The Dream like Nature of Reality
Parsha Miketz (Gen. 41:1 - 44:17)
Everything appears real and tangible in the dream world, even if disorienting and confusing. Yet, when we wake up, we realize that the dream is just an illusion. Similarly, is it possible that the physical world is an illusion of sorts, making us think that this reality is all there is and that there is no higher truth beyond it?
While we sleep, we enter a realm that is even less concrete and more ephemeral than our waking world, which is why dreams can be challenging to decipher and understand. If our dreams are only a form of reality, is our “awake” state only a higher, more concrete form of existence?
Our dreams are randomly generated streams of brain activity that can sometimes intersect with spiritual realities, resulting in glimpses of the future, inconsistencies, and puzzling symbols. To interpret them, one needs a divine gift. The biblical figures Joseph and Daniel both recognized that this gift comes from God, who reveals mysteries and provides interpretation. Joseph said, "Interpretations belong to God." “1 The prophet Daniel agreed, "There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries." “2
Therefore, if it takes a divine revealer to interpret a dream correctly, shouldn't it also take divine wisdom to interpret the dream-like nature of this life? Just as dreams are a confusing and mysterious realm, our world is a place of puzzles and concealment. To navigate it, we should look to those who have pulled back the veil, like Joseph, who said,
It is not me; it is God who gives the answer to Pharoah. - Genesis 41:16
Suppose it is true that our world of concealment compares to a dream world and that it is not absolute reality but a realm of mysteries and confusion similar to the unconscious domain of dreams. In that case, it only follows that the Divine Creator can help us navigate and interpret both.
To gain access to this high level of perception, a proper fear of the Lord is necessary. In Proverbs, we read,
"The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. - Proverbs 9:10
God is the only one who can pull back the veil between this world and the other worlds, where his Light and Presence are made manifest in varying degrees, depending on the level of access He grants us. Whether navigating reality on this side of concealment or the other, it is only God who holds the navigational and interpretive keys.
Sometimes dreams take the form of nightmares, and we may be experiencing one today. Constantly we confront reports of illness, hunger, poverty, and death. In addition, we recently have been exposed to the truth that the US government is actively suppressing the rights of its citizens by enlisting tech companies to suppress free speech and trample on the constitution. We have also discovered an organized global campaign to suppress the reporting of adverse reactions to mRNA gene therapy. What can we do? Who will wake us up?
Joseph was filled with wisdom (chochmah), understanding (binah), and knowledge (da'at). Pharoah observed, "Where can we find one like this man that has the Spirit of God in him?" (Genesis 41:38). Jospeh, inspired by God, helped Pharoah navigate the concealed realm.
Today, we also need individuals who are imbued with God's chochmah, binah, and da'at to help us understand and interpret humanity's shared dream-like dilemma. These men and women fear the Lord and follow his commands. Ecclesiastes 4:13-14 states, "a poor yet wise lad would be better than an old and foolish king..."
Thankfully, he has not left us adrift in a sea of ethereal uncertainty without a compass or map. He has given us his Torah, which King David calls "…a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” In these uncertain times, when reality unfolds like a bad dream, we would all do well to follow it.
The Sages teach us that when our spirit descends into this world of concealment to be born as a human, it is like falling asleep and entering into a dream. Within this dream-like world, we experience various emotions, relationships, and events that we call life. At the end of our dream-like existence, we will awaken and see the framework of this world for what it is. Our world will appear artificial and insubstantial compared to the more significant and brighter absolute reality of being in the presence of God. Only then will we be truly awake.
Genesis 40:8
Daniel 2:28