Dreams



Kabbalah considers our physical world an illusion, a temporary residence, and not true reality. Yes, life is but a dream. Our world of morning mochaccinos and evening rush hour traffic jams is just one of many dream worlds and dimensions that separate us from the ultimate reality. These other dimensions are accessible in a variety of ways, one of which is through the dream state.
THE PURPOSE OF SLEEP When the sun is set and the stars spatter the heavens, part of our soul leaves our body. Even if we remain awake, part of the soul still departs, which is one reason why we begin to feel more tired and drained as night unfolds. During actual sleep, the Zohar explains that 59 of 60 parts of our soul have now left the body, leaving only 1/60 to sustain us physically. When the body is in slumber, the chains of physical existence are suddenly broken. The soul is now free to ascend to a high place in the spiritual atmosphere where it receives nourishment, power, and the occasional oil change. Why the need for a recharge? In the course of a typical, chaotic day, the limitations of time, space, and motion extract their toll on the body and soul. Take the concept of time, for example: Time constantly keeps us under extreme pressure. Either we're playing catch-up, madly trying to meet deadlines as the clock races by, or we grow wildly impatient as time slows down to a crawl. WHY THE DREAM STATE? During our "metaphysical tune-up", the soul is in a realm beyond time and space. Past, present, and future are unified into one. The panorama of a human life span is fully displayed from birth to death. Thus, in addition to getting a recharge, the soul oftentimes catches sight of events that are coming our way, both positive and negative. These glimpses are then filtered down to the body, where they take the form of dreams. Most of our dreams are a combo-plate special. In other words, one aspect of a dream consists of the events, experiences, and thoughts currently occupying our conscious minds. Interspersed into this mixture are visions of the soul that dwell in the subconscious. According to Kabbalah, dreams offer us the opportunity to understand our negative character traits. They can help us learn what it is we need to change in order to grow spiritually. Of course, we must know how to read and intepret the dream in order to discern this wisdom. Moreover, if a person has no intent or desire to change or experience spiritual growth and transformation (probably 95% of the world remains stuck in this category), then the messages of the soul are that much harder to detect. In fact, we probably won't even remember the majority our dreams. TRUTH & CONSEQUENCES All of our negative actions towards other people carry repercussions, as dictated by the universal law of cause and effect. We can deny this spiritual truth. Ignore it. Doubt it. Or not even realize it. Nonetheless, for every envious glance, unkind word, and short-tempered response that we put "out there," there is an equal negative consequence coming our way. Consider it the ultimate boomerang effect. All the repercussions looming over the horizon are what our soul perceives during sleep. Really serious consequences foreseen by the soul usually produce nightmares. If we are open-minded, we can extrapolate the messages from our nightmares and begin to understand what we have to change about ourselves. Spiritual change is the proactive way to deflect negative effects. It is said that King David was a man of extraordinary spiritual character. Whenever he experienced a terrifying nightmare, he was able to glean the message from it and make the necessary spiritual corrections in his life. On the other hand, the Zohar tells us that an unjust man will often be shown a happy dream (an untruthful one) so as to lead him further astray from the path of the truth. This spiritual principle is explained in the following Zohar text: Whoever sets out to purify himself is purified from above, and whoever sets out to defile himself is similarly defiled from above. -Zohar II, 200a The more spiritual an individual is, the more truthful the dream he experiences. When a person is bent on self-centered behavior, if they are enslaved to their own ego, this will tilt the scales of power from the soul to the body. Thus, it makes it far more difficult for the soul to elevate during sleep. DAILY INVENTORY The Kabbalists teach us that each night our soul ascends, it is asked whether we've accomplished anything of spiritual substance during the previous day. If the answer is negative, the soul cannot receive its full charging. We wake up feeling tired and lethargic, regardless of how many hours we've slept. We feel run-down, even though we're popping vitamins and exercising. (The reason we don't experience constant fulfillment and energy in our lives is that we don't know and therefore don't live by these rules of the spiritual world.) According to the Zohar, if a person fails to have a dream for seven days or more, it is because he is consumed by selfish desires, and tremendous negative forces are now controlling him. His negative deeds far outweigh his positive deeds each day. Don't panic just yet. Many of us can have a dream but we might not remember it. The problem in this scenario is that there is a lack of communication between the person and his soul. If there is a lack of learning and spiritual growth in one's life, he will not merit access to the information in his dreams. TRUTH & LIES All dreams contain both truths and lies, according to the Zohar. Dreams that occur between the hours of 12 midnight and 5:00 a.m. usually contain a larger proportion of truth. DREAM INTERPRETATION Interpreting dreams is a delicate matter, and only the very knowledgeable will be able to understand the true messages that are concealed inside a dream. A dream that is not interpreted can be likened to a person receiving an important confidential package overnight, via FedEx, and the person never bothers to open it up. If we have a good dream, and we do not tell it to an interpreter, the dream remains in a state of potential. It becomes much harder for the positive elements of the dream to manifest in our life. Moreover, if we do not understand the messages being conveyed through our dreams, we miss out on the path and the specific point of correction that we came to this world to achieve. In other words, there is an aspect of our internal character that is in need of correction and change. The path to effect this change is made evident in our dreams. It could be a conflict that needs to be resolved between ourselves and a friend. The cause of the conflict could be our own stubbornness, and we don't even realize it. Or there may be a lack of care and attention on our part towards a loved one. If situations like these remain unresolved, and if our character remains unchanged, the door is left wide open for chaos and negativity to manifest in our lives. These unconcluded circumstances are often the cause behind those all-too-common "sudden appearances" of turmoil that always catch us off guard. As an old adage states quite emphatically: Ignorance of the law is no excuse. CAUTION ON INTERPRETATION It is written that there were 24 interpreters of dreams in Jerusalem during the time of the Second Temple (approximately 2000 years ago). If a person told his dream to all 24 interpreters, the dreamer might very well receive 24 different interpretations. Remarkably, the sages teach us, all 24 interpretations could actually play themselves out in the physical world. Namely, the act of interpreting dramatically impacts and influences the dream's expression in the physical world. On that account, the Zohar says that the interpretation of a dream is actually more important than the dream itself. Hence, it behooves you to make every effort to find the right person to interpret your dream. It should be someone who truly loves and cares for you, or it should be a spiritual person who possesses a love for all mankind, because the interpretation will color the dream's influence in your life. THE GLASS IS HALF FULL According to Kabbalah, we should not tell more than one person our negative dreams, to prevent any openings for its physical expression. A person who loves you will always interpret a negative dream in a more positive light, which is extremely important. For example, if there was an accident, it could be interpreted not as a physical accident but something spiritual that you need to work on and fix in your life. THE ZOHAR STATES: We have learned that when a man has had a dream, he should unburden himself of it before men who are his friends so that they should express to him their good wishes and give utterances to words of good omen. Thus, a man's friends should affirm the good interpretation, and so all will be well. -Zohar II, 200a If a person has an extremely bad dream, he should not speak about it directly, for it can be spiritually dangerous, according to Kabbalah. One must also never speak of the future, so as not to place limits on the individual. Instead, the interpreter should recommend in a positive way what the dreamer needs to do in the present.		LEVELS OF DREAMS NATURAL DREAMS This is the lowest level of the dream state. People who are predominantly materialistic and self-seeking experience this level of dream. Their dreams are usually about their material pursuits, the chaos of their life, and the anxieties that assault their waking mind during the day. NIGHTMARES Bad dreams are usually aroused by our own negative behavior. Negative forces oftentimes "whisper" in our ears all the things that will frighten and torment us. PROVIDENCE DREAMS This level represents messages, warnings, and lessons for life. We should make every attempt to remember these dreams and absorb the message being conveyed. It is not uncommon to be woken up in the middle of the night after having experienced this level of dream. If possible, one should write it down in detail, for it is in the details where the most important messages are often found. PROPHETIC DREAMS This level of dream is hardly ever forgotten. It is crystal clear and is commonly received by those who have dedicated their lives to spiritual transformation. Learn More... The Dreams Book by Yehuda Berg In The Dreams Book, the debut installment of the Technoogy for the Soul Series, national best-selling author Yehuda Berg lifts the curtain of reality to reveal secrets of dream interpretation that have remained hidden for centuries. The dream state is a mysterious and fascinating realm in which the rules of reality do not apply. This book is the key to navigating the dreamscape, where the answers to all of life's questions await. PURCHASE this title. LEARN MORE about this topic on Kabbalah University! Kabbalah on Sleep by Yehuda Berg According to Kabbalah, sleep is when a major portion of the soul leaves the body and travels toward the Light to connect and recharge. This book provides the kabbalistic tools readers need to use sleep as an effective part of on-going spiritual work. These include understanding dreams, rising to study during the night, scanning the Zohar, prayers and meditation, and all-nighters on certain holidays that forge a connection with immortality. Kabbalah on Sleep offers an invaluable solution to one of modern life's greatest challenges: a good night's sleep PURCHASE this title. LEARN MORE about this topic on Kabbalah University!