Dreams are Our Destiny

The significance of dreams is central to understanding the stories of Yosef. His own dreams adumbrated his rise to power and his role as his family’s leader and led his embittered brothers to sell him to caravaners, setting forth the plot which would ultimately bring his entire family to Egypt. His interpretation of dreams for Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer and chief bread-maker, provided the motus vivendi for his release from Pharaoh’s prison and his introduction to Pharaoh and it was his interpretation of Pharaoh’s enigmatic dreams which launched him to greatness.

After two years’ time, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, when out of the Nile there came up seven cows, handsome and sturdy, and they grazed in the reed grass. But presently, seven other cows came up from the Nile close behind them, ugly and gaunt, and stood beside the cows on the bank of the Nile; and the ugly gaunt cows ate up the seven handsome sturdy cows. And Pharaoh awoke. He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven ears of grain, solid and healthy, grew on a single stalk. But close behind them sprouted seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven solid and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke: it was a dream! (Genesis 41:1-7)

No one in Egypt was able to resolve Pharaoh’s troubling dreams to his satisfaction. Sages from the period of the Talmud attempted to envision what made their interpretations unacceptable to Pharaoh:

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: They would interpret it, but their voices would not enter his ears. [They would say:] ‘The seven good cows [mean that] you will beget seven daughters. The seven bad cows – you will bury seven daughters.’ Likewise, they said: ‘The seven good stalks [mean that] you will conquer seven kingdoms. The seven bad stalks – seven districts will rebel against you.’ That is what is written: “A scoffer seeks wisdom, and there is none” (Proverbs 14:6) – these are Pharaoh’s magicians and wise men. “But knowledge is easy for the discerning” (Proverbs 14:16) – this is Joseph. (Bereishit Rabbah 89:6, Theodore Albeck ed. p. 1093)

What was lacking in these interpretations? These prognosticators offered nothing actionable. Their interpretations were static and fateful, neither inspiring or aspiring. The right interpretation would need to take into account the adage of Rabbi Yohanan:

All dreams follow the interpretation. (Ibid., p. 1096-7)

Consequently, their interpretations did not find a place in Pharaoh’s heart. Pharaoh was looking for something different. And that is what Yosef offered:

And Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same: Pharaoh has been told what God is about to do. The seven healthy cows are seven years, and the seven healthy ears are seven years; it is the same dream. The seven lean and ugly cows that followed are seven years, as are also the seven empty ears scorched by the east wind; they are seven years of famine. It is just as I have told Pharaoh: Pharaoh has been shown what God is about to do. Immediately ahead are seven years of great abundance in all the land of Egypt. After them will come seven years of famine, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. As the land is ravaged by famine, no trace of the abundance will be left in the land because of the famine thereafter, for it will be very severe. As for Pharaoh having had the same dream twice, it means that the matter has been determined by God, and that God will soon carry it out. Accordingly, let Pharaoh find someone who’s discerning and wise, whom you can set over the land of Egypt. And let Pharaoh take steps to appoint overseers over the land, and organize the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty. Let all the food of these good years that are coming be gathered, and let the grain be collected under Pharaoh’s authority as food to be stored in the cities. Let that food be a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will come upon the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish in the famine.” The plan pleased Pharaoh and all his courtiers. (Genesis 41:25-37)

What made Yosef’s interpretation more palatable to Pharaoh than that of the others? Yosef discerned in Pharaoh’s dreams a problem which would face his nation and its resolution. His interpretation was both actionable and aspirational. Ushering Egypt through troubled times would mark Pharaoh as a great leader. Moreover, Yosef insights made him the appropriate agent for making it all happen. Yosef did not abandon Pharaoh to fate; rather he offered a vision of destiny and purpose. After all, isn’t that what are dreams are all about?