The sons of Jacob sure did. And one of those dreams, a vision shared by the whole family, becomes a powerful lesson in unity, jealousy, and divine blessing.
The story, found within Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg), tells of a shared dream. Imagine this: Jacob and his sons are all together on a shore. Suddenly, a ship appears out of nowhere, sailing without a crew. Jacob, their father, points it out and asks, "Do you see what I see?"
Of course they do. So, Jacob does something unexpected: he strips off his clothes and plunges into the sea, beckoning his sons to follow. Without hesitation, they all jump in after him.
Levi and Judah, ever the eager ones, are the first to reach the ship. Jacob calls out to them, instructing them to read the inscription on the mast. Because, you see, in this dream-world, every ship bears the name of its owner right there for all to see. What do Levi and Judah find? "This ship and all the treasures therein belong unto the son of Barachel." Barachel is another name for Jacob, so it's understood that the ship belongs to him!
Overjoyed at this sign of divine favor – a blessing not just on land but now at sea! – Jacob tells his sons to grab whatever they can. Whatever each son seizes, it shall be his. Levi grabs the main mast, Judah the second. The other brothers, except for Joseph, take the oars. Jacob himself takes hold of the two rudders to steer the vessel. He offers Joseph an oar, but Joseph refuses, so Jacob gives him one of the rudders, too.
For a while, everything goes swimmingly (pun intended!). As long as Judah and Joseph work together, with Judah guiding Joseph on which direction to steer, the ship sails smoothly. But then, a quarrel erupts. Joseph, perhaps out of spite or jealousy, ignores his father's instructions and begins steering the ship his own way. Judah tries to correct him, but it's no use. The inevitable happens: the ship crashes upon a rock.
Everyone scrambles to safety, abandoning the wrecked vessel. When Jacob reappears, he finds his sons scattered and distraught. They explain that Joseph’s stubbornness and jealousy caused the shipwreck. Jacob asks them to point out the location of the wreck, where only the masts are visible above the water. Then, with a whistle that gathers them all, Jacob swims out and, miraculously, raises the ship from the depths as if nothing had happened.
Turning to Joseph, Jacob delivers a stern but loving rebuke: "My son, never do that again, never permit jealousy of thy brethren to master thee. Nearly it happened that all thy brethren perished because of thee."
What's the takeaway here? This vision, so richly symbolic, speaks to the importance of unity and the dangers of jealousy. Joseph's refusal to cooperate, driven by envy towards Judah and Levi, nearly led to disaster for the entire family. The ship itself can be seen as a metaphor for the family, its success dependent on everyone working together harmoniously. And Jacob's ability to raise the ship from the depths? A testament to the power of reconciliation and forgiveness.
The Legends of the Jews often weaves together multiple sources, drawing from Midrash (rabbinic interpretations of scripture) and other traditional Jewish texts. This particular story, while seemingly simple, resonates with deeper themes found throughout Jewish thought: the importance of family, the destructive nature of jealousy (sinat chinam, causeless hatred), and the ever-present need for harmony and cooperation. It's a reminder that our actions, driven by either unity or division, can have profound consequences on ourselves and those around us. What "ship" in your life needs to be steered with less jealousy and more cooperation?