Rabbi Simon A. Dolgin


And lo, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold; your sheaves came round about and bowed down to my sheaf... and behold, the sun and the moon and the stars bowed down to me.

(Bereshith 37:7-9)

And his father kept what he had said in mind.
(Bereshith 37:11)

Joseph dreamed two dreams; first, a dream of sheaves and second, a dream of stars. if we examine the text carefully, however, we see that Jacob's reaction centered only on Joseph's second dream. In response to the second dream we read: "And his father scolded him... and his father kept what he had said in mind." Although the Torah does not say specifically that Joseph ever told his father about the first dream, it is reasonable to assume that Jacob would have learned of it from his other sons. Why then, Jacob's focus on the second dream?

The answer lies in the nature of Joseph's message of domination over his brothers as symbolized in the two dreams.  In the first dream, Joseph's domination is represented through the medium of a concrete item, a sheaf: "And behold, your sheaves came round about and bowed down to my sheaf." In the second dream, there is no such medium: "And behold, the sun and the moon and the stars bowed down to me." In the first dream the brothers bow down to a representation of Joseph - "to my sheaf." In the second dream, they bow down to Joseph himself - "to me."

As long as the brothers' subordination was to a second order, an object, Jacob could overlook the dream. A sheaf is a passing item, here today and gone tomorrow. When Joseph envisioned his brothers bowing down to his very person, through no representational medium, the implication was far more alarming to Jacob. HE saw far greater significance in such a dream, and therefore he "kept what he had said in mind."

The distinction between a representation of oneself through a medium and through one's actual being is true in many realms, with the latter always having greater influence. One may assist a poor person through a charitable donation, but this does not have the same meaning as if one gives of himself, showing personal interest, care, and compassion.

One may donate his possessions to a worthy cause, yet donating one's own time and personal attention creates a far deeper impact. One's possessions are his tools. One's person is his most powerful tool. On the other hand, one who seeks recognition for his material possessions may be feared less than one who seeks dominion of his own person.