This week is all about dreams. In Parshat Vayeshev, we meet one of history’s most famous dreamers – Joseph, who later also turns to dream interpretation during his stint in prison. Which is why I’m pairing this parsha with Ariel Kaplan’s brilliant Jewish fantasy, The Pomegranate Gate.
Joseph is know for angering his brothers by describing his two dreams that seem to indicate he will be king over them. Many people also know that he interprets the dreams of Pharaohs two deposed courtiers when they are in Egyptian prison together. The Bible presents these dreams as logically connected to life, if only one can find the correct interpreter. Indeed these dreams were taken so seriously the brothers almost killed Joseph, and ended up selling him into slavery over the issue. Clearly dreaming is a serious business
The Pomegranate Gate is a gorgeous portal fantasy that is way too complex to summarize here (I encourage you to check out our review!) but it has one of the most interesting depictions of dreaming I’ve seen in fiction. Nonhuman creatures, such as Maziks, have a shared dream world. These dreams are not harmless ephemera – they will be remembered after waking, and can have really work consequences. They can also help communication between individuals who are not even in the same realm, for better or for worse.
Nowadays, dreams usually don’t lead to fratricide. Nor can someone attempt to hunt you down and successfully assassinate you while you dream. But they still hold power. They reflect what we have been thinking over the day, and sometimes provide clarity on life choices. May we all share a dream of health and happiness.