Pt1 Symbolism of Actions, Biblical Kings, Biblical Books, and Tanaitic Sages in Talmudic Dream Interpretations: Over 50 Dream Images and Their Meanings (Berakhot 57a-b)

This is the first part of a two-part series. The outline of the series is below.

This sugya is a continuation of a handbook of dream symbols, built out of many short, tightly patterned units.¹

The basic building block: “One who sees X in a dream…”

The sugya is largely built on a basic recurring literary building block:

“One who sees X in a dream – it is a sign that Y.”

Again and again, we get the same structure:

Object or action in the dream → fixed outcome or sign in waking life

For example:

• Eggs → request pending

• Broken eggs → request granted

• Shaving head → good omen for him

• Shaving head and beard → good omen for him and his whole family

• Sitting in a small boat → good name for him

• Sitting in a large boat → good name for him and his family

The language is compact, almost like entries in a list: no story, no explanation, just symbol and meaning. The repetition of this form links very different images—eggs, haircuts, boats, defecation—into a single system.

Often there is a second line that sharpens or limits the first: “and this only applies if…”² (e.g., the boat is rising on the waves; he does not wipe; the metal tools are seen on their handles).

Thematic clusters of images

Although the unit feels like a string of unrelated lines, it actually has clear clusters.

Breaking and revealing

It begins with eggs, then extends to nuts, cucumbers, glass vessels, and “anything that breaks.” All share a feature: something closed or fragile that can shatter. The passage connects this to a request being granted: what was “inside” (hidden) is brought out. The pattern is:

• Whole object → request pending

• Broken object → request completed

Movement and place

There is a small group of dream images about movement and location:

• Entering a city → desires fulfilled

• Going up to a roof → rising to greatness

• Going down from the roof → descending from greatness (with Abaye and Rava partly overriding this)

• Entering a marsh → head of a yeshiva³

• Entering a forest → head of the “kalla” (advanced group)

Here the dreamer’s physical direction or placement (up/down, inside this place or that place) maps onto social and spiritual status: greatness, leadership, success.

Body and vulnerability

Another cluster concerns bodily exposure and processes:

• Shaving the head / head and beard

• Defecating

• Standing naked in Babylonia vs. in Eretz Yisrael

• Letting blood

These images involve openness, release, or stripping away. The interpretations match that: removal of sin, removal of judgment, being “without sin” or “without mitzvot.” The sugya plays with the contrast between covered/uncovered, full/emptied.

Anecdotes inside the list: Rav Pappa, Rav Huna, Rav Ashi, Rav Sheshet

In the middle of these short maxims, the passage includes small narrative pieces:

• Rav Pappa and Rav Huna b. Yehoshua dream of a marsh or forest and are later appointed as heads of institutions.

• An alternative version adds another image (a drum hung from the neck) and connects it to public teaching.

• Rav Ashi says he dreamed of marsh + drum + beating it, and indeed became head of the yeshiva.

• Rav Sheshet questions the rule about killing a snake in a dream and reverses it in his own favor, because he himself had such a dream.

These short stories have a clear role: they confirm or test the rules by showing real lives matching the dream interpretations.

Biblical prooftexts and wordplay

Many entries attach a biblical verse, using the classic “as it is stated” formula:

• Entering a city → “And He led them to their desired haven” (Psalms 107:30).

• Defecation → “He that is bent down shall speedily be loosed” (Isaiah 51:14).

• Bloodletting → sins as scarlet/red (Isaiah 1:18).

• Wine → one verse for joy (Psalms 104:15) and one for distress (Proverbs 31:6).

• Wine for a Torah scholar → “Drink of the wine I have mixed” (Proverbs 9:5).

These verses are used in a highly literary way. Sometimes the link is by shared key word (“desire,” “wine”), sometimes by shared image (red blood / red sins, release from confinement / defecation). The sugya thus ties dreams to Scripture, so that the dream system echoes biblical language.

At the very start, there is also wordplay in Aramaic: Egg (beya) sounds like “request” (ba’uta), and that sound-link supports the interpretation.

Lists and triads: Kings, prophets, writings, sages

A later section organizes dream symbols as neat triples:⁴

• Three kings: David (piety), Solomon (wisdom), Ahab (calamity).

• Three prophetic books: Kings (greatness), Ezekiel (wisdom), Isaiah (consolation), plus Jeremiah (calamity).

• Large Writings: Psalms (piety), Proverbs (wisdom), Job (calamity).

• Small Writings: Song of Songs (piety), Ecclesiastes (wisdom), Lamentations (calamity), plus Esther (miracle).

• Three sages: R’ Yehuda HaNasi (wisdom), R. Elazar b. Azarya (wealth), R. Yishmael b. Elisha (calamity).

• Three “students”: Ben-Azzai (piety), Ben-Zoma (wisdom), Aḥer (calamity).

Here the structure becomes very clear and rhythmic:

• Each set has a pattern: piety / wisdom / calamity.

• Most items are “expect X,” but the last is often “be concerned about calamity”.⁵

This gives this section of the sugya a strong sense of order: Biblical figures, books, and rabbinic figures are all arranged by the same three themes.

Macro-structure

Taken as a whole, the passage moves from:

• Very physical, everyday images (eggs, haircuts, boats, defecation)
  → to social and religious roles (yeshiva heads, protection by soldiers, chains)
  → to Torah symbols (wine for a scholar, a verse falling into one’s mouth)
  → to books and great figures (kings, prophets, Writings, sages)

Outline

Intro

1. The basic building block: “One who sees X in a dream…”

2. Thematic clusters of images

   1. Breaking and revealing

   2. Movement and place

   3. Body and vulnerability

3. Anecdotes inside the list: Rav Pappa, Rav Huna, Rav Ashi, Rav Sheshet

4. Biblical prooftexts and wordplay

5. Lists and triads: Kings, prophets, writings, sages

6. Macro-structure

The Passage - Symbolism of Actions, Biblical Kings, Biblical Books, and Tanaitic Sages in Talmudic Dream Interpretations: Over 50 Dream Images and Their Meanings (Berakhot 57a-b)

Actions

1. Eggs = Request is pending; eggs broke = request was granted

   1. Nuts, cucumbers, glass vessels, and anything similarly fragile = request was granted

2. Entered a city = desires will be fulfilled - Psalms 107:30

3. Haircut: Shaves head = good omen for him; shaved his head and beard = good omen for him and his family

4. Sitting in a boat: Sits in a small boat = will have good reputation; in large boat = he and his family will have good reputation

5. Defecates = good omen - Isaiah 51:14

6. Climbs up to the roof = will ascend to greatness; climbed down = will descend from greatness

7. Rips clothing = (divine) sentence ripped up

8. Standing naked: Standing naked In Babylonia = stands free of transgression; in Eretz Yisrael = naked without mitzvot

9. Apprehended by a (Roman) soldier = protection was (divinely) provided him; wearing a (captive’s) neck collar = (divine) increased level of protection

10. Entering a marsh/forest: Enters a marsh = will become head of a yeshiva; entered a forest = will be made head of only the advanced students (‘kalla’)

11. Anecdote of Rav Pappa and Rav Huna b. Yehoshua - dreamt that entered a marsh → was appointed head of a yeshiva; entered a forest → was appointed head of the advanced students

    1. Alternative version: dreamt that drum hung from his neck → was appointed head of the yeshiva; didn’t dream that → was (only) appointed head of the advanced students

12. Anecdote of Rav Ashi - (dreamt that:) entered a marsh, hung a drum and beat it (and later became head of the yeshiva)

Part 2

1. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak’s tana - lets blood = transgressions forgiven

   1. Baraita - lets blood = transgressions enumerated

2. Rav Sheshet’s tana - snake = livelihood accessible; bitten by snake = livelihood will double; killed by snake (or: killed snake) = will lose livelihood

3. Rav Sheshet - killed by snake (or: killed snake) = livelihood will double

4. R’ Yoḥanan’s tana - drink = good omen, except for wine (sometimes good, sometimes bad)

5. Prooftext that wine (in a dream) sometimes good, sometimes bad - Psalms 104:15; Proverbs 31:6

6. R’ Yoḥanan - for a Torah scholar - wine = good omen - Proverbs 9:5

7. R’ Yoḥanan - awakened in the morning and a verse falls into his mouth is a minor prophecy

Biblical Kings, Biblical Books, and Tanaitic Sages

1. Baraita - Kings: David = expect piety; Solomon = expect wisdom; Ahab = be concerned about calamity

2. Books of Prophets: Kings = anticipate greatness; Ezekiel = anticipate wisdom; Isaiah = anticipate consolation; Jeremiah = be concerned about calamity

3. Major books of Writings: Psalms = anticipate piety; Proverbs = anticipate wisdom; Job = be concerned about calamity

4. Minor books of Writings: Song of Songs = anticipate piety; Ecclesiastes = anticipate wisdom; Lamentations = be concerned about calamity; Esther = a miracle will be performed on his behalf

5. (Tanaitic) Sages: R’ Yehuda HaNasi = anticipate wisdom; R’ Elazar ben Azarya = anticipate wealth; R’ Yishmael ben Elisha = be concerned about calamity

6. Students of (Tanaitic) sages: Ben-Azzai = anticipate piety; Ben-Zoma = anticipate wisdom; Aḥer (=Elisha ben Avuya) = be concerned about calamity

Appendix 1 - Table Summarizing the 50+ Dream Images and corresponding Interpretation / Omen

Appendix 2 - Summary of Symbols - List

1. A - Breakdown of Proper Nouns: Biblical Books, People, and Places

   1. Breakdown of Symbols and Interpretations

2. B - Breakdown of Actions and Events

   1. Actions and Their Interpretations

The Passage

Berakhot.57a.11-57b.8

Actions

Eggs = Request is pending; eggs broke = request was granted

• הרואה ביצים בחלום —

  • תלויה בקשתו.

• נשתברו —

  • נעשית בקשתו.

• One who sees eggs in a dream --

  • it is a sign that his request is pending,

  • as “egg” in Aramaic is beya (ביעא), which is similar to the term for “request” (בעיא).

• If one saw that the eggs broke --

  • it is a sign that his request has already been granted,

  • as that which was hidden inside the shell was revealed.

Nuts, cucumbers, glass vessels, and anything similarly fragile = request was granted

1. וכן אגוזים,

2. וכן קשואים,

3. וכן כל כלי זכוכית,

4. וכן כל הנשברים כאלו.

1. The same is true of nuts,

2. and the same is true of cucumbers,

3. and the same is true of all glass vessels,

4. and the same is true of anything similarly fragile⁶ that broke in his dream,

it is a sign that his request was granted.

Entered a city = desires will be fulfilled - Psalms 107:30

הנכנס לכרך —

נעשו לו חפציו,

שנאמר: ״וינחם אל מחוז חפצם״.

One who dreams that he entered a city --

it is a sign that his desires (חפציו) will be fulfilled,

as it is stated: “And He led them unto their desired (חפצם) haven” (Psalms 107:30).

Haircut: Shaves head = good omen for him; shaved his head and beard = good omen for him and his family

• המגלח ראשו בחלום —

  • סימן יפה לו.

• ראשו וזקנו —

  • לו ולכל משפחתו.

• One who shaves (מגלח) his head in a dream --

  • it is a good omen for him, as the removal of undesired hairs is a sign of renewal and greatness.

• If he shaved his head and his beard in a dream --

  • it is a good omen for him and his entire family.

Sitting in a boat: Sits in a small boat = will have good reputation; in large boat = he and his family will have good reputation

• היושב בעריבה קטנה —

  • שם טוב יוצא לו.

• בעריבה גדולה —

  • לו ולכל משפחתו.

והני מילי דמדליה דלויי.

• One who sits in a small boat (עריבה) in a dream --

  • it is a sign that a good reputation⁷ will spread for him.

• If he sees himself sitting in a large boat in a dream --

  • a good reputation will spread for him and his entire family.

The Talmud qualifies that this only applies where the boat was floating high on the waves.

Defecates = good omen - Isaiah 51:14

הנפנה בחלום —

סימן יפה לו,

שנאמר: ״מהר צעה להפתח״.

והני מילי דלא קנח.

One who defecates (נפנה) in a dream --

it is a good omen for him,

as it is stated: “He that is bent down (צעה) shall speedily be loosed; and he shall not go down dying into the pit, neither shall his bread fail” (Isaiah 51:14).⁸

The Talmud qualifies that this only applies where he does not wipe (קנח) and get his hands dirty.

Climbs up to the roof = will ascend to greatness; climbed down = will descend from greatness

• העולה לגג בחלום —

  • עולה לגדולה.

• ירד —

  • יורד מגדולתו.

אביי ורבא דאמרי תרווייהו:

כיון שעלה —

עלה.

• One who climbs up to the roof in a dream --

  • it is a sign that he will ascend to greatness (גדולה).

• If, after he climbed up, he climbed back down --

  • it is a sign that he will descend from the greatness he achieved.

Abaye and Rava both said:

Once one ascended to the roof in his dream --

he ascended,

and even if he dreams that he descended, it remains a good omen for him.

Rips clothing = (divine) sentence ripped up

הקורע בגדיו בחלום —

קורעים לו גזר דינו.

One who rips his clothing in a dream --

it is a sign that they rip up his sentence⁹

Standing naked: Standing naked In Babylonia = stands free of transgression; in Eretz Yisrael = naked without mitzvot

העומד ערום בחלום --

• בבבל —

  • עומד בלא חטא.

• בארץ ישראל —

  • ערום בלא מצות.

One who stands naked in in a dream --

• In Babylonia --

  • it is a sign that he stands free of transgression.

  • Although living outside Israel is itself a transgression, his nakedness symbolizes that he has been absolved of that sin.

• If one dreamed that he stood naked in Eretz Yisrael --

  • it is a sign that he is naked without mitzvot.¹⁰

Apprehended by a (Roman) soldier = protection was (divinely) provided him; wearing a (captive’s) neck collar = (divine) increased level of protection

• הנתפס לסרדיוט —

  • שמירה נעשית לו.

• נתנוהו בקולר —

  • הוסיפו לו שמירה על שמירתו.

והני מילי בקולר,

אבל חבלא בעלמא —

לא.

• One who dreams that he was apprehended and guarded by a soldier¹¹ --

  • it is a sign that protection was provided him by heaven.

• If he sees that he is wearing a neck chain [kolar]¹² --

  • it is a sign that they have increased his level of protection.

However, the Talmud notes that this only applies to a case where his neck was placed in a neck chain;

if his neck was simply placed in a noose --

it does not indicate heavenly protection.

Entering a marsh/forest: Enters a marsh = will become head of a yeshiva; entered a forest = will be made head of only the advanced students (‘kalla’)

• הנכנס לאגם בחלום —

  • נעשה ראש ישיבה.

• ליער —

  • נעשה ראש לבני כלה.

• One who enters a marsh (אגם) in a dream --

  • it is a sign that he will become head of a yeshiva,

  • as he appears to be standing alone with all the bulrushes, large and small, surrounding him like the head of a yeshiva, around whom all the students gather.

• One who dreams that he entered a forest (יער) and sees only large trees around him --

  • it is a sign that he will be made head of only the advanced students [כלה - kalla],¹³

  • where he will explain the lessons only to the outstanding students in the yeshiva, each of whom is himself a great tree, set apart from the others.

Anecdote of Rav Pappa and Rav Huna b. Yehoshua - dreamt that entered a marsh → was appointed head of a yeshiva; entered a forest → was appointed head of the advanced students (‘kalla’)

רב פפא ורב הונא בריה דרב יהושע חזו חלמא:

• רב פפא,

  • דעייל לאגמא —

    • נעשה ראש ישיבה.

• רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע,

  • דעייל ליער —

    • נעשה ראש לבני כלה.

The Talmud relates: Rav Pappa and Rav Huna b. Yehoshua, each saw a dream:

• Rav Pappa,

  • who saw that he entered a marsh in his dream --

    • was appointed head of a yeshiva.

• Rav Huna b. Yehoshua,

  • who saw that he entered a forest in his dream --

    • was appointed head of the advanced students (‘kalla’)

Alternative version: dreamt that drum hung from his neck → was appointed head of the yeshiva; didn’t dream that → was (only) appointed head of the advanced students

איכא דאמרי

תרווייהו לאגמא עיילי,

אלא

• רב פפא

  • דתלי טבלא —

    • נעשה ראש ישיבה,

• רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע,

  • דלא תלי טבלא —

    • נעשה ראש לבני כלה.

Some say that

both of them dreamed that they entered a marsh,

but

• Rav Pappa,

  • who dreamed that a drum¹⁴ hung from his neck --

    • was appointed head of the yeshiva,

    • as banging a drum symbolizes the head of a yeshiva who sounds his voice in public.

• Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua,

  • who did not dream that a drum hung around his neck --

    • was only appointed head of the advanced students.

Anecdote of Rav Ashi - (dreamt that:) entered a marsh, hung a drum and beat it (and later became head of the yeshiva)

אמר רב אשי:

אנא עיילית לאגמא

ותלאי טבלא

ונבחי בה נבוחי.

Rav Ashi said:

I dreamed that I entered a marsh

and hung a drum

and beat (נבחי) it,

and Rav Ashi became head of the yeshiva.

1. For the beginning and larger part of this Talmudic “handbook” of dream interpretation, see my recent three-part series: “Symbolism of Plants, Animals, Birds, and Nature in Talmudic Dream Interpretations: Over 40 Dream Elements and Their Meanings (Berakhot 56b-57b)“, final part here.

That series is focused on simple symbols of Plants, Animals, Birds, while this series is focused on Actions, Biblical Kings, Biblical Books, and Tanaitic Sages. The division is based on the Talmud’s own (implicit) division into these larger macro parts.

2. הני מילי.

This typical Talmudic formula, which serves to qualify the preceding statement, is likely in many cases a later editorial gloss added by the Stam.

3. On the Talmudic concept of yeshiva, compare my “Appendix 2 - ‘Yeshiva’ (formal Torah study) always existed - A List of 6 major periods and personalities from the Pentateuch (Yoma 28b): the Biblical Patriarchs, and in Egypt and in the Wilderness”, with my note there.

4. Compare my discussion of “rule of three” as a a major literary and rhetorical motif in Mishnah tractate Avot, in the intro to “Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 2:10-3:2)“, section “The Major Literary and Rhetorical Formulas“.

Note: two of the lists here actually contain 4 items, which weakens the “rule of three” pattern.

5. פורענות.

On this word, see Jastrow (modernized):

retribution, reward; especially punishment, divine visitation [=affliction]; evil dispensation, reverses.

• Yoma 76a:7; Sanhedrin 100b:1, and elsewhere - מידה טובה מרובה ממידת פורענות - “the measure of divine goodness is larger than that of evil dispensation”.

• Sanhedrin 102a:4 - עת היא מזומנת לפורענות (not מזומן) - “there is a time designated for visitation (of man’s sins)”; מקום … לפורענות - “there is a place designated for etc”.

• Avot 1:7, see יָאַשׁ;

• and very frequently.

• Bava Batra 14b:11, see next word

Plural: פּוּרְעָנִיּוֹת.

• Avot 5:8 - שבעה מיני פורעניות וכ׳ (some ed. sing.) - “seven kinds of visitations come upon the world”.

• Taanit 14a:11 - ושאר כל מיני פורעניות וכ׳ - “and all other calamities that threaten etc.”;

• Bava Kamma 80b:11.

• Rosh Hashanah 18b:8 - אני מונה לסדר פורעניות - “I count (the fast-days) according to the chronological order of the sad events (which they commemorate)”;

• and frequently.

6. נשברים - literally: “[prone to] breaking”.

7. שם טוב - literally: “good name”.

Compare the same interpretation in my “Pt2 Symbolism of Plants, Animals, Birds, and Nature in Talmudic Dream Interpretations: Over 40 Dream Elements and Their Meanings (Berakhot 56b-57b)“, section “Olives: small = business will flourish ; trees = will have many children; good reputation will spread for him - Psalms 128:3; Jeremiah 11:16 (#8a)“:

איכא דאמרי:

הרואה זית בחלום —

שם טוב יוצא לו

Some say that

one who sees an olive tree in a dream --

it is a sign that a good reputation (שם טוב) will spread for him

On the Hebrew idiom “good name” (שם טוב), see the note in my “Tannaitic Aphorisms (Avot 4:4-14)“, on section “R’ Shimon - Three crowns exist—Torah, priesthood, kingship—but a good name surpasses them all (4:13)“.

8. צעה - interpreting the word as “feces” (צואה).

Compare the citation of this verse with the same (non-pshat) interpretation in my “Pt2 Sensory Delights and Echoes of the Divine: The Talmud on Pleasures, Omens, Health and Microcosms (Berakhot 57b)“, section “List of Six Good Signs for the Sick: Sneezing, Sweating, Diarrhea, Nocturnal Emission, Sleep, and Dreams (Genesis 3:19; Job 3:13, 41:10; Isaiah 38:16, 51:14, 53:10)“, list item #3, as a prooftext that diarrhea (שלשול) is a Good Sign for someone who’s Sick.

9. גזר דינו - i.e. divine judgment

10. ערום בלא מצות.

This same metaphorical expression (“naked without a mitzvah”) is found elsewhere, see my “Pt1 Tzitzit, Tefillin, and Mezuza: The Power of Everyday Ritual Objects (Menachot 43b-44a)“, section “David in the bathhouse felt “naked without mitzvot,” until recalling circumcision, which comforted him“:

ובשעה שנכנס דוד לבית המרחץ

וראה עצמו עומד ערום

אמר:

אוי לי!

שאעמוד ערום בלא מצוה!

And when David entered the bathhouse

and saw himself standing naked,

he said:

Woe to me!

that I stand naked without any mitzva (ערום בלא מצוה)!

11. סרדיוט - sradiot, from Greek stratiṓtēs.

12. קולר - collar, from Latin.

See the extended note on this word in my piece here, “Appendix 1 - The Irrevocability of Verdicts and the Metaphorical Burden on False Witnesses“, on section “The Court’s Powerlessness; Moral Responsibility“.

13. On the Talmudic institution of kallah, see Wikipedia, “Kallah“.

And compare my “ “I punished him”: Anecdotes About the Life and Death of Rav Adda bar Abba (Bava Batra 22a)“, section “Pt. 3 - Rav Nahman bar Yizhak, Rav Pappa, and Rav Huna b. Yehoshua“, where I summarize:

Pt. 3 of the Talmudic story revolves around Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak, who was responsible for leading the kalla lectures—special Torah study sessions during the months of Elul and Adar. Typically, Rav Naḥman would prepare for these lectures by reviewing them with Rav Adda bar Abba just before teaching.

On the day in question, Rav Adda bar Abba was detained by Rav Pappa and Rav b. Yehoshua, who missed the end of a previous lecture by Rava and sought to catch up on Rava’s teachings on the animal tithe. As a result of this delay, Rav Adda bar Abba was late to meet Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak, causing a significant delay in the scheduled kalla lecture.

14. טבלא - tabla, from Greek.

See the etymological note on this word in my “Of Serpents and Sages: The Stories of the Snakebite Deaths of Ben Dama and the Pumbedita Official (Avodah Zarah 27b; Shabbat 109b-110a)“, on section “Post-Mortem Diagnosis: It Was a Snake of the Rabbis.“