Study Berakhot folio 57A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
הא דמסרג, הא דלא מסרג. הרואה הונא בחלום — נס נעשה לו. חנינא, חנניא, יוחנן — נסי נסים נעשו לו. הרואה הספד בחלום — מן השמים חסו עליו ופדאוהו. והני מילי בכתבא.
This opinion, that seeing an elephant is a good omen, refers to a case where one saw it saddled, while this opinion, that it is a bad omen, refers to a case where the elephant is not saddled. One who sees a man named Huna in a dream, it is a sign that a miracle will be performed for him, because the letter nun in the name Huna represents the word nes, miracle. One who sees a man named Ḥanina, Ḥananya, or Yoḥanan, it is a sign that many miracles will be performed for him, since the letter nun appears twice in those names. One who sees a eulogy in a dream, it is a sign that the heavens had mercy upon him, and spared him from a divine death sentence and there will be no need to eulogize him in reality. The Talmud restricts this statement and says that this only applies if he saw the eulogy written and not yet delivered.
העונה ״יהא שמיה רבא מברך״ — מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא. הקורא קריאת שמע — ראוי שתשרה עליו שכינה, אלא שאין דורו זכאי לכך.
One who answers in a dream: May His great name be blessed from kaddish is assured that he is one who has a place in the World-to-Come. One who sees himself reciting Shema in a dream is worthy of having the Shekhina rest upon him, but his generation is unworthy, and, therefore, the Shekhina does not actually rest upon him.
המניח תפילין בחלום — יצפה לגדולה, שנאמר: ״וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה׳ נקרא עליך וגו׳״. ותניא, רבי אליעזר הגדול אומר: אלו תפילין שבראש. המתפלל בחלום — סימן יפה לו. והני מילי דלא סיים.
One who sees himself don tefillin in a dream should anticipate greatness, as it is stated: “And all the peoples of the earth should see that the name of YHWH is called upon you; and they should be afraid of you” (Deuteronomy 28:10). And it was taught in a baraita that R' Eliezer the Great says: That the Name of YHWH is called upon you, refers to tefillin of the head, as they represent God’s name upon man. One who sees himself pray in a dream, it is an auspicious omen. However, the Talmud adds a caveat and says: This only applies in a case where he saw in the dream that he had not yet finished his prayer and is therefore still close to God. If, in the dream, he had already finished his prayer, it is not an omen.