In this week’s sidra of Miketz, Pharaoh dreams two troubling dreams. In the first dream, he sees seven fat cows and seven emaciated cows, and the emaciated cows devour the fat cows. The second dream has the same theme, but features fat and emaciated stalks of wheat. Pharaoh summons his sorcerers and bids them interpret his dreams, but he is not satisfied with their interpretations. Somehow he feels that they have not hit the mark. But what specifically is the basis for Pharaoh’s skepticism, and how does he know that Joseph’s interpretation is correct?
The Midrash presents a number of interpretations that Pharaoh’s sorcerers may have given him. However, the Midrash does not tell us the reason, based on the language of the Biblical text, why Pharaoh rejected those interpretations. I believe that a careful reading of Miketz tells us Pharaoh’s reason for rejecting his sorcerers’ interpretations, and also the reason that he was willing to accept Joseph’s words.
When Pharaoh relates his dreams to the sorcerers, pay attention to the unusual phrasing of the text: “Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none who could interpret them for Pharaoh” (Genesis 41:8). Note the sudden switch from singular to plural: Pharaoh told them his dream (singular), but there was none who could interpret them (plural) for Pharaoh. Why the sudden change from singular to plural? What is the Torah telling us? I believe the Torah is saying that Pharaoh knew his two dreams were one, that both dreams had the same meaning; but his sorcerers were viewing them as two separate dreams with two separate meanings, and that was the basis for Pharaoh’s unwillingness to accept their words.
In contrast, when Pharaoh finished telling his dreams to Joseph, the first words out of Joseph’s mouth were, “Pharaoh’s dream is one” (Genesis 41:25). Immediately, Pharaoh knew that Joseph understood the import of the dream, and therefore he was willing to trust Joseph’s interpretation.
© Copyright 2009 by Ben Roshgolin. All rights reserved.
14 December 2009
08 December 2009
Thoughts on Vayeshev: The Sun, the Moon, and the Dream
At the beginning of Vayeshev, Joseph, son of Jacob, dreams two dreams foretelling his destiny: that he will someday rule over his eleven brothers. He tells the first dream to his brothers and incurs their animosity. He tells the second dream to his brothers, and they despise him even more. Then he repeats the second dream to his father in the presence of his brothers: the sun, the moon, and eleven stars are bowing down to Joseph. Jacob immediately rebukes his son. How could this possibly be? “Will I and your mother and brothers come to grovel before you on the ground?” As Jacob portrays it, the whole thing sounds ridiculous. And moreover, Joseph’s mother is dead! The dream obviously makes no sense. Jacob, in an effort to make light of the dream and to make peace among his children, mocks Joseph’s dream. And yet, the Torah, says, Jacob kept the matter in mind. Jacob believed the dream.
What, then, is the true symbolism of Joseph’s dream? As we have seen, the moon cannot represent Joseph’s mother Rachel. Rashi, quoting Midrash Rabba, says that the moon actually represents Bilha, who had raised Joseph as though she had been his mother. But I have never found that explanation very satisfying. I feel the symbolism of Joseph’s dream must be more robust.
In an effort to discover the peshat of Joseph’s second dream, I believe we must take a whole new approach, completely abandoning Jacob’s proposed interpretation. After all, Jacob did not believe that interpretation either, and he only advanced it in an effort to make peace. I think the key to interpreting Joseph’s dream is to realize that the moon does not symbolize Joseph’s mother; and if that is the case, then perhaps the sun does not symbolize Joseph’s father. Rather, I propose that the sun of Joseph’s dream represents a mighty nation. In the ancient world in the time of our patriarchs, there was one nation whose might was legendary, whose culture was famed throughout the world, whose prosperity was the envy of all other nations – a nation whose chief deity was the sun god, whose king was said to be the offspring of the sun god, and whose countless monuments prominently displayed the sun: Egypt. Surely any person living in those times, if asked what nation he would associate with the sun, would unhesitatingly pick Egypt.
But if the sun is Egypt, what is the moon in Joseph’s dream? I believe the moon represents Jacob, the father of the Jewish nation. In later prophetic literature, the moon symbolizes Israel. Sometimes the nation of Israel wanes, and her face is darkened; but she always returns in the fullness of time. Thus, Jacob, the father of our nation, is the moon of Joseph’s dream. Perhaps Jacob himself did not understand the dream fully, but he knew it was a prophecy and would someday be fulfilled.
© Copyright 2009 by Ben Roshgolin. All rights reserved.
What, then, is the true symbolism of Joseph’s dream? As we have seen, the moon cannot represent Joseph’s mother Rachel. Rashi, quoting Midrash Rabba, says that the moon actually represents Bilha, who had raised Joseph as though she had been his mother. But I have never found that explanation very satisfying. I feel the symbolism of Joseph’s dream must be more robust.
In an effort to discover the peshat of Joseph’s second dream, I believe we must take a whole new approach, completely abandoning Jacob’s proposed interpretation. After all, Jacob did not believe that interpretation either, and he only advanced it in an effort to make peace. I think the key to interpreting Joseph’s dream is to realize that the moon does not symbolize Joseph’s mother; and if that is the case, then perhaps the sun does not symbolize Joseph’s father. Rather, I propose that the sun of Joseph’s dream represents a mighty nation. In the ancient world in the time of our patriarchs, there was one nation whose might was legendary, whose culture was famed throughout the world, whose prosperity was the envy of all other nations – a nation whose chief deity was the sun god, whose king was said to be the offspring of the sun god, and whose countless monuments prominently displayed the sun: Egypt. Surely any person living in those times, if asked what nation he would associate with the sun, would unhesitatingly pick Egypt.
But if the sun is Egypt, what is the moon in Joseph’s dream? I believe the moon represents Jacob, the father of the Jewish nation. In later prophetic literature, the moon symbolizes Israel. Sometimes the nation of Israel wanes, and her face is darkened; but she always returns in the fullness of time. Thus, Jacob, the father of our nation, is the moon of Joseph’s dream. Perhaps Jacob himself did not understand the dream fully, but he knew it was a prophecy and would someday be fulfilled.
© Copyright 2009 by Ben Roshgolin. All rights reserved.
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