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Genesis 37:9 - Stars bow to Joseph's destiny?

Genesis 37:9 - בראשית 37:9

Hebrew Text

וַיַּחֲלֹם עוֹד חֲלוֹם אַחֵר וַיְסַפֵּר אֹתוֹ לְאֶחָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה חָלַמְתִּי חֲלוֹם עוֹד וְהִנֵּה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ וְאַחַד עָשָׂר כּוֹכָבִים מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לִי׃

English Translation

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have again dreamed a dream; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed down to me.

Transliteration

Vayachalom od chalom acher vayesaper oto le'echav vayomer hineh chalamti chalom od vehineh hashemesh veyareach veachad asar cochavim mishtachavim li.

Hebrew Leining Text

וַיַּחֲלֹ֥ם עוֹד֙ חֲל֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וַיְסַפֵּ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ לְאֶחָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֨ה חָלַ֤מְתִּֽי חֲלוֹם֙ ע֔וֹד וְהִנֵּ֧ה הַשֶּׁ֣מֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵ֗חַ וְאַחַ֤ד עָשָׂר֙ כּֽוֹכָבִ֔ים מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֖ים לִֽי׃
וַיַּחֲלֹ֥ם עוֹד֙ חֲל֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וַיְסַפֵּ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ לְאֶחָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֨ה חָלַ֤מְתִּֽי חֲלוֹם֙ ע֔וֹד וְהִנֵּ֧ה הַשֶּׁ֣מֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵ֗חַ וְאַחַ֤ד עָשָׂר֙ כּֽוֹכָבִ֔ים מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֖ים לִֽי׃

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Parasha Commentary

Interpretation of Yosef's Dream

The verse describes Yosef's second dream, in which the sun, moon, and eleven stars bow down to him. This dream, like the first, symbolizes Yosef's future rise to leadership and his family's eventual submission to him. Orthodox Jewish commentators offer deep insights into its meaning:

Rashi's Explanation

Rashi (Bereshit 37:10) explains that the sun represents Yosef's father, Yaakov; the moon symbolizes his mother, Rachel (or, according to some opinions, Bilhah, who raised him after Rachel's death); and the eleven stars signify his brothers. Rashi notes that Yaakov later rebukes Yosef for sharing this dream, as it aroused jealousy among his brothers.

Symbolism in the Dream

  • Sun and Moon: The Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 84:11) elaborates that the sun and moon bowing to Yosef foreshadowed Yaakov's eventual deference to Yosef's authority in Egypt (e.g., when Yaakov sent Yehudah ahead to prepare for his arrival).
  • Eleven Stars: The stars represent the tribes of Israel, excluding Binyamin, who was not yet born or was too young to be included in the dream (Ibn Ezra).

Rambam on Dreams

Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 2:10) discusses dreams as a form of divine communication, often conveyed through symbolic imagery. Yosef's dreams were prophetic, indicating his future role in sustaining the family during famine and establishing the Jewish people in Egypt.

Moral Lessons

The Talmud (Berachot 55b) teaches that dreams are influenced by one's thoughts. Yosef's dreams reflected his awareness of his destined leadership, but his sharing them prematurely demonstrated a lack of wisdom in dealing with his brothers' envy (Kli Yakar).

Conclusion of the Matter

Ultimately, the dream's fulfillment came when Yosef's family bowed to him in Egypt (Bereshit 42:6), demonstrating divine providence in Yosef's journey from slavery to leadership.

📚 Talmud Citations

This verse is quoted in the Talmud.

📖 Berakhot 55a
The verse is discussed in the context of dream interpretation, where the sun and moon represent Joseph's parents, and the eleven stars represent his brothers.
📖 Megillah 15a
The verse is referenced in a discussion about the significance of dreams and their interpretations in biblical narratives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Joseph's dream about the sun, moon, and stars mean?
A: According to Rashi and other traditional Jewish commentators, the sun represents Joseph's father Jacob, the moon represents his mother Rachel (or, according to some opinions, Bilhah who raised him after Rachel's death), and the eleven stars represent his brothers. The dream foretells that Joseph's family would one day bow to him, which later happened when his brothers came to Egypt during the famine.
Q: Why did Joseph tell his brothers about this dream?
A: The Midrash explains that Joseph shared his dreams because he felt compelled to share prophetic visions, as dreams were considered significant messages from Hashem. However, the Talmud (Berachot 55a) also notes that one should be careful about sharing dreams that might provoke jealousy, as this ultimately contributed to his brothers' resentment.
Q: How many dreams did Joseph have in this story?
A: Joseph had two dreams in this narrative (Genesis 37:5-11). The first involved sheaves of grain bowing to his sheaf, and this second dream with celestial bodies. Our sages explain that the repetition confirmed the prophecy's certainty, as established in the Torah's principle that a matter is confirmed by two witnesses (or in this case, two dreams).
Q: Why did Joseph's brothers react negatively to his dream?
A: As Rashi explains, the brothers understood the dream to mean Joseph would rule over them, which angered them. The Torah states they became jealous (Genesis 37:11), seeing this as arrogance. The Talmud (Shabbat 10b) teaches that jealousy among siblings can be particularly intense, as seen earlier with Cain and Abel.
Q: What lesson can we learn from Joseph sharing his dreams?
A: The Rambam teaches in Hilchot De'ot that one must be sensitive to how others might perceive our words. While Joseph's dreams were true prophecies, sharing them without discretion caused unnecessary conflict. This teaches the importance of considering timing and audience when sharing important information, even if it's true.