִּמְמַנָּא עַל חֶלְמָא), and behold, it is said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), every dream that is proper comes from this level (כָּל חֶלְמָא דְּאִיהוּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת מֵהַאי דַּרְגָּא קָא אַתְיָא), and for this reason there is no dream without some words of falsehood mingled with it (וְעַל דָּא לֵית לָךְ חֶלְמָא דְּלָא יִתְעָרְבוּן עִמֵּיהּ מִלִּין כְּדִיבִין), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). And therefore, some of it is truth and some of it is falsehood (וּבְגִין כָּךְ מִנַּיְיהוּ קְשׁוֹט וּמִנַּיְיהוּ כְּדִיבָן), and there is no dream that does not contain from this side and from that side (וְלֵית לָךְ חֶלְמָא דְּלָא אִית בֵּיהּ מֵהַאי גִּיסָא וּמֵהַאי גִּיסָא). And because a dream includes all as we have said (וּבְגִין דְּאִית בֵּיהּ בְּחֶלְמָא כֹּלָּא כִּדְאֲמָרָן), all dreams of the world follow the interpretation of the mouth (כָּל חֶלְמִין דְּעָלְמָא אָזְלִין בָּתַר פִּשְׁרָא דְּפוּמָא), and this has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ). As it is written (Bereshit 41): “And it was, as he interpreted for us, so it was” (וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר פָּתַר לָנוּ כֵּן הָיָה). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא), because there is in the dream both falsehood and truth (בְּגִין דְּאִית בֵּיהּ בְּחֶלְמָא כְּדִיבוּ וּקְשׁוֹט), and the word rules over all (וּמִלָּה שָׁלְטָא עַל כֹּלָּא), and for this reason a dream requires a good interpretation (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בָּעֵי חֶלְמָא פִּשְׁרָא טָבָא). Rabbi Yehuda said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): because every dream is from a lower level (בְּגִין דְּכָל חֶלְמָא מִדַּרְגָּא דִּלְתַתָּא אִיהוּ), and speech rules over it (וְדִבּוּר שָׁלְטָא עֲלֵיהּ). And therefore every dream follows its interpretation (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כָּל חֶלְמָא אָזְלָא בָּתַר פִּשְׁרָא).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Job 33): “In a dream, in a vision of the night” (בַּחֲלוֹם חֶזְיוֹן לַיְלָה), “when deep sleep falls upon men” (בִּנְפֹל תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל אֲנָשִׁים), “in slumber upon the bed” (בִּתְנוּמוֹת עֲלֵי מִשְׁכָּב), “then He opens the ears of men and seals their instruction” (אָז יִגְלֶה אֹזֶן אֲנָשִׁים וּבְמוֹסָרָם יַחְתֹּם). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when a man lies upon his bed (כַּד סָלִיק בַּר נָשׁ לְעַרְסֵיהּ), he must first submit himself to the kingship of Heaven (מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְאַמְלָכָא עֲלֵיהּ מַלְכוּתָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterward say one verse of mercy (וּלְבָתַר יֵימָא חַד פְּסוּקָא דְרַחֲמֵי), and this has been established by the Friends (וְאוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא). For when a man sleeps upon his bed (בְּגִין דְּהָא כַּד בַּר נָשׁ נָאִים עַל עַרְסֵיהּ), behold, his Neshamah departs from him (הָא נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ נַפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ), and goes and wanders above (וְאָזְלָא וְשָׁטְיָא לְעֵילָא), each one according to its path (כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּפוּם אָרְחֵיהּ), and thus it ascends, as it is said (וְהָכִי סְלִיקַת כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). What is written? “In a dream, a vision of the night” (מַה כְּתִיב, בַּחֲלוֹם חֶזְיוֹן לַיְלָה). When human beings lie on their beds (כַּד בְּנֵי נָשָׁא שָׁכְבֵי בְּעַרְסַיְיהוּ), they sleep and the Neshamah departs from them (נָיְימִין וְנִשְׁמָתָא נָפְקַת מִנַּיְיהוּ). This is what is written: “In slumber upon the bed, then He opens the ears of men” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, בִּתְנוּמוֹת עֲלֵי מִשְׁכָּב אָז יִגְלֶה אֹזֶן אֲנָשִׁים). And then Kudsha Berikh Hu informs the Neshamah (וּכְדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹדַע לָהּ לְנִשְׁמָתָא), in that level that oversees dreams (בְּהַהוּא דַרְגָּא דְּקָיְימָא עַל חֶלְמָא), the matters that are destined to come into the world (אִינוּן מִלִּין דִּזְמִינִין לְמֵיתֵי עַל עַלְמָא), or matters according to the contemplations of his heart (אוֹ אִינוּן מִלִּין כְּפוּם אִינוּן הִרְהוּרִין דְּלִבֵּיהּ), because man takes the path of worldly rebuke (בְּגִין דְּבַר נָשׁ נָטִיל אָרְחָא דְּתוֹכָחֵי דְעָלְמָא).

Because of this, man is not informed while he remains in the strength of the body (בְּגִין דְּהָא לָא מוֹדָעִין לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ בְּעוֹד דְּאִיהוּ קָאֵים בְּתוּקְפָא דְגוּפָא), Some say: of the Spirit (נ״א: דְּרוּחָא), as stated above (כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן). Rather, an angel informs the Neshamah (אֶלָּא מַלְאָכָא אוֹדַע לְנִשְׁמָתָא), and the Neshamah to the person (וְנִשְׁמָתָא לְבַר נָשׁ). And that dream is from above (וְהַהוּא חֶלְמָא אִיהוּ מִלְּעֵילָא), when Neshamot leave their bodies and ascend (כַּד נִשְׁמָתִין נָפְקִין מִגּוּפֵי וְסָלְקִין), each one according to its path (כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּפוּם אָרְחֵיהּ). And many are the levels upon levels (וְכַמָּה דַּרְגִּין עַל דַּרְגִּין), and the secret of the dream is entirely in the secret of Chokhmah (בְּרָזָא דְחֶלְמָא כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): Ḥalom is one level (חֲלוֹם דַּרְגָּא חָדָא), mar’eh is another level (מַרְאָה דַּרְגָּא חָדָא), Prophecy is another level (נְבוּאָה דַּרְגָּא חָדָא), and all are levels upon levels, one above the other (וְכֻלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין לְדַרְגִּין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין). And Yosef dreamed a dream (וַיַּחֲלֹם יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם), and he told it to his brothers (וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶחָיו), and they added yet more to hate him because of his dreams (וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ עַל חֲלוֹמוֹתָיו). From here we learn (מֵהָכָא) that a person should not recount his dream (דְּלָא מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמֵימַר חֶלְמֵיהּ) except to one who loves him (בַּר לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ), and if not, he causes harm to himself (וְאִי לָאו, אִיהוּ גָּרִים לֵיהּ). For if that dream is reversed into another form (דְּאִי הַהוּא חֶלְמָא מִתְהַפֵּךְ לְגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא), it is he who causes it to be removed (אִיהוּ גָּרִים לְסַלְּקָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), that Yosef told the dream to his brothers (דְּיוֹסֵף אִיהוּ אָמַר חֶלְמָא לַאֲחוּהִי), and because of that they caused his dream to be delayed for twenty-two years (וְעַל דָּא גָּרְמוּ לֵיהּ לְסַלָּקָא חֶלְמֵיהּ תְּרֵין וְעֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין דְּאִתְעַכַּב). Rabbi Yose said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): from where do we know this? (מְנָלָן), from what is written: “And they added yet more to hate him” (דִּכְתִיב: וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד שְׂנֹא אוֹתוֹ). What is “to hate him”? (מַאי שְׂנֹא אוֹתוֹ), that they caused accusations against him in this matter (דְּגָרְמוּ לֵיהּ קִטְרוּגִין בְּדָא).