Pt2 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 second and final part of a two-part series. Part 1 is here; the outline of the series can be found at Part 1.

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

תני תנא קמיה דרב נחמן בר יצחק:

המקיז דם בחלום —

עונותיו מחולין לו.

The tanna who recited mishnayot before Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak taught:

One who lets (מקיז) blood¹ in a dream --

it is a sign that his transgressions have been forgiven,

because red, the color of blood, is a metaphor for sin: “Though your sins be as scarlet…though they be red like crimson” (Isaiah 1:18). Consequently, bloodletting can symbolize transgressions leaving him.

Baraita - lets blood = transgressions enumerated

והתניא:

עונותיו סדורין לו!

מאי סדורין?

סדורין לימחל.

The Talmud asks: Was it not taught in a baraita:

One who sees that he is letting-blood in a dream, it is a sign that his transgressions are enumerated² before him?

The Talmud answers: What is meant by enumerated?

This means that they are enumerated to be forgiven.

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

תני תנא קמיה דרב ששת:

• הרואה נחש בחלום --

  • פרנסתו מזומנת לו.

• נשכו —

  • נכפלה לו.

• הרגו —

  • אבדה פרנסתו.

The tanna who recited mishnayot before Rav Sheshet taught:

• One who sees a snake in a dream --

  • it is a sign that his livelihood (פרנסתו) is accessible to him

  • just as dust is readily accessible to a snake³

• If one saw that the snake bit him in his dream --

  • it is a sign that his livelihood will double.

• If he killed⁴ the snake --

  • it is a sign that he will lose his livelihood.

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

אמר ליה רב ששת:

כל שכן שנכפלה פרנסתו.

ולא היא,

רב ששת הוא דחזא חויא בחלמיה וקטליה.

Rav Sheshet said to the tanna:

On the contrary, if one dreamed that he killed the snake it is a sign that all the more so his livelihood will double.

The Talmud remarks: But that is not so.

Rav Sheshet saw a snake in his dream and killed it,

so he sought to interpret his dream positively.

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

תני תנא קמיה דרבי יוחנן:

כל מיני משקין יפין לחלום

חוץ מן היין,

• יש שותהו וטוב לו,

• ויש שותהו ורע לו.

The tanna who recited mishnayot before R’ Yoḥanan taught:

One who sees any kind of drink (משקין) in a dream it is a good omen,

except for wine,

• as there is one who drinks it in a dream and it is a good omen for him,

• and there is one who drinks it in a dream and it is a bad omen for him.

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

• יש שותהו וטוב לו —

  • שנאמר: ״ויין ישמח לבב אנוש״,

• ויש שותהו ורע לו —

  • שנאמר: ״תנו שכר לאובד, ויין למרי נפש״.

The Talmud elaborates:

• There is one who drinks wine and it is a good omen for him,

  • as it is stated: “And wine that makes glad the heart of man” (Psalms 104:15),

• and there is one who drinks it in a dream and it is a bad omen for him,

  • as it is stated: “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto the bitter in soul” (Proverbs 31:6).

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

אמר ליה רבי יוחנן לתנא:

תני:

תלמיד חכם --

לעולם טוב לו,

שנאמר:

״לכו לחמו בלחמי

ושתו ביין מסכתי״.

R’ Yoḥanan said to the tanna:

You should teach that

for a Torah scholar --

a dream of wine is always a good omen,

as it is stated:

“Come, eat of my bread

and drink of the wine which I have mingled” (Proverbs 9:5).

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

אמר רבי יוחנן:

השכים ונפל פסוק לתוך פיו —

הרי זה נבואה קטנה.

R’ Yoḥanan said:

One who awakened in the morning and a verse immediately falls into his mouth --

it is a minor prophecy.⁵

Biblical Kings, Biblical Books, and Tanaitic Sages

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

תנו רבנן,

שלשה מלכים הם:

1. הרואה דוד בחלום —

   1. יצפה לחסידות.

2. שלמה —

   1. יצפה לחכמה.

3. אחאב —

   1. ידאג מן הפורענות.

A baraita states:

There are three kings whose appearance in a dream is significant:

1. One who sees David in a dream --

   1. should expect piety;⁶

2. one who sees Solomon --

   1. should expect wisdom (חכמה);

3. and one who sees Ahab --

   1. should be concerned about calamity (פורענות).

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

שלשה נביאים הם:

1. הרואה ספר מלכים —

   1. יצפה לגדולה.

2. יחזקאל —

   1. יצפה לחכמה.

3. ישעיה —

   1. יצפה לנחמה.

4. ירמיה —

   1. ידאג מן הפורענות.

There are also three books of Prophets whose appearance in a dream is meaningful:

1. One who sees the book of Kings --

   1. should anticipate greatness, royalty;

2. one who sees the book of Ezekiel --

   1. should anticipate wisdom,

   2. as the configuration of the Divine Chariot is described therein;

3. one who sees the book of Isaiah --

   1. should anticipate consolation (נחמה);

4. and one who sees the book of Jeremiah --

   1. should be concerned about calamity,

   2. because Jeremiah prophesied extensively of impending calamity (i.e. the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple).

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

שלשה כתובים גדולים הם:

1. הרואה ספר תהלים —

   1. יצפה לחסידות,

2. משלי —

   1. יצפה לחכמה,

3. איוב —

   1. ידאג מן הפורענות.

Similarly, there are three great books of Writings whose appearance in a dream has particular significance:

1. One who sees the book of Psalms --

   1. should anticipate piety;

2. one who sees the book of Proverbs --

   1. should anticipate wisdom;

3. one who sees the book of Job --

   1. should be concerned about calamity.

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

שלשה כתובים קטנים הם:

1. הרואה שיר השירים בחלום —

   1. יצפה לחסידות.

2. קהלת —

   1. יצפה לחכמה.

3. קינות —

   1. ידאג מן הפורענות.

4. הרואה מגלת אסתר —

   1. נס נעשה לו.

There are also three minor books of Writings whose appearance in a dream is significant:

1. One who sees Song of Songs in a dream --

   1. should anticipate piety,

   2. as it describes God’s love for Israel;

2. one who sees Ecclesiastes --

   1. should anticipate wisdom;

3. one who sees Lamentations --

   1. should be concerned about calamity;

4. and one who sees the scroll of Esther --

   1. it is a sign that a miracle will be performed on his behalf.

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

שלשה חכמים הם:

1. הרואה רבי בחלום —

   1. יצפה לחכמה.

2. רבי אלעזר בן עזריה —

   1. יצפה לעשירות.

3. רבי ישמעאל בן אלישע —

   1. ידאג מן הפורענות.

There are three Jewish sages (חכמים) whose appearance in a dream is significant:

1. One who sees R’ Yehuda HaNasi in a dream --

   1. should anticipate wisdom;

2. one who sees R’ Elazar ben Azarya --

   1. should anticipate wealth,

   2. as he was particularly wealthy;

3. and one who sees R’ Yishmael ben Elisha --

   1. should be concerned about calamity,

   2. as he was one of the ten martyrs executed by the Romans.

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

שלשה תלמידי חכמים הם:

1. הרואה בן עזאי בחלום —

   1. יצפה לחסידות.

2. בן זומא —

   1. יצפה לחכמה.

3. אחר —

   1. ידאג מן הפורענות.

There are three students of sages⁷ who, despite their greatness in Torah, were never given the title “Rabbi”, and whose appearance in a dream is significant:

1. One who sees Ben Azzai in a dream --

   1. should anticipate piety;

2. one who sees Ben Zoma --

   1. should anticipate wisdom;

3. and one who sees Aḥer, Elisha ben Avuya --

   1. should be concerned about calamity,

   2. as he strayed from the path of righteousness.⁸

Appendix 1 - Table Summarizing the 50+ Dream Images and corresponding Interpretation / Omen - Symbolism of Actions, Biblical Kings, Biblical Books, and Tanaitic Sages in Talmudic Dream Interpretations

Appendix 2 - Summary of Symbols - List

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

The Talmud interprets dreams with historical biblical and rabbinic figures, biblical books, or places, often associating them with outcomes like miracles, wisdom, piety, or calamity.⁹

Breakdown of Symbols and Interpretations

1. Biblical Books of the Prophets:

   • Kings: Anticipate greatness.

   • Ezekiel: Anticipate wisdom.

   • Isaiah: Anticipate consolation.

   • Jeremiah: Be concerned about calamity.

2. Biblical Books of the Writings:

   • Psalms: Anticipate piety.

   • Proverbs: Anticipate wisdom.

   • Job: Be concerned about calamity.

   • Song of Songs: Anticipate piety.

   • Ecclesiastes: Anticipate wisdom.

   • Lamentations: Be concerned about calamity.

   • Esther: A miracle will be performed.

3. Biblical Figures:

   • Pinehas: A miracle will be performed for him.¹⁰

   • Ishmael: His prayer will be heard.¹¹

   • David: Expect piety.

   • Solomon: Expect wisdom.

   • Ahab: Be concerned about calamity.

4. Rabbinic Figures:¹²

   • R’ Yehuda HaNasi: Anticipate wisdom.

   • R’ Elazar b. Azarya: Anticipate wealth.

   • R’ Yishmael b. Elisha: Be concerned about calamity.

   • Ben-Azzai: Anticipate piety.

   • Ben-Zoma: Anticipate wisdom.

   • Aḥer: Be concerned about calamity.

5. Common Mishnaic and Talmudic Names:

   • Huna (הונא), Ḥanina,¹³ Ḥananya,¹⁴ or Yoḥanan:¹⁵ Many miracles will occur for him.¹⁶

6. Places:

   • Naked in Babylonia: Free of transgression.

   • Naked in Eretz Yisrael: Lacking mitzvot.

B - Breakdown of Actions and Events

This outline interprets actions and events in dreams, associating them with outcomes such as greatness, protection, divine favor, or prosperity.

Actions and Their Interpretations

1. Actions Involving Animals:

   • Ox:¹⁷

     • Ate its flesh: Wealth.

     • Gored: Torah scholar sons.

     • Bit: Suffering.

     • Kicked: Distant travel.

     • Rode it: Rise to greatness.

   • Snake:

     • Bit him: Livelihood will double.

     • Killed it: Loss of livelihood.

2. Entering Places:

   • City: Desires will be fulfilled.

   • Marsh: Will become head of a yeshiva.

   • Forest: Will lead advanced students.

3. Clothing and Appearance:

   • Shaved head and beard: Good for him and his entire family.

   • Wearing a neck chain: Increased protection.

4. Climbing and Movement:

   • Climbing up to a roof: Ascend to greatness.

   • Climbing down: Descend from greatness.

5. Ritual and Religious Acts:¹⁸

   • Answering “May His great name be blessed” (Kaddish): Place in the World-to-Come.

   • Reciting Shema: Worthy of the Shekhina resting on him (i.e. prophecy), but generation is unworthy

   • Donning Tefillin: Anticipate greatness.

   • Praying: Positive outcome.

6. Miscellaneous Acts:

   • Defecating: Good.

   • Ripping clothing: Sentence against him is annulled.

   • Letting blood: Transgressions forgiven.

   • Sitting in a boat:

     • Small boat: Good reputation will spread.

     • Large boat: Reputation will spread for his entire family.

   • Eulogy: Mercy from Heaven, spared.¹⁹

Planting a vine branch: Anticipate the Messiah.

Appendix 3 - Symbolism of Ritual and Religious Acts in Dream Interpretations (Berakhot 57a)

Berakhot.57a.2-3

Answers “May His great name be blessed” from kaddish = has a place in the World-to-Come

העונה ״יהא שמיה רבא מברך״ —

מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא.

One who answers in a dream: “May His great name be blessed” from kaddish —

is assured that he is one who has a place in the World-to-Come.

Recites Shema = worthy of having the Shekhina rest upon him (i.e. prophecy)

הקורא קריאת שמע —

ראוי שתשרה עליו שכינה,

אלא שאין דורו זכאי לכך.

One who sees himself reciting Shema in a dream —

is worthy of having the Shekhina rest upon him (i.e. prophecy),

but his generation is unworthy,

and, therefore, the Shekhina does not actually rest upon him.

Dons tefillin = anticipate greatness

המניח תפילין בחלום —

יצפה לגדולה,

שנאמר:

״וראו כל עמי הארץ

כי שם ה׳ נקרא עליך וגו׳״.

ותניא,

רבי אליעזר הגדול אומר:

אלו תפילין שבראש.

One who sees himself don tefillin in a dream —

should anticipate greatness,

as it is stated:

“And all the peoples of the earth shall see

that the name of YHWH is called upon you;

and they shall be afraid of you” (Deuteronomy 28:10).

And it was taught in a baraita that R’ Eliezer the Great says:

“the Name of YHWH is called upon you” refers to tefillin of the head,

as they represent God’s name upon man.

Prays = good omen

המתפלל בחלום —

סימן יפה לו.

והני מילי דלא סיים.

One who sees himself pray in a dream —

it is an auspicious omen.

However, the Talmud qualifies: This only applies in a case where he saw in the dream that he had not yet finished his prayer and is therefore still close to God.

If, in the dream, he had already finished his prayer, it is not an omen.

Appendix 4 - Consolidated Table Summarizing the 100+ Dream Images and corresponding Interpretation / Omen in Entire Sugya of Talmudic Dream Interpretations (Berakhot 56a-57b)

(See footnote.)²⁰

1. Referring to the often-mentioned practice of bloodletting.

2. סדורין - literally: “ordered, organized”.

3. See my note in a previous part on this sugya on the Talmudic idea that snakes have easy sustenance, as they “eat dust”.

4. הרגו - “he killed him”.

The subjects of the pronouns are ambiguous. Ed. Steinsaltz interprets here and in the section that the actor is the dreamer, and “he killed the snake”. However, it seems more likely that the actor is the snake, killing the dreamer in the dream, same as the previous action, where “he bit him” clearly means that the snake bit the dreamer in the dream.

5. On serendipitous verses as having properties of a prophecy, compare the common Talmudic trope of asking a child to recite a verse they had learned (פסוק לי פסוקך), to derive a divine message.

For example, see my “Pt1 Aḥer’s Apostasy and Its Aftermath (Chagigah 15a-b)“, section “Aḥer’s Doomed Fate: A Series of Unfavorable Omens (Isaiah 48:22; Jeremiah 2:22, 4:30)“.

6. חסידות - hasidut.

7. תלמידי חכמים - ed. Steinsaltz incorrectly translates this as “Torah scholars”. In this context (and in many others), this isn’t the precise meaning.

8. On him, see my previous series, citied in a previous footnote.

9. Most of these symbols are explored in this series or my others, while a few (such as the symbol of the biblical Ishmael and Pinehas) I didn’t cover in the main pieces; I cite these in footnotes here.

10. See Berakhot.56b.20:

הרואה פינחס בחלום —

פלא נעשה לו.

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.

11. See Berakhot.56b.19:

הרואה ישמעאל בחלום —

תפלתו נשמעת.

ודוקא ישמעאל בן אברהם,

אבל טייעא בעלמא —

לא.

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 Talmud qualifies: This refers specifically to where one saw Ishmael, son of Abraham,

but if one saw a random Arab —

no

12. Tannaim - they are all 3rd generation tannaim, besides for R’ Yehuda Hanasi, who is a 5th generation tanna.

13. חנינא = Hanina, variant of the next name.

14. חנניה = Hananiah.

15. יוחנן = Johanan.

16. See Berakhot.57a.1:

• הרואה הונא בחלום —

  • נס נעשה לו.

• חנינא, חנניא, יוחנן —

  • נסי נסים נעשו לו

• One who sees a man named Huna in a dream —

  • it is a sign that a miracle will be performed for him,

  • because the letter nun in the name Huna represents the word nes, miracle.

• One who sees a man named Ḥanina, Ḥananya, or Yoḥanan —

  • it is a sign that many miracles will be performed for him,

  • since the letter nun appears twice in those names.

17. See Berakhot.56b.16:

תנו רבנן:

חמשה דברים נאמרו בשור:

1. האוכל מבשרו —

   1. מתעשר.

2. נגחו —

   1. הויין ליה בנים שמנגחים בתורה.

3. נשכו —

   1. יסורין באים עליו.

4. בעטו —

   1. דרך רחוקה נזדמנה לו.

5. רכבו —

   1. עולה לגדולה.

The Sages taught in a baraita:

Five matters are said about dreams with regard to the ox:

1. One who dreams that he ate from its flesh —

   1. will become wealthy.

2. One who dreams that it gored him —

   1. will have sons who are Torah scholars, who gore each other in an attempt to better understand Torah.

3. One who dreams that it bit him —

   1. suffering is coming to him.

4. One who dreams that it kicked him —

   1. will be required to travel a great distance in the future.

5. One who dreams that he was riding it —

   1. it is a sign that he will rise to greatness.

18. See Berakhot.57a.2-3, quoted in an appendix at the end of this piece.

19. See Berakhot.57a.1:

הרואה הספד בחלום —

מן השמים חסו עליו ופדאוהו.

והני מילי בכתבא.

One who sees a eulogy in a dream —

it is a sign that the heavens had mercy upon him, and spared him from a divine death sentence

and there will be no need to eulogize him in reality.

The Talmud qualifies that this only applies if he saw the eulogy written and not yet delivered.

20. Based on the entire talmudic dream sugya in Berakhot 56a-57b, these 9 pieces of mine:

‘All Dreams Follow the Mouth’: Bar-Haddaya’s Fee-Driven Interpretations of the Dreams of Rava and Abaye (Berakhot 56a-b)

1. Pt1

2. Pt2

Selected Dream Interpretations, Especially Those Relating to Illicit Sex (Berakhot 56a-57b)

1. Pt1

2. Pt2

Symbolism of Plants, Animals, Birds, and Nature in Talmudic Dream Interpretations: Over 40 Dream Elements and Their Meanings (Berakhot 56b-57b)

1. Pt1

2. Pt2

3. Pt3

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

1. Pt1

2. Pt2