It all starts with the verse from Ecclesiastes 5:6: "So it is with a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words; rather, fear God.”

The verse seems to be saying that too much dreaming and talking is just empty noise. The key, the real deal, is fearing God – or, perhaps better translated, having a deep reverence and respect for the Divine. But how do we put that reverence into action, especially when we're spooked by a bad dream?

Rabbi says that if you're troubled by these dreams, there are three things you can do to find solace and even avert potential misfortune. What are they? Prayer, charity, and repentance.

Rabbi Yudan, quoting Rabbi Eliezer, emphasizes these actions as ways to "abrogate evil decrees." Think of them as hitting the cosmic reset button. And the beautiful thing is, they're all found together in one verse from II Chronicles 7:14: "My people, upon whom My name is called, will submit, and pray, and seek My countenance, and repent their evil ways; I will hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin and heal their land.”

See how it all fits together? "And pray" – that's straightforward enough. "And seek my countenance" – that's where charity comes in. Why? Because in Hebrew, the word for righteousness, tzedek, is closely linked to tzedakah, which means charity. It's all about doing what's right and just. And "repent their evil ways" – well, that's repentance, taking responsibility for our actions and striving to do better.

Rabbi Mona adds fasting to the mix, pointing to Psalms 20:2: "The Lord will answer you on your day of trouble." The Midrash understands "day" here to specifically mean a day of fasting.

But the list doesn't end there! Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yosei suggest that even a change of name or a change of action can help. Some even suggest a change of place, drawing on Genesis 12:1, when God tells Abraham, "Go for yourself from your land."

Think about Abraham. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham, and his wife's name from Sarai to Sarah. The Midrash points out that Abram and Sarai "cannot beget," while Abraham and Sarah "can beget." It's a powerful symbol of transformation and new possibilities. And what about the people of Nineveh? They changed their actions, repented, and God, seeing their change of heart, spared them.

Rabba bar Meḥseya and Ḥama bar Gurya offer a vivid image: a fast is effective for a dream like fire for tow – meaning it burns it away completely. Rav Ḥisda says this is effective even on the day the dream occurs, and Rav Yosef even extends this to Shabbat.

Then comes the story of Hezekiah, King of Judah. God tells Isaiah to tell him he’s going to die. Hezekiah's response is powerful. He basically tells Isaiah, "I'm not buying it! I'm going to trust in God." Hezekiah quotes his ancestor Solomon "So it is with a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words…”

Hezekiah then turns to prayer. But to what wall does he turn?

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says he turned to the wall of Rahab, the woman who helped the Israelite spies in Jericho. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says that even if her family was enormous, they were saved by her merit. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman suggests he turned to the wall of the Shunamite woman who provided for Elisha. Rabbi Huna, in the name of Rabbi Yosei, says he turned to the walls of his heart. The Rabbis say he turned to the walls of the Temple, lamenting that while his ancestors could not always pray within the Temple due to ritual impurity, he had no such barrier.

Immediately, God speaks to Isaiah again, granting Hezekiah fifteen more years of life. Despite Isaiah's initial prophecy, Hezekiah's faith, prayer, and connection to the merits of his ancestors changed the course of events.

So, what's the takeaway? When those unsettling dreams come, don't just lie there paralyzed by fear. Take action. Pray, give charity, repent, change your name, change your actions, maybe even change your location! Connect to something larger than yourself, whether it's the merit of past righteous individuals or the unwavering faith within your own heart.

These aren't just empty rituals; they're active ways of engaging with the Divine, of reminding ourselves that we have the power to shape our destiny, even in the face of the unknown. And perhaps, most importantly, they remind us to “fear God” – to live with reverence, intention, and a deep awareness of the interconnectedness of all things.