For an explanation of the methodology of this series, see the introduction.

"Joseph dreamed a dream and told his brothers, and they continued to hate him." (Gen. 37:5)

Peshat (basic meaning):

Rashi: "and they could not speak with him peacefully" (from previous verse)
From what is stated to their discredit, we may learn something to their credit, that they did not say one thing with their mouth and think differently in their heart.

Remez (hinted meaning):

There is no Baal HaTurim on this verse.

Derash (interpretive meaning):

Ohr HaHayyim: "Joseph had a dream.."
The Torah reports Joseph dreamed so that we would not think that he hallucinated, that it was a nocturnal vision and that he did not make up the story.

"…and told his brothers"
Why would Joseph add to his brother's hatred of him? Perhaps he wanted to tell his brothers that they were wrong in ascribing his dreams to his ambitions, but that for some reason G‑d wanted to elevate him to a high position. Or he wanted to warn them that the time would come that they would have need of him, and that they better suppress their hatred of him. Perhaps too Joseph wanted to draw their hearts to him.

Ramban: "And they continued to hate him "
They hated him for the dreams as well as for relating the dreams in a boastful fashion.

Maggid Mesharim: "And Joseph dreamed a dream "
When Joseph looked at worldly matters, that are like a dream, then he saw how his nourishment was reaching him. He told his brothers, "we were sheaving sheaves" to draw Shefa/abundance from above into the apple field which is Congregation of Israel in order to feed the worlds by means of that field. Then suddenly "behold my sheaf arose," that is Congregation of Israel arose. "And remained standing, and behold your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf." That is Joseph saw that all the sefirot were drawn to him in order to draw from there abundance for Congregation of Israel.

Lubavitcher Rebbe: Joseph had 2 dreams: one about physical matters (binding sheaves), and one about spiritual matters (the sun, moon, and stars, which are heavenly bodies). Nevertheless, both dreams shared exactly the same message. This teaches us that the Jew's physical and spiritual affairs should not be separated from each other, each having its own separate "message." Rather, a person should align his physical and spiritual affairs to complement each other. For example, one's physical activities, such as eating and drinking, should be done for the sake of Heaven, to serve G‑d properly. (Likutei Sichot 3:805)

Sod (esoteric, mystical meaning):

Zohar Vayigash 183:
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brethren: and they hated him yet the more." (Gen. 37:5) From this, we learn that a man should tell his dream only to someone who loves him. If the listener does not, he shall bring evil upon him; for if the dream changes, he is the reason that it is not fulfilled.

Come and see: Joseph told his dream to his brothers and so fulfillment of the dream was delayed 22 years. Rabbi Yosi asked: How do we know? From the words: "and they hated him yet the more". (Gen. 37:8) This hatred caused accusations to be brought against him.

BeRahamim LeHayyim:
From the Zohar comes a nice life lesson: Be careful to whom you entrust a secret. And what is a secret? Certainly nothing that is in a book. In this amazing day and age we can go on line and instantly retrieve Kabbalistic secrets that remained in handwritten manuscripts (redundant) for hundreds of years. Are these "secrets"? In a sense yes: much more is concealed than revealed, even by those who claim to be "expert" in the mystical arts.

A secret is an intimacy of the heart, one that should be shared only by a comrade. When I love someone, I wish to give over my secrets. That is how I give my trust. Yeah, sure, we should judge all on the pan/scale of merit, and we should be open to all as they should be to us. That does not mean, on the contrary, that we should reveal secrets, especially dreams. For a dream is a letter from your unconscious higher self, your internal Maggid, to you. As the Talmud says, an uninterpreted dream is like an unread letter. And since dreams follow their interpretation—as we will learn ever more next week in this month of dreaming—we need to be circumspect with whom to trust these revelation.

We spend 1/4-1/3 of our life dreaming. Who is to say that this reality is any less real than the waking moments? We can screw up the special message by giving over to the wrong party, those folks that are insensitive to such spiritual matters.

The Zohar here steps into the rare realm of common sense advice. And a word to the wise is sufficient.

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