Miketz: The Matrix

וַיִּזְכֹּ֣ר יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת הַחֲלֹמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָלַ֖ם לָהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מְרַגְּלִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לִרְא֛וֹת אֶת־עֶרְוַ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּאתֶֽם׃

Recalling the dreams that he had dreamed about them, Joseph said to them, “You are spies, you have come to see the land in its nakedness.”

How did the memory of the dream invoke this accusation?  It is amusing that reality now verifies the dream, but why does it launch this plot of false accusations  and pain for Jacob and his family?  A plot that uses false evidence, hidden in the saddle bags, echoing the actions of Rachel when Jacob fled form Lavan. 

Joseph has achieved his position as viceroy, in part,  by interpreting the dreams of others.  He foresaw the return of the wine steward to his position; and the death sentence of the baker.  His interpretation of those dreams may have contributed to the outcomes by influencing how the men looked at the moment of judgement. Joseph then interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh as visions of his nations economic future.  By motivating the relentless working of the soil for seven years, he may have contributed to the verification of that dream, as well.  He had used the dreams of others to advantage.

Did Joseph insist on making his own dream come true? The meaning of dreams is unclear.  Freud (and many others) tried to ground dreams in the dreamer's experiences and desires, remove them from the mystic.  But to the dreamer, they are significant visions, related to prophecy. The subjective experience of remembering the dream imparts hope and dread.  Joseph knew how to make dreams come true. Did he always need to practice this art? 

Dreams are the classic demonstration that perception is unreliable. We do not have a reliable way to assure that what we see is not fantasy, the Matrix. This confusion is used by internet trolls to advance "theories" as  credible alternative "facts."  The established structure of values and science is challenged, in a politically significant way, by statements that are free from the constraints of rigorous verification.  Challenging the establishment is a justified endeavor.  But who knew it would bring us to this? 

Joseph's dream was prophecy, just as the dreams of of the Pharaoh, the wine steward and the baker. The intervention of interpretation  helped make them happen, but they were going to happen regardless of the intervention. Joseph would rule over his family.  Bringing them into slavery was not included in his dream.

Maybe making our dreams come true is all we have.