Pemikiran Yahudi Daniel 10:9: Akeidat Yitzchak & Guide for the Perplexed

Because of all the foregoing, we believe that the approach to dreams is dealt with by Elihu in Job Chapter 33: "G-d speaks to man during a dream, a nocturnal vision; when deep sleep overcomes man, when he rests on his couch. Then the Lord does open the ear of man and impresses him with His teachings." Elihu refers to three different levels of enlightenment conveyed by means of dreams: 1) The prophetic vision, chizayon laylah, the type of dream granted to many of our prophets. Normally, the purpose of these visions was to prepare the prophet or his people for coming events. 2) A second level of communication, commonly referred to as ruach hakodesh, holy spirit. This is inferior to the nocturnal vision described previously. During this kind of communication, the dreamer usually loses most of his normal faculties. This sort of communication is described in greater detail by Daniel (10,8-10). We also find Abraham being the recipient of such a communication during the early stages of his career, at the brit beyn habtarim, covenant between the pieces (Genesis Chapter 15). The above-mentioned two levels of communication from G-d were reserved for the Jewish people exclusively after the erection of the tabernacle in the desert (see details in Chapter 82). 3) A third and lowest level of communication from G-d, is one that is common to all men who dream of many things while they are asleep. Some of these dreams are of no significance whatsoever, simply reflect thoughts that are carried over from one's waking hours; others are thoughts suppressed during waking hours, which can no longer be controlled while one is asleep. Some parts of these dreams may have substance, however, and may have deeper meaning. In some cases, an insignificant part of the dream contains something meaningful. In others, the proportion of the meaningful part may be very substantial. Job 33,15, then, is to be understood like this: A) in a dream of nocturnal vision; B) when deep sleep overcomes man; C) while sleeping on the couch. When our sages state that dreams equal 1/60 of prophecy (Berachot 57), they mean that the element of truth in a dream may be as insignificant as the amount of issur, forbidden ingredient, that can be assimilated in a large mass of permissible material. Since every person has a chance to receive revelations of such minute proportions, Elihu says, "Then He reveals to the ear of men." The fact that all kinds of subject matter may be contained in the dream, creating a picture of confusion prompts the dreamer to consult an interpreter to sort it out for him. It is this that Elihu means when he adds, "And He seals their instruction, that He may draw man away from his purpose." The art of the interpreter is to separate the message from the trivia contained in all dreams. It is this that Pharaoh referred to when he said to Joseph, "You hear a dream (with a view) to interpret" (41,15), i.e. you possess the insight to weigh what is pertinent and what is not. Since several elements in a dream may contain revelations pertinent to the future, an interpreter may isolate only one of these elements, overlooking the other. This is most likely what the Talmud means when it tells us of twenty-four different interpretations of the same dream, which each proved true, but incomplete.

I NEED not explain what a dream is, but I will explain the meaning of the term mareh, “vision,” which occurs in the passage: “In a vision (be-mareh) do I make myself known unto him” (Num. 12:6). The term signifies that which is also called mareh ha-nebuah, “prophetic vision,” yad ha-shem, “the hand of God,” and maḥazeh, “a vision.” It is something terrible and fearful which the prophet feels while awake, as is distinctly stated by Daniel: “And I saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me, for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength” (Dan, 10:8). He afterwards continues, “Thus was I in deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground” (ibid. ver. 9). But it was in a prophetic vision that the angel spoke to him and “set him upon his knees.”