Earthly and Heavenly Dreams

          Joseph had two dreams which he related to his brothers. The first:

Behold, we were gathering sheaves in the middle of the field and lo, my sheaf rose and also remained upright and behold your sheaves stood in a circle and bowed down to my sheaf.                 Genesis 37:7.

          This dream involved the earthly.

Joseph’s second dream:

Behold, the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed down to me                         ibid. 9

The second dream involved the heavenly.

          My father commented that the two dreams are interrelated. Establishing and maintaining an Israelite national entity requires a combination of earthly and heavenly aspects. It cannot exist without the sheaves, as our Sages say “if there is no wheat, there can be no Torah”. But equally well, it cannot exist solely as an earthly entity, Torah must guide the application of the earthly, endowing the tangible with a spiritual facet as well, ultimately elevating the Israelite national entity to its ideal level.

          As far as Joseph’s first dream is concerned, my father noted that Joseph included himself: “we were gathering sheaves”. In so doing, Joseph expressed the ideal of Jewish leadership. A true leader participates with his people. Rather than raising himself above the people, a real leader sees himself as responsible to the people. It is through the unity of leader and people that the Israelite national entity can realize its goal and destiny.