The gemara continues to discuss dreams and the power of the interpreter to affect the outcome of the dream. Bar Hedya would intepret dreams positively to those who paid him and negatively to those who didn’t. Abaye and Rava saw the same dreams but because Abaye paid and Rava didn’t, he interpreted Abaye’s positively and Rava’s negatively and caused Rava great suffering including his wife’s death. How did the story end? Did his fraud get revealed? Did he get punished? The gemara brings a list of various things that if one sees they can be viewed positively or negatively and recommends that one read a verse that says something postivie about it in order to effect a positive outcome. Psychology and the importance of positive thinking is a central theme in today’s daf.
This month’s learning is sponsored by Jonathan Loring in honor of his wife, Leah Ackner and their children Zev and Meira. “From the first day I met my wife in Hebrew class at JTS to watching her show kindness when we volunteered together to help those in need and even when I had to wait 9 years for a first date, my wife has always been an inspiration to me and everyone she meets. Thank you for these 20 years and B’Ezrat Hashem to many more! I love you wifesy.”
This month’s learning is dedicated for a refuah shleima for Pesha Etel bat Sarah
This week’s learning is sponsored by Robert and Paula Cohen in loving memory of Chaim Avraham HaKohen ben Alter Gershon HaKohen.
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This month’s learning is sponsored by Jonathan Loring in honor of his wife, Leah Ackner and their children Zev and Meira. “From the first day I met my wife in Hebrew class at JTS to watching her show kindness when we volunteered together to help those in need and even when I had to wait 9 years for a first date, my wife has always been an inspiration to me and everyone she meets. Thank you for these 20 years and B’Ezrat Hashem to many more! I love you wifesy.”
This month’s learning is dedicated for a refuah shleima for Pesha Etel bat Sarah
This week’s learning is sponsored by Robert and Paula Cohen in loving memory of Chaim Avraham HaKohen ben Alter Gershon HaKohen.
Berakhot 56
אֲמַר לֵיהּ קֵיסָר לְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּרַבִּי חֲנַנְיָא: אָמְרִיתוּ דְּחָכְמִיתוּ טוּבָא, אֵימָא לִי מַאי חָזֵינָא בְּחֶלְמַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חָזֵית דִּמְשַׁחֲרִי לָךְ פָּרְסָאֵי וְגָרְבִי בָּךְ, וְרָעֲיִי בָּךְ שִׁקְצֵי בְּחוּטְרָא דְּדַהֲבָא. הַרְהַר כּוּלֵּיהּ יוֹמָא, וּלְאוּרְתָּא חֲזָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ שַׁבּוּר מַלְכָּא, לִשְׁמוּאֵל: אָמְרִיתוּ דְּחָכְמִיתוּ טוּבָא, אֵימָא לִי מַאי חָזֵינָא בְּחֶלְמַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חָזֵית דְּאָתוּ רוֹמָאֵי וְשָׁבוּ לָךְ, וְטָחֲנִי בָּךְ קַשְׁיָיתָא בְּרִחְיָיא דְּדַהֲבָא. הַרְהַר כּוּלֵּיהּ יוֹמָא, וּלְאוּרְתָּא חֲזָא.
On a similar note, the Gemara relates that the Roman emperor said to Rabbi Yehoshua, son of Rabbi Ḥananya: You Jews say that you are extremely wise. If that is so, tell me what I will see in my dream. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: You will see the Persians capture you, and enslave you, and force you to herd unclean animals with a golden staff. He thought the entire day about the images described to him by Rabbi Yehoshua and that night he saw it in his dream. King Shapur of Persia said to Shmuel: You Jews say that you are extremely wise. If that is so, tell me what I will see in my dream. Shmuel said to him: You will see the Romans come and take you into captivity and force you to grind date pits in mills of gold. He thought the entire day about the images described to him by Shmuel, and that night he saw it in his dream.
בַּר הֶדְיָא מְפַשַּׁר חֶלְמֵי הֲוָה. מַאן דְּיָהֵיב לֵיהּ אַגְרָא — מְפַשַּׁר לֵיהּ לִמְעַלְּיוּתָא, וּמַאן דְּלָא יָהֵיב לֵיהּ אַגְרָא — מְפַשַּׁר לֵיהּ לִגְרִיעוּתָא. אַבָּיֵי וְרָבָא חֲזוֹ חֶלְמָא. אַבָּיֵי יְהֵיב לֵיהּ זוּזָא, וְרָבָא לָא יְהֵיב לֵיהּ. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַקְרִינַן בְּחֶלְמִין ״שׁוֹרְךָ טָבוּחַ לְעֵינֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳״. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פָּסֵיד עִסְקָךְ וְלָא אַהֲנִי לָךְ לְמֵיכַל מֵעוּצְבָּא דְּלִבָּךְ. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַרְוַוח עִסְקָךְ וְלָא אַהֲנִי לָךְ לְמֵיכַל מֵחֶדְוָא דְּלִבָּךְ.
The Gemara relates: Bar Haddaya was an interpreter of dreams. For one who gave him a fee, he would interpret the dream favorably, and for one who did not give him a fee, he would interpret the dream unfavorably. The Gemara relates: There was an incident in which both Abaye and Rava saw an identical dream and they asked bar Haddaya to interpret it. Abaye gave him money and paid his fee, while Rava did not give him money. They said to him: The verse: “Your ox shall be slain before your eyes and you shall not eat thereof” (Deuteronomy 28:31) was read to us in our dream. He interpreted their dream and to Rava he said: Your business will be lost and you will derive no pleasure from eating because of the extreme sadness of your heart. To Abaye he said: Your business will profit and you will be unable to eat due to the joy in your heart.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַקְרִינַן ״בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת תּוֹלִיד וְגוֹ׳״ לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּבִישׁוּתֵיהּ. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ נְפִישִׁי, וּמִינַּסְבָן בְּנָתָךְ לְעָלְמָא, וּמִדַּמְיָין בְּאַפָּךְ כִּדְקָא אָזְלָן בְּשִׁבְיָה.
They said to him: The verse, “You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity” (Deuteronomy 28:41), was read to us in our dream. He interpreted their dreams, and to Rava he said its literal, adverse sense. To Abaye he said: Your sons and daughters will be numerous, and your daughters will be married to outsiders and it will seem to you as if they were taken in captivity.
אַקְרְיֻין ״בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ נְתֻנִים לְעַם אַחֵר״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ נְפִישִׁין, אַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ לְקָרִיבָךְ וְהִיא אָמְרָה לְקָרִיבַהּ, וְאָכְפָה לָךְ וְיָהֲבַתְּ לְהוֹן לְקָרִיבַהּ, דְּהָוֵי כְּעַם אַחֵר. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דְּבֵיתְהוּ שְׁכִיבָא, וְאָתוּ בְּנֵיהּ וּבְנָתֵיהּ לִידֵי אִיתְּתָא אַחֲרִיתִי. דְּאָמַר רָבָא אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַב: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ נְתֻנִים לְעַם אַחֵר״ — זוֹ אֵשֶׁת הָאָב.
They said to him: The verse: “Your sons and your daughters shall be given unto another people” (Deuteronomy 28:32), was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said: Your sons and daughters will be numerous. You say, that they should marry your relatives and your wife says that they should marry her relatives and she will impose her will upon you and they will be given in marriage to her relatives, which is like another nation as far as you are concerned. To Rava he said: Your wife will die and your sons and daughters will come into the hands of another woman. As Rava said that Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which is written in the verse: “Your sons and your daughters shall be given unto another people”? This refers to the father’s wife, the stepmother.
אַקְרִינַן בְּחֶלְמִין: ״לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַרְוַוח עִסְקָךְ וְאָכְלַתְּ וְשָׁתֵית וְקָרֵית פְּסוּקָא מֵחֶדְוָא דְלִבָּךְ. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פָּסֵיד עִסְקָךְ, טָבְחַתְּ וְלָא אָכְלַתְּ וְשָׁתֵית וְקָרֵית לְפַכּוֹחֵי פַּחְדָּךְ.
They said to him: The verse: “Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart” (Ecclesiastes 9:7) was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said: Your business will profit and you will eat and drink and read the verse out of the joy of your heart. To Rava he said: Your business will be lost, you will slaughter but not eat, you will drink wine and read passages from the Bible in order to allay your fears.
אַקְרִינַן ״זֶרַע רַב תּוֹצִיא הַשָּׂדֶה״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ, לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִסֵּיפֵיהּ.
They said to him: The verse: “You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather little in; for the locust shall consume it” (Deuteronomy 28:38), was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said from the beginning of the verse, that he will enjoy an abundant harvest. To Rava he said from the end of the verse, that his harvest will be destroyed.
אַקְרִינַן ״זֵיתִים יִהְיוּ לְךָ בְּכׇל גְּבוּלֶךָ וְגוֹ׳״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ, לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִסֵּיפֵיהּ.
They said to him: The verse: “You shall have olive trees throughout all your borders, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olives shall drop off” (Deuteronomy 28:40), was read to us in our dream. And again, to Abaye he said from the beginning of the verse. To Rava he said from the end of the verse.
אַקְרִינַן ״וְרָאוּ כׇּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נָפֵק לָךְ שְׁמָא דְּרֵישׁ מְתִיבְתָּא הָוֵית, אֵימְתָךְ נְפַלַת בְּעָלְמָא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בֵּדַיְינָא דְּמַלְכָּא אִתְּבַר, וּמִתְּפַסַתְּ בְּגַנָּבֵי, וְדָיְינִי כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא קַל וָחוֹמֶר מִינָּךְ. לִמְחַר אִתְּבַר בֵּדַיְינָא דְּמַלְכָּא וַאֲתוֹ וְתָפְשִׂי לֵיהּ לְרָבָא.
They said to him: The verse: “All the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon you; and they shall be afraid of you” (Deuteronomy 28:10), was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said: Your name will become well-known as head of the yeshiva, and you will be feared by all. To Rava he said: The king’s treasury was broken into and you will be apprehended as a thief, and everyone will draw an a fortiori inference from you: If Rava who is wealthy and of distinguished lineage can be arrested on charges of theft, what will become of the rest of us? Indeed, the next day, the king’s treasury was burglarized, and they came and apprehended Rava.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן חַסָּא עַל פּוּם דַּנֵּי. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עִיף עִסְקָךְ כְּחַסָּא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מָרִיר עִסְקָךְ כִּי חַסָּא.
Abaye and Rava said to him: We saw lettuce on the mouth of the barrels. To Abaye he said: Your business will double like lettuce whose leaves are wide and wrinkled. To Rava he said: Your work will be bitter like a lettuce stalk.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן בִּשְׂרָא עַל פּוּם דַּנֵּי. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּסֵים חַמְרָךְ, וְאָתוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְמִזְבַּן בִּשְׂרָא וְחַמְרָא מִינָּךְ. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תָּקֵיף חַמְרָךְ, וְאָתוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְמִזְבַּן בִּשְׂרָא לְמֵיכַל בֵּיהּ.
They said to him: We saw meat on the mouth of barrels. To Abaye he said: Your wine will be sweet and everyone will come to buy meat and wine from you. To Rava he said: Your wine will spoil, and everyone will go to buy meat in order to eat with it, to dip the meat in your vinegar.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן חָבִיתָא דִּתְלֵי בְּדִיקְלָא. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִדְּלֵי עִסְקָךְ כְּדִיקְלָא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲלֵי עִסְקָךְ כְּתַמְרֵי.
They said to him: We saw a barrel hanging from a palm tree. To Abaye he said: Your business will rise like a palm tree. To Rava he said: Your work will be sweet like dates which are very cheap in Babylonia, indicating that you will be compelled to sell your merchandise at a cheap price.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן רוּמָּנָא דְּקָדְחָא אַפּוּם דַּנֵּי, לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עֲשִׁיק עִסְקָךְ כְּרוּמָּנָא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: קָאוֵי עִסְקָךְ כְּרוּמָּנָא.
They said to him: We saw a pomegranate taking root on the mouth of barrels. To Abaye he said: Your business will increase in value like a pomegranate. To Rava he said: Your work will go sour like a pomegranate.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן חָבִיתָא דִּנְפַל לְבֵירָא. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִתְבְּעֵי עִסְקָךְ, כִּדְאָמַר ״נְפַל פִּתָּא בְּבֵירָא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח״. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פָּסֵיד עִסְקָךְ וְשָׁדֵית לֵיהּ לְבֵירָא.
They said to him: We saw a barrel fall into a pit. To Abaye he said: Your merchandise will be in demand as the adage says: Bread falls in a pit and is not found. In other words, everyone will seek your wares and they will not find them due to increased demand. To Rava he said: Your merchandise will be ruined and you will throw it away into a pit.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזֵינַן בַּר חֲמָרָא דְּקָאֵי אַאִיסָדַן וְנוֹעֵר. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַלְכָּא הָוֵית, וְקָאֵי אָמוֹרָא עֲלָךְ. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״פֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר״ גְּהִיט מִתְּפִילָּךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְדִידִי חֲזֵי לִי וְאִיתֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וָאו דְּ״פֶטֶר חֲמוֹר״ וַדַּאי גְּהִיט מִתְּפִילָּךְ.
They said to him: We saw a donkey foal standing near our heads, braying. To Abaye he said: You will be a king, that is to say, head of the yeshiva, and an interpreter will stand near you to repeat your teachings to the masses out loud. To Rava he said: I see the words peter ḥamor, first-born donkey, erased from your phylacteries. Rava said to him: I myself saw it and it is there. Bar Haddaya said to him: The letter vav of the word peter ḥamor is certainly erased from your phylacteries.
לְסוֹף אֲזַל רָבָא לְחוֹדֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דַּשָּׁא בָּרָיְיתָא דִּנְפַל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִשְׁתְּךָ שָׁכְבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי כַּכַּי וְשִׁנַּי דִּנְתוּר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ שָׁכְבָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי תַּרְתֵּי יוֹנֵי דְּפָרְחָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תְּרֵי נְשֵׁי מְגָרְשַׁתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי תְּרֵי גַּרְגְּלִידֵי דְלִפְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תְּרֵין קוּלְפֵי בָּלְעַתְּ. אֲזַל רָבָא הָהוּא יוֹמָא וִיתֵיב בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא כּוּלֵּיהּ יוֹמָא. אַשְׁכַּח הָנְהוּ תְּרֵי סַגִּי נְהוֹרֵי דַּהֲווֹ קָמִנְּצוּ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי. אֲזַל רָבָא לְפָרוֹקִינְהוּ, וּמְחוֹהוּ לְרָבָא תְּרֵי. דְּלוֹ לְמַחוֹיֵיהּ אַחֲרִיתִי, אֲמַר: מִסְתַּיי, תְּרֵין חֲזַאי.
Ultimately, Rava went to bar Haddaya alone. Rava said to him: I saw the outer door of my house fall. Bar Haddaya said to him: Your wife will die, as she is the one who protects the house. Rava said to him: I saw my front and back teeth fall out. He said to him: Your sons and daughters will die. Rava said to him: I saw two doves that were flying. He said to him: You will divorce two women. Rava said to him: I saw two turnip heads [gargelidei]. He said to him: You will receive two blows with a club shaped like a turnip. That same day Rava went and sat in the study hall the entire day. He discovered these two blind people who were fighting with each other. Rava went to separate them and they struck Rava two blows. When they raised their staffs to strike him an additional blow, he said: That is enough for me, I only saw two.
לְסוֹף אֲתָא רָבָא וִיהֵיב לֵיהּ אַגְרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי אֲשִׁיתָא דִּנְפַל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נְכָסִים בְּלֹא מְצָרִים קָנֵית. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי אַפַּדְנָא דְּאַבָּיֵי דִּנְפַל וְכַסְּיַין אַבְקֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַבָּיֵי שָׁכֵיב וּמְתִיבְתֵּיהּ אָתְיָא לְגַבָּךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי אַפַּדְנָא דִידִי דִּנְפַל, וַאֲתוֹ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא שְׁקוּל לְבֵינְתָּא לְבֵינְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שְׁמַעְתָּתָךְ מִבַּדְּרָן בְּעָלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּאִבְּקַע רֵישִׁי וּנְתַר מוּקְרִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אוּדְרָא מִבֵּי סָדְיָא נָפֵיק. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַקְרְיוּן הַלֵּלָא מִצְרָאָה בְּחֶלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נִיסֵּי מִתְרַחְשִׁי לָךְ.
Ultimately, Rava came and gave him, bar Haddaya, a fee. And then Rava said to him: I saw my wall fall. Bar Haddaya said to him: You will acquire property without limits. Rava said to him: I saw Abaye’s house [appadna] fall and its dust covered me. Bar Haddaya said to him: Abaye will die and his yeshiva will come to you. Rava said to him: I saw my house fall, and everyone came and took the bricks. He said to him: Your teachings will be disseminated throughout the world. Rava said to him: I saw that my head split and my brain fell out. He said to him: A feather will fall out of the pillow near your head. Rava said to him: The Egyptian hallel, the hallel that celebrates the Exodus, was read to me in a dream. He said to him: Miracles will be performed for you.
הֲוָה קָא אָזֵיל בַּהֲדֵיהּ בְּאַרְבָּא. אָמַר: בַּהֲדֵי גַּבְרָא דְּמִתְרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ נִיסָּא לְמָה לִי. בַּהֲדֵי דְּקָא סָלֵיק נְפַל סִיפְרָא מִינֵּיהּ. אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רָבָא וַחֲזָא דַּהֲוָה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ ״כׇּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִין אַחַר הַפֶּה״. אֲמַר: רָשָׁע, בְּדִידָךְ קָיְימָא, וְצַעַרְתַּן כּוּלֵּי הַאי. כּוּלְּהוּ מָחֵילְנָא לָךְ, בַּר מִבְּרַתֵּיה דְּרַב חִסְדָּא. יְהֵא רַעֲוָא דְּלִמְּסַר הַהוּא גַּבְרָא לִידֵי דְּמַלְכוּתָא דְּלָא מְרַחֲמוּ עֲלֵיהּ.
Bar Haddaya was going with Rava on a ship; bar Haddaya said: Why am I going with a person for whom miracles will be performed, lest the miracle will be that the ship will sink and he alone will be saved. As bar Haddaya was climbing onto the ship a book fell from him. Rava found it and saw: All dreams follow the mouth, written therein. He said to bar Haddaya: Scoundrel. It was dependent on you, and you caused me so much suffering. I forgive you for everything except for the daughter of Rav Ḥisda, Rava’s wife, whom bar Haddaya predicted would die. May it be Your will that this man be delivered into the hands of a kingdom that has no compassion on him.
אָמַר: מַאי אַעֲבֵיד? גְּמִירִי דְּקִלְלַת חָכָם, אֲפִילּוּ בְּחִנָּם הִיא בָּאָה, וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן רָבָא דִּבְדִינָא קָא לָיֵיט. אָמַר: אֵיקוּם וְאֶגְלֵי, דַּאֲמַר מָר: גָּלוּת מְכַפֶּרֶת עָוֹן.
Bar Haddaya said to himself: What will I do? We learned through tradition that the curse of a Sage, even if baseless, comes true. And all the more so in the case of Rava, as he cursed me justifiably. He said to himself: I will get up and go into exile, as the Master said: Exile atones for transgression.
קָם גְּלִי לְבֵי רוֹמָאֵי. אֲזַל יְתֵיב אַפִּתְחָא דְּרֵישׁ טוּרְזִינָא דְּמַלְכָּא. רֵישׁ טוּרְזִינָא חֲזָא חֶלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי חֶלְמָא דְּעָיֵיל מַחְטָא בְּאֶצְבַּעְתִּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי זוּזָא, וְלָא יְהַב לֵיהּ. לָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלָא מִידֵּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּנְפַל תִּכְלָא בְּתַרְתֵּין אֶצְבְּעָתִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי זוּזָא, וְלָא יְהַב לֵיהּ, וְלָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּנְפַל תִּכְלָא בְּכוּלַּהּ יְדָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נְפַל תִּכְלָא בְּכוּלְּהוּ שִׁירָאֵי. שָׁמְעִי בֵּי מַלְכָּא, וְאַתְיוּהּ לְרֵישׁ טוּרְזִינָא קָא קָטְלִי לֵיהּ. אָמַר לְהוּ: אֲנָא אַמַּאי? אַיְיתוֹ לְהַאי דַּהֲוָה יָדַע וְלָא אֲמַר. אַיְיתוּהוּ בַּר הֶדְיָא, אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַמַּטּוּ זוּזָא דִידָךְ חֲרַבוּ
He arose and exiled himself to the seat of the Roman government. He went and sat by the entrance, where the keeper of the king’s wardrobe stood. The wardrobe guard dreamed a dream. He said to bar Haddaya: I saw in the dream that a needle pierced my finger. Bar Haddaya said to him: Give me a zuz. He did not give him the coin so bar Haddaya said nothing to him. Again, the guard said to him: I saw a worm that fell between my two fingers, eating them. Bar Haddaya said to him: Give me a zuz. He did not give him the coin, so bar Haddaya said nothing to him. Again, the guard said to him: I saw that a worm fell upon my entire hand, eating it. Bar Haddaya said to him: A worm fell upon and ate all the silk garments. They heard of this in the king’s palace and they brought the wardrobe keeper and were in the process of executing him. He said to them: Why me? Bring the one who knew and did not say the information that he knew. They brought bar Haddaya and said to him: Because of your zuz, ruin came upon
שִׁירָאֵי דְּמַלְכָּא! כְּפִיתוּ תְּרֵין אַרְזֵי בְּחַבְלָא, אֲסוּר חַד כְּרָעֵיהּ לְחַד אַרְזָא וְחַד כְּרָעֵיהּ לְחַד אַרְזָא, וּשְׁרוֹ לְחַבְלָא עַד דְּאִצְטְלִיק רֵישֵׁיהּ. אֲזַל כׇּל חַד וְחַד וְקָם אַדּוּכְתֵּיהּ וְאִצְטְלִיק וּנְפַל בִּתְרֵין.
the king’s silk garments. They tied two cedar trees together with a rope, and tied one of his legs to one cedar and one of his legs to the other cedar, and they released the rope until his head split open. Each tree went back and stood in its place and bar Haddaya split and fell completely split in two.
שָׁאַל בֶּן דָּמָא בֶּן אֲחוֹתוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֶת רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: רָאִיתִי שְׁנֵי לְחָיַי שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ. אָמַר: שְׁנֵי גְּדוּדֵי רוֹמִי יָעֲצוּ עָלֶיךָ רָעָה, וּמֵתוּ.
The Gemara relates a story with regard to a Sage who interpreted dreams, Rabbi Yishmael. Ben Dama, son of Rabbi Yishmael’s sister, asked his uncle, Rabbi Yishmael: I saw in a dream that my two cheeks fell off. What does my dream mean? Rabbi Yishmael said to him: Two Roman battalions spoke ill of you, and they died. Cheeks symbolize a mouth that speaks evil.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ בַּר קַפָּרָא לְרַבִּי: רָאִיתִי חוֹטְמִי שֶׁנָּשַׁר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲרוֹן אַף נִסְתַּלֵּק מִמְּךָ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רָאִיתִי שְׁנֵי יָדַי שֶׁנֶּחְתְּכוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא תִּצְטָרֵךְ לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רָאִיתִי שְׁתֵּי רַגְלַי שֶׁנִּקְטְעוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַל סוּס אַתָּה רוֹכֵב. חֲזַאי דְּאָמְרִי לִי בַּאֲדָר מָיְתַתְּ וְנִיסָן לָא חָזֵית. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּאַדְרוּתָא מָיְתַתְּ וְלָא אָתֵית לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן.
Similarly, the Gemara relates: Bar Kappara said to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: I saw in a dream that my nose fell off. What does my dream mean? He said to him: This is an allusion that anger [ḥaron af] that had been directed against you has been removed from you. Bar Kappara said to him: I saw in a dream that my two hands were cut off. Rabbi said to him: This dream means that you will not require the labor of your hands, as you will be rich and you will have considerable means without effort. Bar Kappara said to him: I saw my two legs were cut off. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: You are riding a horse. He said to him: I saw that they were saying to me that in the month of Adar I will die and I will not see Nisan. He said to him: You will die in glory [adruta] and you will not be brought to temptation [nissayon].
אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא לְרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: רָאִיתִי שֶׁאֲנִי מַשְׁקֶה שֶׁמֶן לְזֵיתִים. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל אִמּוֹ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּקְטִיף לִי כּוֹכְבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּנַבְתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּבְלַעְתֵּיהּ לְכוֹכְבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל זַבֵּנְתֵּיהּ וַאֲכַלְתְּ לִדְמֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי עֵינַי דְּנָשְׁקָן אַהֲדָדֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל אֲחוֹתוֹ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּנְשַׁקִי סֵיהֲרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּדָרֵיכְנָא בְּטוּנָא דְּאָסָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל נַעֲרָה הַמְאוֹרָסָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי טוּנָא מֵעִילַּאי וְהוּא מִתַּתַּאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִשְׁכָּבְךָ הָפוּךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי עוֹרְבֵי דְּהָדְרִי לְפוּרְיֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִשְׁתְּךָ זָנְתָה מֵאֲנָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי יוֹנֵי דְּהָדְרִי לְפוּרְיֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה טִמֵּאתָ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּנָקֵיטְנָא תְּרֵי יוֹנֵי וּפָרְחָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תַּרְתֵּי נְשֵׁי נְסַבְתְּ וּפְטַרְתִּינּוּן בְּלָא גֵּט.
The Gemara relates a different case of dream interpretation: A certain heretic said to Rabbi Yishmael: I saw in my dream that I was irrigating olives with olive oil. What is the interpretation of my dream? He said to him: It is a sign that you had relations with your mother, as oil comes from the olive, and he is returning the oil to the olives. That heretic said to Rabbi Yishmael: I saw that I was plucking a star. He said to him: You kidnapped an Israelite man, as Israel is likened to the stars. The heretic said to him: I saw that I swallowed a star. He said to him: You sold the Israelite man whom you kidnapped and spent the money that you received from the sale. The heretic said to him: I saw my eyes kissing one another. He said to him: You had relations with your sister, as siblings are like two eyes. The heretic said to him: I saw myself kissing the moon. He said to him: You slept with an Israelite woman, who is likened to the moon. He said to him: I saw that I was treading in the shade of a myrtle tree. He said to him: You slept with a betrothed young woman, as it was customary to make a canopy of myrtle for the betrothal. He said to him: I saw that the shade was above me, and the tree was below me. He said to him: Your bed is upside-down, your relations with the betrothed woman were unnatural. He said to him: I saw ravens circling my bed. He said to him: Your wife committed adultery with many men. He said to him: I saw doves circling around my bed. He said to him: You defiled many women. He said to him: I saw that I was holding two doves and they were flying. He said to him: You married two women and dismissed them from your house without a divorce.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּקָלֵיפְנָא בֵּיעֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שָׁכְבֵי קָא מְשַׁלְּחַתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כּוּלְּהוּ אִיתַנְהוּ בִּי, בַּר מֵהָא דְּלֵיתֵיהּ. אַדְּהָכִי וְהָכִי אָתְיָא הַאי אִיתְּתָא וְאָמְרָה לֵיהּ: הַאי גְּלִימָא דְּמִכַּסַּתְּ — דְּגַבְרָא פְּלוֹנִי הוּא, דְּמִית וְאַשְׁלַחְתֵּיהּ.
He said to him: I saw myself peeling eggs. He said to him: You stripped dead people, because an egg is eaten at the meal of comfort after burying the dead. The same heretic said to him: Everything you have interpreted is true, with the exception of this one, the last interpretation, which is not true. Meanwhile, this woman came and said to him: This cloak that you are wearing belongs to such-and-such a man, who died and whom you stripped of his clothing.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּאָמְרִי לִי: שְׁבַק לָךְ אֲבוּךְ נִכְסֵי בְּקַפּוֹדְקְיָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִית לָךְ נִכְסֵי בְּקַפּוֹדְקְיָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָאו. אֲזַל אֲבוּךְ לְקַפּוֹדְקְיָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָאו. אִם כֵּן: קַפָּא כְּשׁוּרָא, דֵּיקָא עַשְׂרָה. זִיל חֲזִי קַפָּא דְּרֵישׁ עַשְׂרָה שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה זוּזֵי. אֲזַל אַשְׁכַּח שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה זוּזֵי.
He said to Rabbi Yishmael: I saw that they said to me in a dream: Your father left you property in Cappadocia. Rabbi Yishmael said to him: Do you have property in Cappadocia? The heretic said to him: No. Did your father ever go to Cappadocia? The heretic said to him: No. Rabbi Yishmael said to him: If so, it must be understood as follows: Kappa in Greek means beam; deka means ten. Go look at the tenth beam in your house and you will find that it is full of coins. He went and found that it was full of coins.
אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: הָרוֹאֶה בְּאֵר בַּחֲלוֹם — רוֹאֶה שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּחְפְּרוּ עַבְדֵי יִצְחָק בַּנָּחַל וַיִּמְצְאוּ שָׁם בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים״. רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: מָצָא תּוֹרָה — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי מֹצְאִי מָצָא חַיִּים״, וּכְתִיב הָכָא: ״בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים״. רָבָא אָמַר: חַיִּים מַמָּשׁ.
The Gemara continues dealing with interpretations of the details of dreams: Rabbi Ḥanina said: One who sees a well in a dream sees peace, as it is said: “And Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of living water” (Genesis 26:19), and ultimately there was peace. Rabbi Natan says: One who sees a well in his dream it is a symbol that he has found Torah, as the well symbolizes Torah. As it is stated with regard to the Torah: “For whoever finds me finds life” (Proverbs 8:35), and it is written here: “A well of living water,” and we see that a well is linked to Torah as both are associated with life. Rava said: The well in the dream symbolizes actual life.
אָמַר רַבִּי חָנָן שָׁלֹשׁ שְׁלוֹמוֹת הֵן: נָהָר, צִפּוֹר, וּקְדֵרָה. נָהָר — דִּכְתִיב: ״הִנְנִי נֹטֶה אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלוֹם״. צִפּוֹר — דִּכְתִיב: ״כְּצִפֳּרִים עָפוֹת כֵּן יָגֵן ה׳ צְבָאוֹת וְגוֹ׳״. קְדֵרָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״ה׳ תִּשְׁפֹּת שָׁלוֹם לָנוּ״. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: וּבִקְדֵרָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ בָּשָׂר שָׁנִינוּ. ״וּפָרְשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר בַּסִּיר וּכְבָשָׂר בְּתוֹךְ קַלָּחַת״.
Rabbi Ḥanan said: There are three items seen in dreams that are indications of peace: A river, a bird and a pot. The Gemara elaborates: A river, as it is written: “I will extend peace to her like a river” (Isaiah 66:12); a bird, as it is written: “As birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem” (Isaiah 31:5); and a pot, as it is written: “Lord, You will establish [tishpot] peace for us” (Isaiah 26:12). Peace is likened to a pot which is placed [shafat] on the fire. And Rabbi Ḥanina said: We learned that a pot in a dream is a sign of peace with regard to a pot that does not have meat in it, as a pot that has meat in it symbolizes calamity, as it is stated: “Yea, they chop them in pieces, as that which is in the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron” (Micah 3:3).
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: הָרוֹאֶה נָהָר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר: ״הִנְנִי נֹטֶה אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלוֹם״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כִּי יָבֹא כַנָּהָר צָר״. הָרוֹאֶה צִפּוֹר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״כְּצִפֳּרִים עָפוֹת כֵּן יָגֵן וְגוֹ׳״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כְּצִפּוֹר נוֹדֶדֶת מִן קִנָּהּ וְגוֹ׳״. הָרוֹאֶה קְדֵרָה בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר: ״ה׳ תִּשְׁפֹּת שָׁלוֹם לָנוּ״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״שְׁפֹת הַסִּיר שְׁפֹת״.
Since rivers, birds, and pots have ambiguous connotations, it is recommended that someone who sees them in a dream recite a verse that interprets the dream positively. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who sees something in a dream that may be interpreted ambiguously should quickly recite an appropriate verse suggestive of a positive interpretation. For example, one who sees a river in a dream should rise early and recite: “I will extend peace to her like a river,” before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “For distress will come in like a river” (Isaiah 59:19). One who sees a bird in a dream should rise early and recite: “As birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem,” before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man that wanders from his place” (Proverbs 27:8). One who sees a pot in a dream should rise early and recite: “Lord, You will establish peace for us,” before a different verse, which concludes with a wrathful prophecy, can precede it in becoming reality: “Set on the pot, set it on” (Ezekiel 24:3).
הָרוֹאֶה עֲנָבִים בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״כַּעֲנָבִים בַּמִּדְבָּר״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״עֲנָבֵמוֹ עִנְּבֵי רוֹשׁ״. הָרוֹאֶה הַר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר — ״מַה נָּאווּ עַל הֶהָרִים רַגְלֵי מְבַשֵּׂר״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״עַל הֶהָרִים אֶשָּׂא בְכִי וָנֶהִי״.
Similarly, one who sees grapes in a dream should rise early and recite: “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness” (Hosea 9:10), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “Their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter” (Deuteronomy 32:32). One who sees a mountain in a dream should rise early and recite: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good tidings, that announces peace, the harbinger of good tidings, that announces salvation” (Isaiah 52:7), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing” (Jeremiah 9:9).
הָרוֹאֶה שׁוֹפָר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״תִּקְעוּ שׁוֹפָר בַּגִּבְעָה״.
One who sees a shofar in a dream should rise early and recite: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great shofar shall be sounded; and they shall come that were lost in the land of Assyria, and they that were dispersed in the land of Egypt” (Isaiah 27:13), before a different verse, in which the shofar is a symbol of war, can precede it in becoming reality: “Blow you the horn [shofar] in Giva” (Hosea 5:8).
הָרוֹאֶה כֶּלֶב בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״וּלְכֹל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֶחֱרַץ כֶּלֶב לְשֹׁנוֹ״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״וְהַכְּלָבִים עַזֵּי נֶפֶשׁ״. הָרוֹאֶה אֲרִי בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״עָלָה אַרְיֵה מִסֻּבְּכוֹ״.
One who sees a dog in a dream should rise early and recite: “But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue” (Exodus 11:7), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “Yea, the dogs are greedy” (Isaiah 56:11). One who sees a lion in a dream should rise early and recite: “The lion has roared, who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations is set out, gone forth from his place” (Jeremiah 4:7).
הָרוֹאֶה תִּגְלַחַת בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״וַיְגַלַּח וַיְחַלֵּף שִׂמְלֹתָיו״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כִּי אִם גֻּלַּחְתִּי וְסָר מִמֶּנִּי כֹחִי״. הָרוֹאֶה בְּאֵר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כְּהָקִיר בַּיִר מֵימֶיהָ״. הָרוֹאֶה קָנֶה בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״קָנֶה רָצוּץ לֹא יִשְׁבּוֹר״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״הִנֵּה בָטַחְתָּ לְּךָ עַל מִשְׁעֶנֶת הַקָּנֶה הָרָצוּץ״.
One who sees a shave in a dream should rise early and recite: “And he shaved himself, and changed his raiment” (Genesis 41:14), which was said with regard to Joseph when he left prison and rose to greatness, before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak” (Judges 16:17). One who sees a well in a dream should rise early and recite: “A well of living waters” (Song of Songs 4:15), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “As a cistern wells with her waters, so it wells in its wickedness” (Jeremiah 6:7). One who sees a reed in a dream should rise early and recite: “A bruised reed shall he not break” (Isaiah 42:3), in praise of the Messiah, before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “Now, behold, you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed” (II Kings 18:21), which is a disparaging depiction of Egypt.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה קָנֶה בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קְנֵה חָכְמָה״. קָנִים — יְצַפֶּה לְבִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְכׇל קִנְיָנְךָ קְנֵה בִינָה״. אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: קָרָא, קוּרָא, קִירָא, קַנְיָא — כּוּלְּהוּ מְעַלּוּ לְחֶלְמָא. תַּנְיָא: אֵין מַרְאִין דִּלּוּעִין אֶלָּא לְמִי שֶׁהוּא יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ.
The Sages teach: One who sees a reed [kaneh] in a dream should expect wisdom, as it is stated: “Get [kene] wisdom” (Proverbs 4:7). One who sees several reeds [kanim] should expect understanding, as it said: “Yea, with all your acquisitions [kinyanekha] acquire understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). Rabbi Zeira said: Pumpkin [kara], heart of palm [kura], wax [kira], and reed [kanya], are all advantageous when one dreams about them. It was taught in a baraita: A pumpkin is only shown in a dream to one who fears Heaven with all his might, because pumpkins [delu’im] are interpreted as an acronym for dalu einai lamarom, “My eyes were raised on high” (Isaiah 38:14).
הָרוֹאֶה שׁוֹר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ הָדָר לוֹ״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כִּי יִגַּח שׁוֹר אֶת אִישׁ״.
One who sees an ox in a dream, should rise early and recite: “His firstling bullock, majesty is his” (Deuteronomy 33:17), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “And if an ox gore a man” (Exodus 21:28).
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּשׁוֹר. הָאוֹכֵל מִבְּשָׂרוֹ — מִתְעַשֵּׁר. נְגָחוֹ — הָוְיִין לֵיהּ בָּנִים שֶׁמְנַגְּחִים בַּתּוֹרָה. נְשָׁכוֹ — יִסּוּרִין בָּאִים עָלָיו. בְּעָטוֹ — דֶּרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה נִזְדַּמְּנָה לוֹ. רְכָבוֹ — עוֹלֶה לִגְדוּלָּה.
The Sages taught in a baraita: Five matters are said about dreams with regard to the ox. One who dreams that he ate from its flesh will become wealthy. One who dreams that it gored him will have sons who are Torah scholars, who gore each other in an attempt to better understand Torah. One who dreams that it bit him, suffering is coming to him. One who dreams that it kicked him will be required to travel a great distance in the future. One who dreams that he was riding it, it is a sign that he will rise to greatness.
וְהָתַנְיָא רְכָבוֹ — מֵת! לָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא דְּרָכֵיב הוּא לְתוֹרָא. הָא, דְּרָכֵיב תּוֹרָא לְדִידֵיהּ.
The Gemara challenges: Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that one who dreams that he was riding it, it is a sign that he will die? The Gemara responds: This is not difficult. This, which taught that he will rise to greatness, refers to a case where he saw that he was riding the ox, while this, which taught that it is a sign of his imminent death, refers to a case where he saw that the ox was riding him.
הָרוֹאֶה חֲמוֹר בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לִישׁוּעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבוֹא לָךְ צַדִּיק וְנוֹשָׁע הוּא עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר״. הָרוֹאֶה חָתוּל בַּחֲלוֹם — בְּאַתְרָא דְּקָרוּ לֵיהּ ״שׁוּנָּרָא״ — נַעֲשֵׂית לוֹ שִׁירָה נָאָה. ״שִׁינָּרָא״ — נַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ שִׁינּוּי רַע. הָרוֹאֶה עֲנָבִים בַּחֲלוֹם, לְבָנוֹת, בֵּין בִּזְמַנָּן, וּבֵין שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַנָּן — יָפוֹת. שְׁחוֹרוֹת בִּזְמַנָּן — יָפוֹת. שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַנָּן — רָעוֹת. הָרוֹאֶה סוּס לָבָן בַּחֲלוֹם, בֵּין בְּנַחַת, בֵּין בְּרָדוּף — יָפֶה לוֹ. אָדוֹם, בְּנַחַת — יָפֶה, בְּרָדוּף — קָשֶׁה.
One who sees a donkey in a dream should anticipate salvation, as it is said: “Behold, your king comes unto you; he is triumphant, and victorious, lowly, and riding upon a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). One who sees a cat in a dream in a place where in Aramaic they call it shunra, a nice song [shira na’a] will be composed for him. If he sees a cat in a place where they call cats shinra, it is a sign that he will undergo a change for the worse [shinui ra]. One who sees grapes in a dream and they were white or light colored, regardless of whether it was in their season or not in their season, it is a good sign. One who sees black grapes in their season, it is a good omen. However, one who sees black grapes when it was not in their season, it is a bad omen. One who sees a white horse in a dream, regardless of whether the horse was walking or running, it is a good omen for him. One who sees a red horse walking, it is a good omen; running, it is a bad omen.
הָרוֹאֶה יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּחֲלוֹם — תְּפִלָּתוֹ נִשְׁמַעַת. וְדַוְקָא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, אֲבָל טַיָּיעָא בְּעָלְמָא — לָא. הָרוֹאֶה גָּמָל בַּחֲלוֹם — מִיתָה נִקְנְסָה לוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהִצִּילוּהוּ מִמֶּנָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: מַאי קְרָאָה — ״וְאָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה וְאָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ גַם עָלֹה״. רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: מֵהָכָא: ״גַּם ה׳ הֶעֱבִיר חַטָּאתְךָ לֹא תָמוּת״.
The Gemara says: One who sees Ishmael in a dream, it is an omen that his prayer will be heard, just as Ishmael’s prayer was heard. The Gemara notes: This refers specifically to where one saw Ishmael, son of Abraham, but not if one saw a random Arab. One who sees a camel [gamal] in a dream, it is an omen that death was decreed upon him from heaven but he was spared. Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: What verse alludes to this? “I will go down with you into Egypt; and I will also surely bring you up again [gam alo]” (Genesis 46:4), the acronym for which is gamal. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: The source for this is from here, another verse: “The Lord also [gam] has put away your sin; you shall not die” (II Samuel 12:13).
הָרוֹאֶה פִּינְחָס בַּחֲלוֹם — פֶּלֶא נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ. הָרוֹאֶה פִּיל בַּחֲלוֹם — פְּלָאוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ. פִּילִים — פִּלְאֵי פְּלָאוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ.
One who sees Pinehas in a dream, it is an omen that a miracle will be performed on his behalf, just as miracles were performed for Pinehas. One who sees an elephant [pil] in a dream it is an omen that miracles [pelaot] will be performed for him. One who sees multiple elephants in a dream, miracles upon miracles will be performed for him.
וְהָתַנְיָא כׇּל מִינֵי חַיּוֹת יָפִין לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מִן הַפִּיל וּמִן הַקּוֹף! לָא קַשְׁיָא,
The Gemara asks: Was it not taught in a baraita: All species of animals are good omens in a dream, with the exception of an elephant and a monkey? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult.
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Berakhot 56
אֲמַר לֵיהּ קֵיסָר לְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּרַבִּי חֲנַנְיָא: אָמְרִיתוּ דְּחָכְמִיתוּ טוּבָא, אֵימָא לִי מַאי חָזֵינָא בְּחֶלְמַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חָזֵית דִּמְשַׁחֲרִי לָךְ פָּרְסָאֵי וְגָרְבִי בָּךְ, וְרָעֲיִי בָּךְ שִׁקְצֵי בְּחוּטְרָא דְּדַהֲבָא. הַרְהַר כּוּלֵּיהּ יוֹמָא, וּלְאוּרְתָּא חֲזָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ שַׁבּוּר מַלְכָּא, לִשְׁמוּאֵל: אָמְרִיתוּ דְּחָכְמִיתוּ טוּבָא, אֵימָא לִי מַאי חָזֵינָא בְּחֶלְמַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חָזֵית דְּאָתוּ רוֹמָאֵי וְשָׁבוּ לָךְ, וְטָחֲנִי בָּךְ קַשְׁיָיתָא בְּרִחְיָיא דְּדַהֲבָא. הַרְהַר כּוּלֵּיהּ יוֹמָא, וּלְאוּרְתָּא חֲזָא.
On a similar note, the Gemara relates that the Roman emperor said to Rabbi Yehoshua, son of Rabbi Ḥananya: You Jews say that you are extremely wise. If that is so, tell me what I will see in my dream. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: You will see the Persians capture you, and enslave you, and force you to herd unclean animals with a golden staff. He thought the entire day about the images described to him by Rabbi Yehoshua and that night he saw it in his dream. King Shapur of Persia said to Shmuel: You Jews say that you are extremely wise. If that is so, tell me what I will see in my dream. Shmuel said to him: You will see the Romans come and take you into captivity and force you to grind date pits in mills of gold. He thought the entire day about the images described to him by Shmuel, and that night he saw it in his dream.
בַּר הֶדְיָא מְפַשַּׁר חֶלְמֵי הֲוָה. מַאן דְּיָהֵיב לֵיהּ אַגְרָא — מְפַשַּׁר לֵיהּ לִמְעַלְּיוּתָא, וּמַאן דְּלָא יָהֵיב לֵיהּ אַגְרָא — מְפַשַּׁר לֵיהּ לִגְרִיעוּתָא. אַבָּיֵי וְרָבָא חֲזוֹ חֶלְמָא. אַבָּיֵי יְהֵיב לֵיהּ זוּזָא, וְרָבָא לָא יְהֵיב לֵיהּ. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַקְרִינַן בְּחֶלְמִין ״שׁוֹרְךָ טָבוּחַ לְעֵינֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳״. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פָּסֵיד עִסְקָךְ וְלָא אַהֲנִי לָךְ לְמֵיכַל מֵעוּצְבָּא דְּלִבָּךְ. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַרְוַוח עִסְקָךְ וְלָא אַהֲנִי לָךְ לְמֵיכַל מֵחֶדְוָא דְּלִבָּךְ.
The Gemara relates: Bar Haddaya was an interpreter of dreams. For one who gave him a fee, he would interpret the dream favorably, and for one who did not give him a fee, he would interpret the dream unfavorably. The Gemara relates: There was an incident in which both Abaye and Rava saw an identical dream and they asked bar Haddaya to interpret it. Abaye gave him money and paid his fee, while Rava did not give him money. They said to him: The verse: “Your ox shall be slain before your eyes and you shall not eat thereof” (Deuteronomy 28:31) was read to us in our dream. He interpreted their dream and to Rava he said: Your business will be lost and you will derive no pleasure from eating because of the extreme sadness of your heart. To Abaye he said: Your business will profit and you will be unable to eat due to the joy in your heart.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַקְרִינַן ״בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת תּוֹלִיד וְגוֹ׳״ לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כְּבִישׁוּתֵיהּ. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ נְפִישִׁי, וּמִינַּסְבָן בְּנָתָךְ לְעָלְמָא, וּמִדַּמְיָין בְּאַפָּךְ כִּדְקָא אָזְלָן בְּשִׁבְיָה.
They said to him: The verse, “You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity” (Deuteronomy 28:41), was read to us in our dream. He interpreted their dreams, and to Rava he said its literal, adverse sense. To Abaye he said: Your sons and daughters will be numerous, and your daughters will be married to outsiders and it will seem to you as if they were taken in captivity.
אַקְרְיֻין ״בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ נְתֻנִים לְעַם אַחֵר״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ נְפִישִׁין, אַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ לְקָרִיבָךְ וְהִיא אָמְרָה לְקָרִיבַהּ, וְאָכְפָה לָךְ וְיָהֲבַתְּ לְהוֹן לְקָרִיבַהּ, דְּהָוֵי כְּעַם אַחֵר. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דְּבֵיתְהוּ שְׁכִיבָא, וְאָתוּ בְּנֵיהּ וּבְנָתֵיהּ לִידֵי אִיתְּתָא אַחֲרִיתִי. דְּאָמַר רָבָא אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַב: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ נְתֻנִים לְעַם אַחֵר״ — זוֹ אֵשֶׁת הָאָב.
They said to him: The verse: “Your sons and your daughters shall be given unto another people” (Deuteronomy 28:32), was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said: Your sons and daughters will be numerous. You say, that they should marry your relatives and your wife says that they should marry her relatives and she will impose her will upon you and they will be given in marriage to her relatives, which is like another nation as far as you are concerned. To Rava he said: Your wife will die and your sons and daughters will come into the hands of another woman. As Rava said that Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba said that Rav said: What is the meaning of that which is written in the verse: “Your sons and your daughters shall be given unto another people”? This refers to the father’s wife, the stepmother.
אַקְרִינַן בְּחֶלְמִין: ״לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַרְוַוח עִסְקָךְ וְאָכְלַתְּ וְשָׁתֵית וְקָרֵית פְּסוּקָא מֵחֶדְוָא דְלִבָּךְ. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פָּסֵיד עִסְקָךְ, טָבְחַתְּ וְלָא אָכְלַתְּ וְשָׁתֵית וְקָרֵית לְפַכּוֹחֵי פַּחְדָּךְ.
They said to him: The verse: “Go your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart” (Ecclesiastes 9:7) was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said: Your business will profit and you will eat and drink and read the verse out of the joy of your heart. To Rava he said: Your business will be lost, you will slaughter but not eat, you will drink wine and read passages from the Bible in order to allay your fears.
אַקְרִינַן ״זֶרַע רַב תּוֹצִיא הַשָּׂדֶה״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ, לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִסֵּיפֵיהּ.
They said to him: The verse: “You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather little in; for the locust shall consume it” (Deuteronomy 28:38), was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said from the beginning of the verse, that he will enjoy an abundant harvest. To Rava he said from the end of the verse, that his harvest will be destroyed.
אַקְרִינַן ״זֵיתִים יִהְיוּ לְךָ בְּכׇל גְּבוּלֶךָ וְגוֹ׳״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ, לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִסֵּיפֵיהּ.
They said to him: The verse: “You shall have olive trees throughout all your borders, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olives shall drop off” (Deuteronomy 28:40), was read to us in our dream. And again, to Abaye he said from the beginning of the verse. To Rava he said from the end of the verse.
אַקְרִינַן ״וְרָאוּ כׇּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳״. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נָפֵק לָךְ שְׁמָא דְּרֵישׁ מְתִיבְתָּא הָוֵית, אֵימְתָךְ נְפַלַת בְּעָלְמָא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בֵּדַיְינָא דְּמַלְכָּא אִתְּבַר, וּמִתְּפַסַתְּ בְּגַנָּבֵי, וְדָיְינִי כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא קַל וָחוֹמֶר מִינָּךְ. לִמְחַר אִתְּבַר בֵּדַיְינָא דְּמַלְכָּא וַאֲתוֹ וְתָפְשִׂי לֵיהּ לְרָבָא.
They said to him: The verse: “All the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon you; and they shall be afraid of you” (Deuteronomy 28:10), was read to us in our dream. To Abaye he said: Your name will become well-known as head of the yeshiva, and you will be feared by all. To Rava he said: The king’s treasury was broken into and you will be apprehended as a thief, and everyone will draw an a fortiori inference from you: If Rava who is wealthy and of distinguished lineage can be arrested on charges of theft, what will become of the rest of us? Indeed, the next day, the king’s treasury was burglarized, and they came and apprehended Rava.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן חַסָּא עַל פּוּם דַּנֵּי. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עִיף עִסְקָךְ כְּחַסָּא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מָרִיר עִסְקָךְ כִּי חַסָּא.
Abaye and Rava said to him: We saw lettuce on the mouth of the barrels. To Abaye he said: Your business will double like lettuce whose leaves are wide and wrinkled. To Rava he said: Your work will be bitter like a lettuce stalk.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן בִּשְׂרָא עַל פּוּם דַּנֵּי. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּסֵים חַמְרָךְ, וְאָתוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְמִזְבַּן בִּשְׂרָא וְחַמְרָא מִינָּךְ. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תָּקֵיף חַמְרָךְ, וְאָתוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְמִזְבַּן בִּשְׂרָא לְמֵיכַל בֵּיהּ.
They said to him: We saw meat on the mouth of barrels. To Abaye he said: Your wine will be sweet and everyone will come to buy meat and wine from you. To Rava he said: Your wine will spoil, and everyone will go to buy meat in order to eat with it, to dip the meat in your vinegar.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן חָבִיתָא דִּתְלֵי בְּדִיקְלָא. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִדְּלֵי עִסְקָךְ כְּדִיקְלָא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲלֵי עִסְקָךְ כְּתַמְרֵי.
They said to him: We saw a barrel hanging from a palm tree. To Abaye he said: Your business will rise like a palm tree. To Rava he said: Your work will be sweet like dates which are very cheap in Babylonia, indicating that you will be compelled to sell your merchandise at a cheap price.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן רוּמָּנָא דְּקָדְחָא אַפּוּם דַּנֵּי, לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עֲשִׁיק עִסְקָךְ כְּרוּמָּנָא. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: קָאוֵי עִסְקָךְ כְּרוּמָּנָא.
They said to him: We saw a pomegranate taking root on the mouth of barrels. To Abaye he said: Your business will increase in value like a pomegranate. To Rava he said: Your work will go sour like a pomegranate.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזַן חָבִיתָא דִּנְפַל לְבֵירָא. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִתְבְּעֵי עִסְקָךְ, כִּדְאָמַר ״נְפַל פִּתָּא בְּבֵירָא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח״. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פָּסֵיד עִסְקָךְ וְשָׁדֵית לֵיהּ לְבֵירָא.
They said to him: We saw a barrel fall into a pit. To Abaye he said: Your merchandise will be in demand as the adage says: Bread falls in a pit and is not found. In other words, everyone will seek your wares and they will not find them due to increased demand. To Rava he said: Your merchandise will be ruined and you will throw it away into a pit.
אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: חֲזֵינַן בַּר חֲמָרָא דְּקָאֵי אַאִיסָדַן וְנוֹעֵר. לְאַבָּיֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַלְכָּא הָוֵית, וְקָאֵי אָמוֹרָא עֲלָךְ. לְרָבָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״פֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר״ גְּהִיט מִתְּפִילָּךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְדִידִי חֲזֵי לִי וְאִיתֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וָאו דְּ״פֶטֶר חֲמוֹר״ וַדַּאי גְּהִיט מִתְּפִילָּךְ.
They said to him: We saw a donkey foal standing near our heads, braying. To Abaye he said: You will be a king, that is to say, head of the yeshiva, and an interpreter will stand near you to repeat your teachings to the masses out loud. To Rava he said: I see the words peter ḥamor, first-born donkey, erased from your phylacteries. Rava said to him: I myself saw it and it is there. Bar Haddaya said to him: The letter vav of the word peter ḥamor is certainly erased from your phylacteries.
לְסוֹף אֲזַל רָבָא לְחוֹדֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דַּשָּׁא בָּרָיְיתָא דִּנְפַל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִשְׁתְּךָ שָׁכְבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי כַּכַּי וְשִׁנַּי דִּנְתוּר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ שָׁכְבָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי תַּרְתֵּי יוֹנֵי דְּפָרְחָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תְּרֵי נְשֵׁי מְגָרְשַׁתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי תְּרֵי גַּרְגְּלִידֵי דְלִפְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תְּרֵין קוּלְפֵי בָּלְעַתְּ. אֲזַל רָבָא הָהוּא יוֹמָא וִיתֵיב בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא כּוּלֵּיהּ יוֹמָא. אַשְׁכַּח הָנְהוּ תְּרֵי סַגִּי נְהוֹרֵי דַּהֲווֹ קָמִנְּצוּ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי. אֲזַל רָבָא לְפָרוֹקִינְהוּ, וּמְחוֹהוּ לְרָבָא תְּרֵי. דְּלוֹ לְמַחוֹיֵיהּ אַחֲרִיתִי, אֲמַר: מִסְתַּיי, תְּרֵין חֲזַאי.
Ultimately, Rava went to bar Haddaya alone. Rava said to him: I saw the outer door of my house fall. Bar Haddaya said to him: Your wife will die, as she is the one who protects the house. Rava said to him: I saw my front and back teeth fall out. He said to him: Your sons and daughters will die. Rava said to him: I saw two doves that were flying. He said to him: You will divorce two women. Rava said to him: I saw two turnip heads [gargelidei]. He said to him: You will receive two blows with a club shaped like a turnip. That same day Rava went and sat in the study hall the entire day. He discovered these two blind people who were fighting with each other. Rava went to separate them and they struck Rava two blows. When they raised their staffs to strike him an additional blow, he said: That is enough for me, I only saw two.
לְסוֹף אֲתָא רָבָא וִיהֵיב לֵיהּ אַגְרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי אֲשִׁיתָא דִּנְפַל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נְכָסִים בְּלֹא מְצָרִים קָנֵית. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי אַפַּדְנָא דְּאַבָּיֵי דִּנְפַל וְכַסְּיַין אַבְקֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַבָּיֵי שָׁכֵיב וּמְתִיבְתֵּיהּ אָתְיָא לְגַבָּךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי אַפַּדְנָא דִידִי דִּנְפַל, וַאֲתוֹ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא שְׁקוּל לְבֵינְתָּא לְבֵינְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שְׁמַעְתָּתָךְ מִבַּדְּרָן בְּעָלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּאִבְּקַע רֵישִׁי וּנְתַר מוּקְרִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אוּדְרָא מִבֵּי סָדְיָא נָפֵיק. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַקְרְיוּן הַלֵּלָא מִצְרָאָה בְּחֶלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נִיסֵּי מִתְרַחְשִׁי לָךְ.
Ultimately, Rava came and gave him, bar Haddaya, a fee. And then Rava said to him: I saw my wall fall. Bar Haddaya said to him: You will acquire property without limits. Rava said to him: I saw Abaye’s house [appadna] fall and its dust covered me. Bar Haddaya said to him: Abaye will die and his yeshiva will come to you. Rava said to him: I saw my house fall, and everyone came and took the bricks. He said to him: Your teachings will be disseminated throughout the world. Rava said to him: I saw that my head split and my brain fell out. He said to him: A feather will fall out of the pillow near your head. Rava said to him: The Egyptian hallel, the hallel that celebrates the Exodus, was read to me in a dream. He said to him: Miracles will be performed for you.
הֲוָה קָא אָזֵיל בַּהֲדֵיהּ בְּאַרְבָּא. אָמַר: בַּהֲדֵי גַּבְרָא דְּמִתְרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ נִיסָּא לְמָה לִי. בַּהֲדֵי דְּקָא סָלֵיק נְפַל סִיפְרָא מִינֵּיהּ. אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ רָבָא וַחֲזָא דַּהֲוָה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ ״כׇּל הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הוֹלְכִין אַחַר הַפֶּה״. אֲמַר: רָשָׁע, בְּדִידָךְ קָיְימָא, וְצַעַרְתַּן כּוּלֵּי הַאי. כּוּלְּהוּ מָחֵילְנָא לָךְ, בַּר מִבְּרַתֵּיה דְּרַב חִסְדָּא. יְהֵא רַעֲוָא דְּלִמְּסַר הַהוּא גַּבְרָא לִידֵי דְּמַלְכוּתָא דְּלָא מְרַחֲמוּ עֲלֵיהּ.
Bar Haddaya was going with Rava on a ship; bar Haddaya said: Why am I going with a person for whom miracles will be performed, lest the miracle will be that the ship will sink and he alone will be saved. As bar Haddaya was climbing onto the ship a book fell from him. Rava found it and saw: All dreams follow the mouth, written therein. He said to bar Haddaya: Scoundrel. It was dependent on you, and you caused me so much suffering. I forgive you for everything except for the daughter of Rav Ḥisda, Rava’s wife, whom bar Haddaya predicted would die. May it be Your will that this man be delivered into the hands of a kingdom that has no compassion on him.
אָמַר: מַאי אַעֲבֵיד? גְּמִירִי דְּקִלְלַת חָכָם, אֲפִילּוּ בְּחִנָּם הִיא בָּאָה, וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן רָבָא דִּבְדִינָא קָא לָיֵיט. אָמַר: אֵיקוּם וְאֶגְלֵי, דַּאֲמַר מָר: גָּלוּת מְכַפֶּרֶת עָוֹן.
Bar Haddaya said to himself: What will I do? We learned through tradition that the curse of a Sage, even if baseless, comes true. And all the more so in the case of Rava, as he cursed me justifiably. He said to himself: I will get up and go into exile, as the Master said: Exile atones for transgression.
קָם גְּלִי לְבֵי רוֹמָאֵי. אֲזַל יְתֵיב אַפִּתְחָא דְּרֵישׁ טוּרְזִינָא דְּמַלְכָּא. רֵישׁ טוּרְזִינָא חֲזָא חֶלְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי חֶלְמָא דְּעָיֵיל מַחְטָא בְּאֶצְבַּעְתִּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי זוּזָא, וְלָא יְהַב לֵיהּ. לָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלָא מִידֵּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּנְפַל תִּכְלָא בְּתַרְתֵּין אֶצְבְּעָתִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי זוּזָא, וְלָא יְהַב לֵיהּ, וְלָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּנְפַל תִּכְלָא בְּכוּלַּהּ יְדָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נְפַל תִּכְלָא בְּכוּלְּהוּ שִׁירָאֵי. שָׁמְעִי בֵּי מַלְכָּא, וְאַתְיוּהּ לְרֵישׁ טוּרְזִינָא קָא קָטְלִי לֵיהּ. אָמַר לְהוּ: אֲנָא אַמַּאי? אַיְיתוֹ לְהַאי דַּהֲוָה יָדַע וְלָא אֲמַר. אַיְיתוּהוּ בַּר הֶדְיָא, אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אַמַּטּוּ זוּזָא דִידָךְ חֲרַבוּ
He arose and exiled himself to the seat of the Roman government. He went and sat by the entrance, where the keeper of the king’s wardrobe stood. The wardrobe guard dreamed a dream. He said to bar Haddaya: I saw in the dream that a needle pierced my finger. Bar Haddaya said to him: Give me a zuz. He did not give him the coin so bar Haddaya said nothing to him. Again, the guard said to him: I saw a worm that fell between my two fingers, eating them. Bar Haddaya said to him: Give me a zuz. He did not give him the coin, so bar Haddaya said nothing to him. Again, the guard said to him: I saw that a worm fell upon my entire hand, eating it. Bar Haddaya said to him: A worm fell upon and ate all the silk garments. They heard of this in the king’s palace and they brought the wardrobe keeper and were in the process of executing him. He said to them: Why me? Bring the one who knew and did not say the information that he knew. They brought bar Haddaya and said to him: Because of your zuz, ruin came upon
שִׁירָאֵי דְּמַלְכָּא! כְּפִיתוּ תְּרֵין אַרְזֵי בְּחַבְלָא, אֲסוּר חַד כְּרָעֵיהּ לְחַד אַרְזָא וְחַד כְּרָעֵיהּ לְחַד אַרְזָא, וּשְׁרוֹ לְחַבְלָא עַד דְּאִצְטְלִיק רֵישֵׁיהּ. אֲזַל כׇּל חַד וְחַד וְקָם אַדּוּכְתֵּיהּ וְאִצְטְלִיק וּנְפַל בִּתְרֵין.
the king’s silk garments. They tied two cedar trees together with a rope, and tied one of his legs to one cedar and one of his legs to the other cedar, and they released the rope until his head split open. Each tree went back and stood in its place and bar Haddaya split and fell completely split in two.
שָׁאַל בֶּן דָּמָא בֶּן אֲחוֹתוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֶת רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: רָאִיתִי שְׁנֵי לְחָיַי שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ. אָמַר: שְׁנֵי גְּדוּדֵי רוֹמִי יָעֲצוּ עָלֶיךָ רָעָה, וּמֵתוּ.
The Gemara relates a story with regard to a Sage who interpreted dreams, Rabbi Yishmael. Ben Dama, son of Rabbi Yishmael’s sister, asked his uncle, Rabbi Yishmael: I saw in a dream that my two cheeks fell off. What does my dream mean? Rabbi Yishmael said to him: Two Roman battalions spoke ill of you, and they died. Cheeks symbolize a mouth that speaks evil.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ בַּר קַפָּרָא לְרַבִּי: רָאִיתִי חוֹטְמִי שֶׁנָּשַׁר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲרוֹן אַף נִסְתַּלֵּק מִמְּךָ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רָאִיתִי שְׁנֵי יָדַי שֶׁנֶּחְתְּכוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא תִּצְטָרֵךְ לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רָאִיתִי שְׁתֵּי רַגְלַי שֶׁנִּקְטְעוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַל סוּס אַתָּה רוֹכֵב. חֲזַאי דְּאָמְרִי לִי בַּאֲדָר מָיְתַתְּ וְנִיסָן לָא חָזֵית. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּאַדְרוּתָא מָיְתַתְּ וְלָא אָתֵית לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן.
Similarly, the Gemara relates: Bar Kappara said to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: I saw in a dream that my nose fell off. What does my dream mean? He said to him: This is an allusion that anger [ḥaron af] that had been directed against you has been removed from you. Bar Kappara said to him: I saw in a dream that my two hands were cut off. Rabbi said to him: This dream means that you will not require the labor of your hands, as you will be rich and you will have considerable means without effort. Bar Kappara said to him: I saw my two legs were cut off. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: You are riding a horse. He said to him: I saw that they were saying to me that in the month of Adar I will die and I will not see Nisan. He said to him: You will die in glory [adruta] and you will not be brought to temptation [nissayon].
אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא לְרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: רָאִיתִי שֶׁאֲנִי מַשְׁקֶה שֶׁמֶן לְזֵיתִים. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל אִמּוֹ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּקְטִיף לִי כּוֹכְבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּנַבְתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּבְלַעְתֵּיהּ לְכוֹכְבָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל זַבֵּנְתֵּיהּ וַאֲכַלְתְּ לִדְמֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי עֵינַי דְּנָשְׁקָן אַהֲדָדֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל אֲחוֹתוֹ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דִּנְשַׁקִי סֵיהֲרָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּדָרֵיכְנָא בְּטוּנָא דְּאָסָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בָּא עַל נַעֲרָה הַמְאוֹרָסָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי טוּנָא מֵעִילַּאי וְהוּא מִתַּתַּאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִשְׁכָּבְךָ הָפוּךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי עוֹרְבֵי דְּהָדְרִי לְפוּרְיֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִשְׁתְּךָ זָנְתָה מֵאֲנָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי יוֹנֵי דְּהָדְרִי לְפוּרְיֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה טִמֵּאתָ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּנָקֵיטְנָא תְּרֵי יוֹנֵי וּפָרְחָן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תַּרְתֵּי נְשֵׁי נְסַבְתְּ וּפְטַרְתִּינּוּן בְּלָא גֵּט.
The Gemara relates a different case of dream interpretation: A certain heretic said to Rabbi Yishmael: I saw in my dream that I was irrigating olives with olive oil. What is the interpretation of my dream? He said to him: It is a sign that you had relations with your mother, as oil comes from the olive, and he is returning the oil to the olives. That heretic said to Rabbi Yishmael: I saw that I was plucking a star. He said to him: You kidnapped an Israelite man, as Israel is likened to the stars. The heretic said to him: I saw that I swallowed a star. He said to him: You sold the Israelite man whom you kidnapped and spent the money that you received from the sale. The heretic said to him: I saw my eyes kissing one another. He said to him: You had relations with your sister, as siblings are like two eyes. The heretic said to him: I saw myself kissing the moon. He said to him: You slept with an Israelite woman, who is likened to the moon. He said to him: I saw that I was treading in the shade of a myrtle tree. He said to him: You slept with a betrothed young woman, as it was customary to make a canopy of myrtle for the betrothal. He said to him: I saw that the shade was above me, and the tree was below me. He said to him: Your bed is upside-down, your relations with the betrothed woman were unnatural. He said to him: I saw ravens circling my bed. He said to him: Your wife committed adultery with many men. He said to him: I saw doves circling around my bed. He said to him: You defiled many women. He said to him: I saw that I was holding two doves and they were flying. He said to him: You married two women and dismissed them from your house without a divorce.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּקָלֵיפְנָא בֵּיעֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שָׁכְבֵי קָא מְשַׁלְּחַתְּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כּוּלְּהוּ אִיתַנְהוּ בִּי, בַּר מֵהָא דְּלֵיתֵיהּ. אַדְּהָכִי וְהָכִי אָתְיָא הַאי אִיתְּתָא וְאָמְרָה לֵיהּ: הַאי גְּלִימָא דְּמִכַּסַּתְּ — דְּגַבְרָא פְּלוֹנִי הוּא, דְּמִית וְאַשְׁלַחְתֵּיהּ.
He said to him: I saw myself peeling eggs. He said to him: You stripped dead people, because an egg is eaten at the meal of comfort after burying the dead. The same heretic said to him: Everything you have interpreted is true, with the exception of this one, the last interpretation, which is not true. Meanwhile, this woman came and said to him: This cloak that you are wearing belongs to such-and-such a man, who died and whom you stripped of his clothing.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲזַאי דְּאָמְרִי לִי: שְׁבַק לָךְ אֲבוּךְ נִכְסֵי בְּקַפּוֹדְקְיָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִית לָךְ נִכְסֵי בְּקַפּוֹדְקְיָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָאו. אֲזַל אֲבוּךְ לְקַפּוֹדְקְיָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָאו. אִם כֵּן: קַפָּא כְּשׁוּרָא, דֵּיקָא עַשְׂרָה. זִיל חֲזִי קַפָּא דְּרֵישׁ עַשְׂרָה שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה זוּזֵי. אֲזַל אַשְׁכַּח שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה זוּזֵי.
He said to Rabbi Yishmael: I saw that they said to me in a dream: Your father left you property in Cappadocia. Rabbi Yishmael said to him: Do you have property in Cappadocia? The heretic said to him: No. Did your father ever go to Cappadocia? The heretic said to him: No. Rabbi Yishmael said to him: If so, it must be understood as follows: Kappa in Greek means beam; deka means ten. Go look at the tenth beam in your house and you will find that it is full of coins. He went and found that it was full of coins.
אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: הָרוֹאֶה בְּאֵר בַּחֲלוֹם — רוֹאֶה שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּחְפְּרוּ עַבְדֵי יִצְחָק בַּנָּחַל וַיִּמְצְאוּ שָׁם בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים״. רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: מָצָא תּוֹרָה — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי מֹצְאִי מָצָא חַיִּים״, וּכְתִיב הָכָא: ״בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים״. רָבָא אָמַר: חַיִּים מַמָּשׁ.
The Gemara continues dealing with interpretations of the details of dreams: Rabbi Ḥanina said: One who sees a well in a dream sees peace, as it is said: “And Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of living water” (Genesis 26:19), and ultimately there was peace. Rabbi Natan says: One who sees a well in his dream it is a symbol that he has found Torah, as the well symbolizes Torah. As it is stated with regard to the Torah: “For whoever finds me finds life” (Proverbs 8:35), and it is written here: “A well of living water,” and we see that a well is linked to Torah as both are associated with life. Rava said: The well in the dream symbolizes actual life.
אָמַר רַבִּי חָנָן שָׁלֹשׁ שְׁלוֹמוֹת הֵן: נָהָר, צִפּוֹר, וּקְדֵרָה. נָהָר — דִּכְתִיב: ״הִנְנִי נֹטֶה אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלוֹם״. צִפּוֹר — דִּכְתִיב: ״כְּצִפֳּרִים עָפוֹת כֵּן יָגֵן ה׳ צְבָאוֹת וְגוֹ׳״. קְדֵרָה — דִּכְתִיב: ״ה׳ תִּשְׁפֹּת שָׁלוֹם לָנוּ״. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: וּבִקְדֵרָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ בָּשָׂר שָׁנִינוּ. ״וּפָרְשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר בַּסִּיר וּכְבָשָׂר בְּתוֹךְ קַלָּחַת״.
Rabbi Ḥanan said: There are three items seen in dreams that are indications of peace: A river, a bird and a pot. The Gemara elaborates: A river, as it is written: “I will extend peace to her like a river” (Isaiah 66:12); a bird, as it is written: “As birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem” (Isaiah 31:5); and a pot, as it is written: “Lord, You will establish [tishpot] peace for us” (Isaiah 26:12). Peace is likened to a pot which is placed [shafat] on the fire. And Rabbi Ḥanina said: We learned that a pot in a dream is a sign of peace with regard to a pot that does not have meat in it, as a pot that has meat in it symbolizes calamity, as it is stated: “Yea, they chop them in pieces, as that which is in the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron” (Micah 3:3).
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: הָרוֹאֶה נָהָר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר: ״הִנְנִי נֹטֶה אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלוֹם״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כִּי יָבֹא כַנָּהָר צָר״. הָרוֹאֶה צִפּוֹר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״כְּצִפֳּרִים עָפוֹת כֵּן יָגֵן וְגוֹ׳״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כְּצִפּוֹר נוֹדֶדֶת מִן קִנָּהּ וְגוֹ׳״. הָרוֹאֶה קְדֵרָה בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר: ״ה׳ תִּשְׁפֹּת שָׁלוֹם לָנוּ״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״שְׁפֹת הַסִּיר שְׁפֹת״.
Since rivers, birds, and pots have ambiguous connotations, it is recommended that someone who sees them in a dream recite a verse that interprets the dream positively. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who sees something in a dream that may be interpreted ambiguously should quickly recite an appropriate verse suggestive of a positive interpretation. For example, one who sees a river in a dream should rise early and recite: “I will extend peace to her like a river,” before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “For distress will come in like a river” (Isaiah 59:19). One who sees a bird in a dream should rise early and recite: “As birds hovering, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem,” before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man that wanders from his place” (Proverbs 27:8). One who sees a pot in a dream should rise early and recite: “Lord, You will establish peace for us,” before a different verse, which concludes with a wrathful prophecy, can precede it in becoming reality: “Set on the pot, set it on” (Ezekiel 24:3).
הָרוֹאֶה עֲנָבִים בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״כַּעֲנָבִים בַּמִּדְבָּר״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״עֲנָבֵמוֹ עִנְּבֵי רוֹשׁ״. הָרוֹאֶה הַר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר — ״מַה נָּאווּ עַל הֶהָרִים רַגְלֵי מְבַשֵּׂר״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״עַל הֶהָרִים אֶשָּׂא בְכִי וָנֶהִי״.
Similarly, one who sees grapes in a dream should rise early and recite: “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness” (Hosea 9:10), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “Their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter” (Deuteronomy 32:32). One who sees a mountain in a dream should rise early and recite: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good tidings, that announces peace, the harbinger of good tidings, that announces salvation” (Isaiah 52:7), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing” (Jeremiah 9:9).
הָרוֹאֶה שׁוֹפָר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״תִּקְעוּ שׁוֹפָר בַּגִּבְעָה״.
One who sees a shofar in a dream should rise early and recite: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great shofar shall be sounded; and they shall come that were lost in the land of Assyria, and they that were dispersed in the land of Egypt” (Isaiah 27:13), before a different verse, in which the shofar is a symbol of war, can precede it in becoming reality: “Blow you the horn [shofar] in Giva” (Hosea 5:8).
הָרוֹאֶה כֶּלֶב בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״וּלְכֹל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יֶחֱרַץ כֶּלֶב לְשֹׁנוֹ״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״וְהַכְּלָבִים עַזֵּי נֶפֶשׁ״. הָרוֹאֶה אֲרִי בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״עָלָה אַרְיֵה מִסֻּבְּכוֹ״.
One who sees a dog in a dream should rise early and recite: “But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue” (Exodus 11:7), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “Yea, the dogs are greedy” (Isaiah 56:11). One who sees a lion in a dream should rise early and recite: “The lion has roared, who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations is set out, gone forth from his place” (Jeremiah 4:7).
הָרוֹאֶה תִּגְלַחַת בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״וַיְגַלַּח וַיְחַלֵּף שִׂמְלֹתָיו״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כִּי אִם גֻּלַּחְתִּי וְסָר מִמֶּנִּי כֹחִי״. הָרוֹאֶה בְּאֵר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כְּהָקִיר בַּיִר מֵימֶיהָ״. הָרוֹאֶה קָנֶה בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״קָנֶה רָצוּץ לֹא יִשְׁבּוֹר״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״הִנֵּה בָטַחְתָּ לְּךָ עַל מִשְׁעֶנֶת הַקָּנֶה הָרָצוּץ״.
One who sees a shave in a dream should rise early and recite: “And he shaved himself, and changed his raiment” (Genesis 41:14), which was said with regard to Joseph when he left prison and rose to greatness, before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak” (Judges 16:17). One who sees a well in a dream should rise early and recite: “A well of living waters” (Song of Songs 4:15), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “As a cistern wells with her waters, so it wells in its wickedness” (Jeremiah 6:7). One who sees a reed in a dream should rise early and recite: “A bruised reed shall he not break” (Isaiah 42:3), in praise of the Messiah, before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “Now, behold, you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed” (II Kings 18:21), which is a disparaging depiction of Egypt.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה קָנֶה בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לְחׇכְמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קְנֵה חָכְמָה״. קָנִים — יְצַפֶּה לְבִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבְכׇל קִנְיָנְךָ קְנֵה בִינָה״. אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: קָרָא, קוּרָא, קִירָא, קַנְיָא — כּוּלְּהוּ מְעַלּוּ לְחֶלְמָא. תַּנְיָא: אֵין מַרְאִין דִּלּוּעִין אֶלָּא לְמִי שֶׁהוּא יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ.
The Sages teach: One who sees a reed [kaneh] in a dream should expect wisdom, as it is stated: “Get [kene] wisdom” (Proverbs 4:7). One who sees several reeds [kanim] should expect understanding, as it said: “Yea, with all your acquisitions [kinyanekha] acquire understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). Rabbi Zeira said: Pumpkin [kara], heart of palm [kura], wax [kira], and reed [kanya], are all advantageous when one dreams about them. It was taught in a baraita: A pumpkin is only shown in a dream to one who fears Heaven with all his might, because pumpkins [delu’im] are interpreted as an acronym for dalu einai lamarom, “My eyes were raised on high” (Isaiah 38:14).
הָרוֹאֶה שׁוֹר בַּחֲלוֹם, יַשְׁכִּים וְיֹאמַר ״בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ הָדָר לוֹ״, קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּקְדְּמֶנּוּ פָּסוּק אַחֵר — ״כִּי יִגַּח שׁוֹר אֶת אִישׁ״.
One who sees an ox in a dream, should rise early and recite: “His firstling bullock, majesty is his” (Deuteronomy 33:17), before a different verse, with a negative connotation, can precede it in becoming reality: “And if an ox gore a man” (Exodus 21:28).
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּשׁוֹר. הָאוֹכֵל מִבְּשָׂרוֹ — מִתְעַשֵּׁר. נְגָחוֹ — הָוְיִין לֵיהּ בָּנִים שֶׁמְנַגְּחִים בַּתּוֹרָה. נְשָׁכוֹ — יִסּוּרִין בָּאִים עָלָיו. בְּעָטוֹ — דֶּרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה נִזְדַּמְּנָה לוֹ. רְכָבוֹ — עוֹלֶה לִגְדוּלָּה.
The Sages taught in a baraita: Five matters are said about dreams with regard to the ox. One who dreams that he ate from its flesh will become wealthy. One who dreams that it gored him will have sons who are Torah scholars, who gore each other in an attempt to better understand Torah. One who dreams that it bit him, suffering is coming to him. One who dreams that it kicked him will be required to travel a great distance in the future. One who dreams that he was riding it, it is a sign that he will rise to greatness.
וְהָתַנְיָא רְכָבוֹ — מֵת! לָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא דְּרָכֵיב הוּא לְתוֹרָא. הָא, דְּרָכֵיב תּוֹרָא לְדִידֵיהּ.
The Gemara challenges: Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that one who dreams that he was riding it, it is a sign that he will die? The Gemara responds: This is not difficult. This, which taught that he will rise to greatness, refers to a case where he saw that he was riding the ox, while this, which taught that it is a sign of his imminent death, refers to a case where he saw that the ox was riding him.
הָרוֹאֶה חֲמוֹר בַּחֲלוֹם — יְצַפֶּה לִישׁוּעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבוֹא לָךְ צַדִּיק וְנוֹשָׁע הוּא עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר״. הָרוֹאֶה חָתוּל בַּחֲלוֹם — בְּאַתְרָא דְּקָרוּ לֵיהּ ״שׁוּנָּרָא״ — נַעֲשֵׂית לוֹ שִׁירָה נָאָה. ״שִׁינָּרָא״ — נַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ שִׁינּוּי רַע. הָרוֹאֶה עֲנָבִים בַּחֲלוֹם, לְבָנוֹת, בֵּין בִּזְמַנָּן, וּבֵין שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַנָּן — יָפוֹת. שְׁחוֹרוֹת בִּזְמַנָּן — יָפוֹת. שֶׁלֹּא בִּזְמַנָּן — רָעוֹת. הָרוֹאֶה סוּס לָבָן בַּחֲלוֹם, בֵּין בְּנַחַת, בֵּין בְּרָדוּף — יָפֶה לוֹ. אָדוֹם, בְּנַחַת — יָפֶה, בְּרָדוּף — קָשֶׁה.
One who sees a donkey in a dream should anticipate salvation, as it is said: “Behold, your king comes unto you; he is triumphant, and victorious, lowly, and riding upon a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). One who sees a cat in a dream in a place where in Aramaic they call it shunra, a nice song [shira na’a] will be composed for him. If he sees a cat in a place where they call cats shinra, it is a sign that he will undergo a change for the worse [shinui ra]. One who sees grapes in a dream and they were white or light colored, regardless of whether it was in their season or not in their season, it is a good sign. One who sees black grapes in their season, it is a good omen. However, one who sees black grapes when it was not in their season, it is a bad omen. One who sees a white horse in a dream, regardless of whether the horse was walking or running, it is a good omen for him. One who sees a red horse walking, it is a good omen; running, it is a bad omen.
הָרוֹאֶה יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּחֲלוֹם — תְּפִלָּתוֹ נִשְׁמַעַת. וְדַוְקָא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן אַבְרָהָם, אֲבָל טַיָּיעָא בְּעָלְמָא — לָא. הָרוֹאֶה גָּמָל בַּחֲלוֹם — מִיתָה נִקְנְסָה לוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהִצִּילוּהוּ מִמֶּנָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: מַאי קְרָאָה — ״וְאָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה וְאָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ גַם עָלֹה״. רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: מֵהָכָא: ״גַּם ה׳ הֶעֱבִיר חַטָּאתְךָ לֹא תָמוּת״.
The Gemara says: One who sees Ishmael in a dream, it is an omen that his prayer will be heard, just as Ishmael’s prayer was heard. The Gemara notes: This refers specifically to where one saw Ishmael, son of Abraham, but not if one saw a random Arab. One who sees a camel [gamal] in a dream, it is an omen that death was decreed upon him from heaven but he was spared. Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: What verse alludes to this? “I will go down with you into Egypt; and I will also surely bring you up again [gam alo]” (Genesis 46:4), the acronym for which is gamal. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: The source for this is from here, another verse: “The Lord also [gam] has put away your sin; you shall not die” (II Samuel 12:13).
הָרוֹאֶה פִּינְחָס בַּחֲלוֹם — פֶּלֶא נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ. הָרוֹאֶה פִּיל בַּחֲלוֹם — פְּלָאוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ. פִּילִים — פִּלְאֵי פְּלָאוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ.
One who sees Pinehas in a dream, it is an omen that a miracle will be performed on his behalf, just as miracles were performed for Pinehas. One who sees an elephant [pil] in a dream it is an omen that miracles [pelaot] will be performed for him. One who sees multiple elephants in a dream, miracles upon miracles will be performed for him.
וְהָתַנְיָא כׇּל מִינֵי חַיּוֹת יָפִין לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מִן הַפִּיל וּמִן הַקּוֹף! לָא קַשְׁיָא,
The Gemara asks: Was it not taught in a baraita: All species of animals are good omens in a dream, with the exception of an elephant and a monkey? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult.
