Talmud - Berakhot 57b ברכות נ״ז ב׳

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One who awakened in the morning and a verse immediately falls into his mouth, it is a minor prophecy. The Sages taught: There are three kings whose appearance in a dream is significant. One who sees David in a dream should expect piety; one who sees Solomon should expect wisdom; and one who sees Ahab should be concerned about calamity.

There are also three books of Prophets whose appearance in a dream is meaningful: One who sees the book of Kings should anticipate greatness, royalty; one who sees the book of Ezekiel should anticipate wisdom, as the configuration of the Divine Chariot is described therein; one who sees the book of Isaiah should anticipate consolation; and one who sees the book of Jeremiah should be concerned about calamity, because Jeremiah prophesied extensively of impending calamity.

Similarly, there are three great books of Writings whose appearance in a dream has particular significance: One who sees the book of Psalms should anticipate piety; one who sees the book of Proverbs should anticipate wisdom; one who sees the book of Job should be concerned about calamity.

There are also three minor books of Writings whose appearance in a dream is significant: One who sees Song of Songs in a dream should anticipate piety, as it describes God’s love for Israel; one who sees Ecclesiastes should anticipate wisdom; one who sees Lamentations should be concerned about calamity; and one who sees the scroll of Esther, it is a sign that a miracle will be performed on his behalf.

There are three Sages whose appearance in a dream is significant: One who sees Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi in a dream should anticipate wisdom; one who sees Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya should anticipate wealth, as he was particularly wealthy; and one who sees Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha should be concerned about calamity, as he was one of the ten martyrs executed by the Romans.

There are three Torah scholars who, despite their greatness in Torah, were never given the title Rabbi, and whose appearance in a dream is significant: One who sees Ben Azzai in a dream should anticipate piety; one who sees Ben Zoma should anticipate wisdom; and one who sees Aḥer, Elisha ben Avuya, should be concerned about calamity, as he strayed from the path of righteousness.

The Gemara says: All types of animals are auspicious signs for a dream except for an elephant, a monkey and a long-tailed ape. The Gemara asks: Didn’t the Master say: A miracle will be performed for one who sees an elephant in a dream? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This statement that a vision of an elephant is a good omen refers to a case where it is saddled, while this statement that it is not a good omen refers to a case where it is not saddled.

Similarly, the Gemara says: All types of metal utensils are auspicious signs for a dream, except for a hoe, a chisel, and an axe, as these are instruments of destruction. The Gemara notes that this applies specifically when they are seen on their handles. On a similar note, the Gemara says: All kinds of fruit are auspicious signs for a dream except for unripe dates. All kinds of vegetables are auspicious signs for a dream except for turnip heads. The Gemara challenges: Didn’t Rav say: I did not become wealthy until I saw turnip heads in my dream? Apparently turnip heads are a good omen. The Gemara responds: When Rav saw them, he saw them on their stems; if one sees turnip heads already picked, it is a bad omen. Similarly, all kinds of colors are auspicious signs for a dream, except for sky-blue [tekhelet]. All kinds of birds are auspicious signs in a dream except for an eagle-owl, and an owl, and a kurferai, all of which are nocturnal and have strange and frightening appearances.

The words: The body, the body, microcosm, ease, and comfort are mnemonics for matters that the Gemara will discuss, each of which represents a list with shared qualities, similar to the lists cited above.

The Gemara says: Three food items enter the body yet the body does not benefit from them: Cherries, bad dates, and unripe dates. In contrast: Three matters do not enter the body yet the body benefits from them, and they are: Washing, anointing, and usage [tashmish], commonly used as a euphemism for conjugal relations. Three matters are microcosms of the World-to-Come, and they are: Sabbath, the sun and usage.

The Gemara asks: Usage of what benefits the body and is a microcosm of the World-to-Come? If you say that it refers to conjugal relations, doesn’t that weaken the body? Rather, it refers to usage of his orifices, relieving oneself.

Three matters ease one’s mind, and they are: Voice, sight, and smell, when they are pleasant and aesthetic. Three matters give a person comfort, and they are: A beautiful abode, a beautiful wife, and beautiful vessels.

The numbers five, six, and ten are mnemonics for the categories to follow. The Gemara says: There are five matters in our world which are one-sixtieth of their most extreme manifestations. They are: Fire, honey, Shabbat, sleep, and a dream. The Gemara elaborates: Our fire is one-sixtieth of the fire of Gehenna; honey is one-sixtieth of manna; Shabbat is one-sixtieth of the World-to-Come; sleep is one-sixtieth of death; and a dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy.

Similarly: Six matters are good omens for the sick: Sneezing, sweating, diarrhea, a seminal emission, sleep, and a dream. These are all alluded to in Scripture: Sneezing, as it is written: “His sneezes flash forth light” (Job 41:10), indicating that by means of a sneeze one comes to see the light of the world. Sweat, as it is written: “In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Diarrhea, as it is written: “He that is bent down shall speedily be loosed; and he shall not go down dying into the pit” (Isaiah 51:14). A seminal emission, as it is written: “That he might see his seed, prolong his days” (Isaiah 53:10). Sleep, as it is written: “I should have slept; then had I been at rest” (Job 3:13). A dream, as it is written: “Wherefore You recover me [vataḥalimeni], and make me to live” (Isaiah 38:16); vataḥalimeni is interpreted as etymologically similar to ḥalom, dream.

Similarly: Six matters cure a sick person from his illness, and their cure is an effective cure. They are: Cabbage, beets, dried foley, a medicinal plant, the stomach, the placenta, and the diaphragm of an animal. Some say that small fish also possess these qualities. Furthermore, small fish cause one’s entire body to flourish and become healthy.

In contrast, there are ten matters that cause a sick person who has recovered to suffer a relapse of his illness, and his illness is even more severe, and they are: Eating ox meat, eating fatty meat in general, eating roasted meat, eating poultry, eating a roasted egg, shaving, eating cress, drinking milk, eating cheese, and bathing in a bathhouse. And some say eating nuts, and some say even eating cucumbers.

It was taught in the school of Rabbi Yishmael: Why are they called cucumbers [kishu’im]? Because they are as harmful [kashim] to the body as swords. The Gemara asks: Is that really so? Is it not written: “And the Lord said unto her: Two nations [goyim] are in your womb” (Genesis 25:23) and the Gemara says: Do not read it as goyim, rather read it as gayim, proud ones. And Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: This verse was fulfilled in these two great individuals who descended from Rebecca: Antoninus and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, whose tables, because of their wealth, never lacked for radish, lettuce or cucumbers, neither in summer nor in the rainy season. Apparently, cucumbers are good and are even a delicacy of kings.

The Gemara resolves: This is not difficult. This that says they are harmful to the body refers to large ones, while this that says they were always served on the table of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Antoninus refers to small ones.

With regard to dreams, the Sages taught: One who dreams that he sees a corpse in his house, it is a sign of peace in his house. If the corpse ate and drank in the house, it is good omen for the house. If the corpse removed vessels from the house, it is a bad omen for the house, as it suggests that the corpse is taking someone from the house with him. Rav Pappa explained this only if the dream was with regard to a shoe and a sandal, as that indicates that someone from the house is going to embark on a long journey. As the Sages said: Everything that a corpse takes in a dream is a good omen except a shoe and a sandal; everything that a corpse gives in a dream is a good omen except dust and mustard, which looks like dust, as they portend burial.

We learned in the mishna that one who sees a place from which idolatry was eradicated should recite the blessing: Blessed…Who eradicated idolatry from our land. On this topic the Sages taught in the Tosefta: One who sees the idol called Mercury [Markulis] recites: Blessed…who has shown patience to those who violate His will, as each day new rocks would be thrown upon the pile constructed in Mercury’ honor (Tosafot). One who sees a place from which idolatry was eradicated should recite: Blessed…Who eradicated idolatry from our land. And just as it was eradicated from this place, so too may it be eradicated from all places of Israel, and restore the hearts of their worshippers to worship You. Outside of Eretz Yisrael, one need not recite: And restore the hearts of their worshippers to worship You, since it is predominantly populated by gentiles. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: Even outside of Eretz Yisrael one is required to recite that formula because in the end of days all nations will convert, as it is stated: “For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent” (Zephaniah 3:9).

The Gemara goes on to discuss special blessings instituted by the Sages to be recited upon seeing extraordinary sights. Rav Hamnuna taught: One who sees the wicked Babylonia must recite five blessings. The Gemara elaborates:
One who saw the ruins of Babylonia, recites: Blessed…Who destroyed the wicked Babylonia.
One who saw the ruins of Nebuchadnezzar’s house, recites: Blessed…Who destroyed the house of wicked Nebuchadnezzar.
One who saw the lion’s den into which Daniel was thrown (see Daniel ch. 6) or the furnace into which Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were thrown (see Daniel ch. 3), recites: Blessed…Who performed miracles for our ancestors in this place.
One who saw Mercury, recites: Blessed…Who has shown patience to those who violate His will.
One who saw a place from which earth is taken, as over the generations earth was taken from certain places and used as fertilizer or for construction in the surrounding areas, recites: Blessed…Who speaks and acts, decrees and fulfills.

The Gemara relates that when Rava would see donkeys carrying earth from Babylonia, he would slap their backs with his hand and say to them: Run, righteous ones, and fulfill the will of your Master. When Mar, son of Ravina, would arrive in Babylonia he would take earth in his kerchief and throw it outside, to fulfill that which is said: “And I will sweep it with the broom of destruction” (Isaiah 14:23). Rav Ashi said: I never heard the statement of Rav Hamnuna, that one who sees Babylonia the wicked must recite five blessings. However, based on my independent reasoning, I recited all of the blessings.

Traduction : The William Davidson digital edition of the Koren Noé Talmud, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz.

Berachot 57b explores dream interpretation, showing how seeing biblical kings, prophetic books, and famous sages foretells wisdom, piety, wealth, or misfortune.