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Berachos 57
1) WHEAT AND PEACE
QUESTION: The Gemara says that one who sees wheat in a dream will see
peace, Shalom. Why is wheat not included with the other three things
(river, bird, and kettle) which are signs of peace (56b)?
ANSWER: As the Gemara there (56b) goes on to describe, those three things
are not definite signs of peace; they only *could* be signs of peace.
Wheat, on the other hand, can *only* be a sign of peace, and therefore it
is not included with the other three. (SEFER BEIS YOSEF on Berachos)
2) THE VINE BRANCH AND MASHIACH
QUESTION: The Gemara says that one who sees a vine branch, "Soreka," in a
dream should expect to see the arrival of Mashiach, and it cites as support
the verse, "He ties his donkey to the grapevine, his young donkey to the a
vine branch" (Bereishis 49:11).
Where in this verse is there any allusion to Mashiach? Also, why is only
the vine branch a symbol of Mashiach? In the same verse it also says
"grapevine" ("Gefen"ZSD ) -- grapes should also be a sign that one should
expect Mashiach. Yet the previous Gemara said that grapes are a sign that
one's wife would have no miscarriages!
ANSWER: The Gemara is obviously relying on the previous verse, "*until
Shiloh comes*" (Bereishis 49:10), which is an allusion to Mashiach (see
Rashi thee). The M'LO HA'RO'IM and RAV YAKOV EMDEN cite the verse in
Zecharyah (10:8) which says, "I will scream out to them (*Eshrikah*) and I
will gather them in when I redeem them." The word "Esh'rika" (which is very
similar to "Soreka") is again associated with the redemption. RAV ELIYAHU
GUTTMACHER cites the Gemara in Chulin (63a) which learns from the verse in
Zecharyah that the bird "*Shrakrak*" brings mercy to the world, and if it
would sit on the earth and shriek, Mashiach would certainly come.
57b
3) WHAT COLOR IS "TECHELES"
OPINIONS: The Gemara says that seeing any color in a dream is a good sign,
except for Techeles. Why is it a bad sign to see Techeles in a dream?
(a) RASHI (DH Techeles) explains that Techeles is green (see also Rashi 9b,
DH Techeles, Rashi to Bamidbar 15:38, and Rashi, Bava Basra 4a, where
Rashi describes Techeles as green). Seeing the color green in a dream is a
bad sign because when someone's facial color is greenish-yellowish, it is a
sign that he is sick.
TOSFOS in Sukah (31b, DH ha'Yarok) cites Rashi's opinion at Techeles is
green, and mentions that support can be drawn to it from the Yerushalmi
which says that the color of Techeles resembles that of *grass*. Our Gemara
also seems to be a strong support for Rashi's opinion, because if Techeles
is not green, then why is it a bad sign?
Most Rishonim, however, (Tosfos included) reject Rashi's opinion and
explain that Techeles is *blue*. They will have to give another explanation
for why seeing Techeles in a dream is a bad sign.
(b) RAV YAKOV EMDEN explains that Techeles is a bad sign because it come
from the word, "Tachlis," which means "end." Techeles, then, is a symbol of
coming to an end, and therefore it is a bad sign if one sees it in a dream.
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