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Miketz 5772

This week's arcle connues to discuss the halachic approach

to dreams. Can halachic rulings issued in dreams be relied

on? Must one comply with instrucons given in a dream?

What are the laws of vows and oaths made in dreams? Can

dreams be of assistance in idenfying somebody who died?

We will discuss these quesons, and more, in this week's

arcle. This week's Q & A will discuss

90

Dear Reader!

Winter months, it would

appear, are not an appropriate

time for festivals. The winter

perioda time of cold, of

long nights, and of human

absence, to the greatest

possible extentfrom the

public domainis hardly

conducive to celebration.

Indeed, we find that the Torah

festivals of Pesach, Shavuos,

and Sukkos, all occur in the

summer, or in the spring that

precedes it. Even Purim, one

of the two rabbinic festivals,

occurs in close proximity to

the rebirth of Pesach. Only

the days of Chanukah, alone,

light up the winter with their

lights.

In what lies the power of

Chanukah to penetrate thecold darkness of winter?

The summer, indeed, is a time

of revelation. The reaping of

the produce, and its gathering

from the fields, are times that

naturally invoke a festival

spirit. These physical destinies

are accompanied by spiritual

parallels: the "Festival ofReaping," the "Festival of

Gathering," and the festival of

The Halachic Impact of Dreams (Part II)

In last week's article, and in keeping with the current parashios in

which a number of dreams are mentioned, we discussed the halachic

significance of dreams. The main focus of the article was the seeming

contradiction between two Talmudic sources, one of them highlighting

the halachic significance of dreams, and the other indicating thatdreams are not to be taken seriously.

We mentioned a number of possible ways in which this apparent

contradiction can be resolved, thereby forming the basis for the

halachic approach to dreams.

In this article we will continue the discussion of dreams, focusing

primarily on examples that demonstrate the significance of dreams

inhalachah.

Rulings Based on Dreams

One possible resolution for the above contradiction in whether or not

to take dreams seriously is the distinction between concrete halachic

rulings, which are beyond the jurisdiction of dreams, and factual

clarifications, which dreams can provide.

In this context, it is important to mention an entire book which was

written by one of theBa'alei Ha-Tosafos in France, Rabbi Yaakov

of Merosh, named Shut Min Ha-Shamayim. In this book the author

published many responses to questions which were revealed to him

from Heaven by means of dreams. The very existence of this book

sharpens the issue of relying on dreams for halachic guidance: Can

such halachic rulings be authoritative?

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Questions in all areas of halacha can be submitted to the rabbanim of our Beis Horaah atwww.dinonline.org2

springPesachwhich heralds

their coming.

At these times, times of joy and

jubilation, we ascend to Jerusalem

to behold the revelation of the

Shechinah in the Mikdash. In the

light of the Menorah, we witness

the great testimony that the

Divine Presence resides among

Israel (Shabbos 22b).

The winter, by contrast, is a

time of darkness. The fields are

empty of produce. There are no

festivals (mo'ed), and there is

no destiny (ya'ad). There is no

revelation of the Shechinah.

The revelation of Chanukah is

that even the winter, a time of

darkness and absence, is a time

that prepares for the light. There

might be no produce in the

fields, but the seeds have been

planted. Over the winter months,

they will develop, preparing the

way for the final revelation. The

destiny might be hidden, yet in

the thick of darkness, we head

steadily towards it.

This is the great power of

Chanukahthe great testimony

of the Chanukah lights, with

which Aharon was comforted

after being excluded from the

sacrifices of the nesi'im. Wemight be in the darknessthe

darkness of a long and harsh

exilebut it is only the road

to light. We might not have

revealed miracles, but we have

concealed miracles, such as the

victory of the Chashmonaim we

celebrate.

We might not have the Mikdash.

Some authorities have relied on the rulings of Shut Min Ha-

Shamayim. The Chida, for instance, relied on one of the published

teshuvos to permit women to recite a blessing on taking thelulav

and esrog (Yosef Ometz82). Moreover, he writes that if the

Shulchan Aruch would have seen the teshuvah, he would not

have ruled that women cannot recite a berachah. As to the claim

that the Torah cannot descend from Heaven, the Chida writes

that where there is a dispute in the matter, a revelation can decide

the case.

This reasoning does not appear to concur with the famous

statement of the Gemara, whereby even a voice from Heaven

cannot decide a halachic dispute between two Sages (Bava

Metzia 59b). Thus, although the Chida is not alone in accepting

the rulings of Shut Min Ha-Shamayim,1 a number of authorities,

such as the Shibolei Ha-Leket(157), write that one cannot rely

on the rulings (see at length Yechaveh Daas, Vol. 1, no. 68).

In this spirit the Noda Biyhuda (Tinyana, Yoreh De'ah 30)

stresses that even the dream of a great person cannot be relied

upon, even for stringency, and all the more so for leniency. As

mentioned in the previous article, the Shach likewise rules out

reliance on dreams for matters of halachah. Yet, we also find

acceptedhalachos that are entirely based on the revelation of a

dream, a notable example being the placing together of the esrog

with the otherminim (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 651:9,

based on a dream of theRekanati).

As a general rule, therefore, it can be said that dreams are

not reliable halachic sources. However, this rule has numerous

exceptions, whereposkim do grant dreams halachic significance.

Dreams as Proof of Death

Shut Meshivas Nefesh (Rabbi Aryeh Leib Tzintz, no. 38) relates

a case in which three married Jews sailed on a river. Their ship

sunk and their bodies were not found, so that the question of

1 For more sources on this matter, see the introduction

of Rabbi Reuven Margalios to Shut Min Ha-Shamayim, pp.

6-13. See also Shut Ha-Tashbatz, Vol. 2, no. 159, who

relies on a dream for deciding a halachic question. This is in line

with the distinction made by the Tashbatzbetween monetary

matters on the one hand, and general prohibitions on the other

(cited in previous article). See alsoMahari Asad, Orach Chaim

220, who draws a distinction between a ruling for an individual(for which dreams are not a reliable source), and a ruling for

the general congregation.

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It is noteworthy that Rabbi Breisch, though ruling

that there is no obligation to follow the instructions

given in the dream, notes that it might yet beadvisable

to follow the instructions. He bases this assertion on

a story mentioned in Sefer Chasidim (no. 727),

where a person's refusal to heed instructions given

in a dream brought him to the point of physical

danger. Only when the instructions, which were

issued by a deceased individual in a dream, were

carried out, did the person in question recover.

The Burial of Rabbi Mordechai Benet

The question of relocating graves based on dream

revelations is sharpened when the relocation does

not involve a move to the Land of Israel. In principle,

it is forbidden to relocate a person's remains unlessthere is special reason for doing so. Can a revelation

in a dream overcome this prohibition?

A famous case in which a dream was of central

importance was that of the renowned Rabbi

Mordechai Benet. Rabbi Benet, who was the Rabbi

of Nikolsberg, died and was buried in Lichtenstadt,

where he had been visiting. The citizens of Nikolsberg

demanded that his remains be brought to their local

cemetery, where he had officiated for many yearsas rabbi and where his family was buried. The

residents of Lichtenstadt, however, claimed that it

was forbidden to relocate his remains.

The Chasam Sofer, to whom the question of what

to do was addressed, initially ruled that out of doubt,

the remains should not be touched. Later, however,

he changed his mind, and the remains were duly

relocated to a burial plot in Nikolsberg.

The Chasam Sofer's son, the Kesav Sofer, revealed

the reason for his father's change of heart: Rabbi

Benet had appeared to him in a dream, and

instructed him to exhume his body and have it

buried in Nikolsberg. As a young man, Rabbi

Benet had broken an engagement with a girl from

Lichtenstadt, an event that caused the girl much

distress. In order to atone for this, a half-year

period of burial in Lichtenstadt was required. Now,

however, the time was up, and his remains could be

moved to their proper burial place.

In a different case, Rabbi David Sperber (Shut

Afraksasa De-Eina, Yoreh De'ah 147) ruled,

for quite a different reason, that instructions given

in a dream could be relied upon for exhuming a

person's remains and reburying them. A certain

lady's son had died and, following his death, he

regularly appeared to his mother in her dreams,

demanding that his body be relocated. The demand

was accompanied by a sinister threat: If she would

not comply, he would strangle her.

This matter, writes Rabbi Sperber, involves actual

physical danger: Even if the threat is false, the

dread she experiences can be dangerous, and it is

therefore correct to follow the instructions of the

dream and to relocate the remains.

Vows and Oaths

An additional question that is raised in connection

with dreams is the matter of vows and oaths: Does

a person who makes a vow or an oath in his dream

need to take any action to release himself from

them, or can he simply ignore the dream? This

question involves a dispute ofrishonim, and on a

practical level the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah

210:2) rules that a person must seek release fromthe vow (by the process ofhatarah). The Shach

(5) adds that this is the common custom.

The particular halachic impact of a vow or oath

that was dreamt can be explained by the potential

danger associated with vows. The Gemara teaches

that "on account of the sin of vows children die"

(Shabbos 32b), and perhaps this is the reason

why vowseven those in dreamscarry special

stringency.

The Chasam Sofer (Yoreh De'ah 222) offers an

alternative explanation, based on the assumption

that a person usually dreams about events that

actually occurred during the day. Dreaming about

vows raises the suspicion that the dreamer actually

made a vow or oath during the day and forgot

about it. Therefore, out of concern that a vow was

made, a person should seek halachic release.

Poskim likewise rule that somebody who makes a

vow in his dream to fulfill a particularmitzvah,

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Questions in all areas of halacha can be submitted to the rabbanim of our Beis Horaah atwww.dinonline.org 5

such as giving charity, must fulfill the vow (Shut

Chaim Be-Yad 52; Shut Mishnah Halachos

5:160). However, somebody who makes a vow in

his dream to do something that is prohibited (such

as fasting on Shabbos), should not take it seriously:

"Surely he will not be instructed to transgress the

Torah, and this vow has no substance" (Shut Divrei

Malkiel, Vol. 2, no. 72).

Fasting for a Dream

Somebody who has a bad dream and is concerned

about the ill tidings that the dream bodes, can go some

way to avert the potential decrees by fasting. The

fast should be accompanied by repentance and by

giving charity, as well as Torah study and prayer

(Mishnah Berurah 288:7).It should be noted that the fast is not obligatory

(see Shut Ha-Rashba no. 132), and if the person

is not concerned about the dream and considers it

nonsense, he does not have to fast (Shulchan Aruch

Harav288:7). This is especially true today, when

dreams have less import than in earlier generations.

The fast is observed the day following the occurrence

of the dream. In the event that the person is very

distressed by the dream, he may fast on that day

even if it is Shabbat or Yom Tovthough according

to one opinion cited by the Shulchan Aruch

(288:5) it is only permitted to fast for certain

dreams. Somebody who fasts on Shabbos must fast

again, on another day, to atone for having fasted

on a holy day on which fasting is prohibited. One

should be aware that fasting on Shabbos involves a

leniency since one generally is not allowed to fast

on Shabbos. Therefore, there are many restrictionsinvolved in fasting for a bad dream on Shabbos.

(see Orach Chaim 288,5 andAruch Hashulchan

288, 12 and 13)

If one had a bad dream in the course of a daytime

nap and wishes to fast, he should do so from the

moment he arises for the following twelve hours

(Shulchan Aruch 288:4).

It should be noted that fasting for bad dreams israre, in particular today, when the great majority of

dreams can be safely assumed to be nonsense.

Hatavas Chalom

Another way of transforming a possible bad decree

implied by a dream is to perform a ceremony called

hatavas chalom ("making a dream good") on the

day following the dream. The principle behind theceremony is that the fulfillment of dreams depends,

to a large degree, on their human interpretation. The

positive interpretation in the ceremony therefore

has the power to influence the dream's realization

(based onBerachos 55b).

The ceremony calls for the one who dreamed to

go to three friends, and recite various verses and

prayers responsively with them (Berachos 55;

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 220). The prayeris printed in varioussiddurim.

If somebody had a disturbing dream but does not

remember its details, he can also "transform" the

dream during the Priestly Blessing, by saying the

following liturgy: "O Strong One on high, who

dwells in might: You are Peace, and Your Name

is peace. May it be Your will that You should place

peace upon us" (Berachos 55b). A longer version

is found in mostsiddurim.

In Israel, where thekohanim recite their blessing on

a daily basis, this prayer can be recited immediately

following a bad dream which he cannot recall. One

should finish the prayer together with thekohanim's

blessing, so that the finalamen of the congregation

is in response to his private prayer as well as the

blessing. If one lives outside of Israel, where the

kohanim only recite their blessing on the holidays,the prayer can be recited when the chazzan says

the words of the kohanim's blessing during the

repetition of theAmidah.

An extended prayer is recited while the kohanim

sing during their blessing on Yom Tov. It is

customary for everybody to recite this prayer, for

we presume that from one Yom Tov to the next

everyone probably had a bad dream which they

then forgot. One should say the prayer only whenthe kohanim sing and should finish before they say

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c Halachic Responsadto Questions that have been asked on our website dinonline.org

Question:

Can a woman be light Shabbos candles with a flashlight? Is this possible for Chanukah candles?

Answer:

It is better to avoid the use of electric light for both Shabbos and Chanukah candles. Under extenuating

circumstances, where nothing else is available, they should be used, and this is better than nothing.

Sources:

Manyposkim write that electric lights cannot be used for Chanukah candles. The reason for this isthat themitzvah is specifically to light with oil (or wax) and a wick, in keeping with the lights of the

Menorah (see Har Tzvi, Orach Chaim 2:114).

Additional reasons is that this is not considered as a person lighting the candle (the person only allows

'sends' the electricity to do the job), and that the light is considered a fire and not a single flame (see

also Yabia Omer 3:35).

Only under very extenuating circumstances, such as a soldier who has nothing else to light with, should

Chanukah candles be lit with electric lights (see Kuntres on the laws of Chanukah from Rav Shlomo

Zalman zt"l). It is difficult to rely on this for making a berachah.

For Shabbos candles, however, many agree that electric lights are fine (including the Beis Yitzchak,

Rabbi Aharon Kotler, and others; see Yecheveh Daas 4:38). Yet, some are stringent, as mentioned

in Melamed Lehoil (1:46) and others, one of the reasons being that turning on the switch is not

considered an actual act of lighting.

Even those who permit electric lighting do so on a bedievedlevel, andlechatchilah one should light

candles, which are clearly for the honor of Shabbos.

Where regular candles/oil are not available, one can recite a berachah on electric light, but it is preferable

to use a battery-operated flashlight that a regular electric light (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah Chap.43, note 22).

the words of the actual priestly blessing (SeeRamo

128, 45 and Siman 130.).

Conclusion

We have seen a number of different ways in which

halachah relates to dreams. It is clear that both the

words of Chazal, and the words of later authorities,

reveal a complex relationship to dreams. On the

one hand, dreams certainly do not possess concrete

halachic authority. On the other hand, in numerous

questions poskim, based on precedents found in

Chazal, do give certain halachic weight to dreams.

Thus to some degree and in certain areas, dreams

do enter the world ofhalachah.