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PARSHA
VAYESHEV 07
LIFE IS BUT A DREAM
“Yosef had a dream [lit. dreamt a dream]” (Gen.37.5)
In the Musaf - Additional Service, for the High Holy Days, the poet describes man’s life as Halom Ya’uf - a fleeting dream.
Halom - dream, comprises three letters, Het, Lamed & Mem, encompassing the three stages of life. The Het stands for HuppahKiddushin - sanctity of marriage; the Lamed for Ledah - birth; the Mem is for Mitah - death.
This is not the conventional way to describe one’s path through life. In reality, the life cycle begins with birth. Yet this order conforms with Jewish usage. It is found in the prayer books and in the Codes of Law dealing with the regulations applicable to rituals of the life cycle.
When a baby is named, the wish is expressed that the infant should grow up to be fulfilled in Huppah - marriage, and the performance of Ma’asim Tovim - good deeds. Marriage is a prerequisite to self-realisation through acts of goodness.
Upholding the sanctity of marriage makes possible a dream life with all its rewards from cradle to grave.
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