Reflections on ‘Jacob's Dream’
European Judaism March 1, 2025 DOI: 10.3167/ej.2025.580110 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Genesis 28:10–22 can be read as a dream text, where free association and close reading open its inner dimensions. The dream's ladder is interpreted as a symbol of interconnectedness between heaven and earth, the human and the divine, and consciousness and the unconscious, holding a tension between inner and outer reality. |
Abstract
The mythic text of Genesis 28:10–22 can be approached using literary and psychological perspectives. The text – which contains Jacob's dream – lends itself to being treated as a ‘dream’ in which free association and close reading allows the reader into its inner dimensions. The verses of the dream hold a tension between inner and outer reality: the ladder is a symbol of interconnectedness between heaven and earth, the human and the divine, consciousness and the unconscious.