Question & Answer With An Einikle Of The Degel - Dreams

Degel Machaneh Ephraim - Lemberg, 1858

A Simple Jew asks:

The end of Degel Machaneh Ephraim contains a recording of some of his dreams. Why do you think the Degel regarded these specific dreams to be significant enough to include in his sefer? Is this phenomenon of including dreams in one's sefer unique to the Degel or did other tzaddikim do so as well?

An Einikle of the Degel answers:

I believe this is unique to the Degel Machaneh Ephraim. I have not seen transcribed dreams in any other sefer, Chassidishe or otherwise. The significance of these dreams to us is hard to define. One must ask what dreams were not transcribed in the sefer and perhaps in that context we can understand why these were chosen. It is also important to remember that these dreams were from kisvei yad (written notes) and the inclusion of them was decided by the person who brought the sefer to the printing press. It's highly likely that these ksavim included only these dreams and all of them were printed in the sefer. The significance of specific dreams may not be a factor at all.

I would like to think, however, that these dreams are significant because they were found among the Degel's ksavim. We can be certain that he had many more dreams than we find in the sefer but he only wrote down these.

A Simple Jew responds:

Of the dreams recorded in the sefer, which ones stick out in your memory as being the most remarkable and why?

An Einikle of the Degel answers:

The dream that describes an encounter the Degel had with his grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov, in which the Baal Shem pulled his face right up against the Degel's face has always stood out for me. It shows the love that existed between these two tzaddikim and the Baal Shem's vision for the Degel's future as a Chassidic leader. The 'nod of the head' that the Baal Shem gives to the important guest is a striking image in my mind of the Baal Shem and his connection with every Jew.

Here is a translation of that dream:

On Sunday night of Parshas Pinchas 5641, I saw my grandfather in a dream. He brought me right up against his face and hugged me with both hands and kissed me. He said, "Your ring and my ring will go out into the world. My Master of the Name and your good name. You will be a servant of Hashem and learn and speak Torah to Klal Yisroel."

There was a man there among the important guests that would commonly come to the tzaddikim to listen to them. My grandfather nodded his head towards this man as if to say 'so it shall be with certainty'. I was standing on a bench and I saw him nod his head.