According to Jewish sources, it is believed that G-d created man from the dust of the earth and breathed into him the breath of life, thus transforming him into a living being, as described in the book of Genesis 2:7.
In his book "Between Earth and Heaven," Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan Z'L delves into the teachings of the Zohar, a foundational work in Kabbalah. According to this mystical tradition, the human soul originates from the deepest realms of the divine, making it a manifestation of the "divine spark" within the earthly realm. Following this line of thought, it is suggested that humans share an intrinsic connection with the divine and were created in the spiritual image and likeness of God.
So, what does all of this have to do with the interpretation of dreams from a Jewish perspective?
During sleep, a portion of one's soul is believed to ascend to a higher spiritual plane, connecting with other souls that represent the essence of G-d. It is said that through dreams, individuals tap into a profound source of energy and divine nourishment, which empowers them for the challenges of the coming day. This concept underscores the idea that, even though each person's physical existence is separate in the earthly realm, they remain connected to a "universal" soul on a higher plane.
According to Dr. Julio Real, a Uruguayan physician specializing in sleep disorders, the human brain remains highly active during sleep, often exhibiting even more activity than during wakefulness.Interestingly, the brain's energy consumption during the night surpasses that of wakeful periods. This heightened activity is attributed to the brain's efforts to regenerate neurotransmitters critical for maintaining emotional equilibrium in individuals.
From a biological and functional perspective, sleep can be categorized into five distinct stages. The initial two stages constitute shallow sleep, while stages 3 and 4 represent deep sleep. The fifth stage is known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, during which most dreaming activity occurs.
During this final stage of sleep, dreams manifest as vivid experiences, accompanied by complete muscular paralysis. The only exceptions are the respiratory organs and the eye muscles, which move beneath closed eyelids, as if the dreamer were following the scenes of a movie.
From the perspective of Judaism, considering the spiritual aspects of sleep, there are four levels of sleep, with the deepest sleep corresponding to the highest level. This level is contingent on the individual's spiritual state within the material world, allowing them access to a higher realm akin to what could be likened to prophecy.
The Talmud contains a noteworthy quote asserting that "Sleep is a sixtieth of prophecy." In ancient times, especially during the era of the prophets (with Moses being the notable exception), prophecies often occurred within dreams and took on symbolic forms. The prophets possessed the unique ability to interpret and decipher the concealed messages within these symbols, thereby unveiling the hidden or unrevealed truths they contained.
Regarding this, Rabbi Oved Avrech of the Yavne Institute shared a personal story that occurred the night before the recent birth of his daughter. Her mother, who resides in Israel, recounted that on the night before her granddaughter's arrival, she had a dream. In the dream, she saw her father giving her two challahs, one for herself and another for her sister, who would also become a grandmother shortly thereafter.
After the era of the prophets, the spiritual interpretation of dreams became a subject of study for many rabbis and Talmudic scholars.Rabbi Chaim Yosef Azulai, known as the "Chida," expressed in the Talmud that "A dream that has not been interpreted is like an unread letter," meaning its content cannot be deemed good or bad since the interpretation of the dream is crucial.
Another significant question arising from dream interpretation is why humans dream symbolically. In the realm of psychoanalysis, dreams hold a pivotal role in a patient's analytical process. As suggested by Sigmund Freud, through dreams and their symbolism, the unconscious can express itself without censorship.
In an essay titled "Sigmund Freud the Jew," authored by Ernst Simon, a Jewish philosopher and educator, it is noted that according to Freud, there is a limited text within dreams, and multiple meanings that are broader and deeper in scope. Freud stated, "If we record the dream and compare it with all the associations it produces, we will find that they have likely expanded the length of the dream text many times over." The author draws parallels between Freud's approach to dream interpretation and the model of Talmudic thought, particularly the associative analytical technique applied to both the "dream text" and the manifestations of the conscious mind, which contain deeper, unconscious content.
Ernst Simon highlights Freud's identification with various Jewish figures at different stages of his life. In relation to dream interpretation, Freud himself expressed, "We must bear in mind that the name Joseph has played a significant role in my dreams... My own self easily hides behind people with that name, as Joseph was a famous figure in the Bible renowned for his interpretation of dreams."
As the Talmud suggests, in the book of Taanit, "The blessing does not dwell except in what is hidden from the eyes.
Published for: Uruguayan Hebrew Weekly
Date: 2017
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