A Dual Vision

By Rabbi Joshua (bindingly known as The Hoffer) Hoffman

Yosef, a shepherd with his brothers, has two dreams, both of which he relates to his brothers. In the first dream, his brothers and he are binding sheaves in the field, and their sheaves bow down to his. In the second dream, the sun, moon and the eleven stars bowed down to him. His brothers responded antagonistically to the two dreams, whereas his father, while openly voicing skepticism, after hearing the second dream “waited for the matter” (Bereishis 37:11). Rashi explains this to mean that Ya’akov was looking for it to happen. Why did he take this view?

My teacher, Rav Aharon Soloveichik, zt”l, explained that Yosef’s two dreams were an expansion of his own dream which he had after leaving Charan. There he dreamt a ladder standing on earth who’s top reached the heavens, with heavenly angels going up and down its rungs. The message was that he would live in this world, meet its material challenges, and use them to bring down spiritually. Yosef’s dreams split this message into two, one dealing with his leadership of the family in the material realm, and the other in the spiritual realm. Ya’akov with his close relationship with Yosef, viewed him as his successor, and looked forward to his fulfillment of his mission. Yosef, for his part, also viewed his dreams as prophetic visions, and made efforts to bring about their fulfillment.

We noted last week that Ya’akov’s approach to the material aspects of life was a utilitarian one, not seeking pleasure, but as a task to live properly in this word, having one’s basic needs, and then elevating their means to lead to spirituality. This was how he educated Yosef, and this is what Yosef ultimately achieved in Egypt.

This approach helps us understand a midrash cited by Rashi in explaining how Yosef overcame the incitements of Potiphar’s wife. Yosef almost succumbed to his enticer, when the visage of his father appeared to him, and deterred him. How did Ya’akov’s visage relate to Yosef’s predicament? Perhaps we can relate it to another Rashi, in parshas Vayeitzei. After working seven years for Rachel, Ya’akov says to Lavan, “Give me my wife, that I may come upon her.” Ostensibly, this is not the kind of talk we would expect to hear from Ya’akov. Rashi explains that Ya’akov’s intention was to create the twelve tribes to build up the Jewish people. Otherwise, says Rashi, would even the קל שבקלים, “most light-headed person” speak this way? The super-commentary to Rashi, Be’er Yitzchok, by Rabbi Yitzchok Horowitz, says that Ya’akov viewed his marital relations as something holy, to serve a spiritual purpose, and, so, while a קל שבקלים would not speak this way, a קדש קדשים, as Ya’akov was, would do so. This approach to this area of life was the message of Ya’akov’s appearing to Yosef.