Torah Or Parshas Vayeishev

 Shir Hammalois 28b

Dreams

In a dream two opposite things are mixed together, like a ship flying.

The reason for this is that in a dream the brain which understands and differentiates departs and only the imaginative faculty is operating.

The imaginative faculty combines opposites, but when a person awakens the intellectual faculty takes over.

Exile

Similarly in exile we have a G-dly soul but it is like asleep.

This is why on one hand a person can be preoccupied with mundane matters (earning a living etc.) and during Davening (prayers) reach a great love for G-d (though they are opposite desires – body and soul.)

Though the Torah herself says, “six years you should till your land and in the seventh give it a rest” nonetheless all of this relates to a spiritual concept, namely Avoidas Habirurim (refining the sparks of holiness from the ground – hence ideally there should be one holy intention.)

Now though people may fluctuate (between body and soul desires) a person shouldn’t think that their prayer is meaningless, for it is like a dream combining opposites.

A person imagines that He loves G-d (exclusively during prayer) but in actual fact as we see he loves his body for if not how would this desire return.

Moshiach

In truth this dream-like state is a very high level.

It states, “When Moshiach comes G-d and His name will be one.”

The name refers to the time of Galus when G-d is not revealed.

 During Galus is a time when intelligence lacks, and one’s soul brings life from the level of iggulim (circles) which transcends intelligence.

In this level all things are one, as it states, “both (opinions though contradictory) are the words of the living G-d.”

For this high level to be revealed below, it can only come about through the level of a dream-like state where the differentiation of intellect lacks.  

The greatness of our world

The combination of opposites that our world contains in fact draws itself from the essence of G-d (for differentiation which is an intellectual quality is below this essence.)

Revelation:

When Moshiach comes there will be a Divine revelation as its states “nothing will conceal” and “you will see G-d eye to eye.”

This high level of dream – coming from G-d’s essence will be revealed, and then we will realize that even in exile this is from where we received our life.

This is why we will say, “we were dreaming.”

This is why Yosef was an interpreter of dreams; (in one level He was even higher than Moses having accessed the dream level.)