עברית
Faith
Dream of a Tooth Falling Out
Question
Hello esteemed Rabbi, happy holiday.
I seek your help; I am 39 years old, a single mother to a 16-year-old son.
I dreamed a dream that greatly disturbs me.
I dreamed that I was pulling some of my teeth out with my hand.
In the dream, I was talking with a girl when suddenly the very last tooth simply fell out of my mouth... some of my teeth.
Although the dream did not seem to have occurred early in the morning because I immediately woke and saw that it was 8 a.m.,
it still bothers me very much.
Please, is there anything I can do to transform this dream into something good?
I would appreciate your response.
It is very distressing to me.
Thank you and happy holiday.
Answer
Festival greetings, If you have recently experienced toothache or thoughts related to teeth, the dream has no significance. If you have not had such thoughts or pain lately, although most likely the dream has no meaning, it is still highly advisable that you say a "dream improvement" prayer (the text is found in prayer books) before three individuals, preferably those who wish you well. Alternatively, you may come to Shacharit prayer and recite, during the Priestly Blessing, the following text (and strive to finish the recitation as the kohanim conclude saying "peace," so that the congregation's answering Amen also applies to your prayer):
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲנִי שֶׁלָּךְ וַחֲלוֹמוֹתַי שֶׁלָּךְ, חֲלוֹם חָלַמְתִּי וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה הוּא. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהׂוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל חֲלוֹמוֹתַי עָלַי וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְטוֹבָה, בֵּין שֶׁחָלַמְתִּי עַל עַצְמִי וּבֵין שֶׁחָלַמְתִּי עַל אֲחֵרִים, וּבֵין שֶׁחָלְמוּ אֲחֵרִים עָלַי, אִם טוֹבִים הֵם חַזְּקֵם וְאַמְּצֵם, וְיִתְקַיְּמוּ בִי וּבָהֶם כַּחֲלוֹמוֹתָיו שֶׁל יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק, וְאִם צְרִיכִים רְפוּאָה רְפָאֵם כְּחִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה מֵחָלְיוֹ, וּכְמִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה מִצָּרַעְתָּהּ, וּכְנַעֲמָן מִצָּרַעְתּוֹ, וּכְמֵי מָרָה עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, וּכְמֵי יְרִחוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֱלִישָׁע. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהָפַכְתָּ אֶת קִלְלַת בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע מִקְּלָלָה לִבְרָכָה כֵּן תַּהֲפוֹךְ כָּל חֲלוֹמוֹתַי עָלַי וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְטוֹבָה וְתִשְׁמְרֵנִי וּתְחָנֵּנִי וְתִרְצֵּנִי. אמן.
Sources: See Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim (Siman 248:5), where dreaming of falling teeth can be a bad sign. The Mishnah Berurah (S"k 18) writes that if one had toothache or thought about matters of teeth during the day, the dream should not be attributed importance. The Bi'ur Halacha there notes that those without children should not be stringent to fast for such dreams on Shabbat. Regarding the advice to say a dream improvement - see Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim (Siman 226:1). It appears a woman may improve her dream before three women. This is also cited in Sefer Siach Tefillah (p. 178). However, in the responsa Aveni Yesha Part 4 (Siman 34, section 1), citing Harav Elyashiv zt"l, it is brought that a woman should not improve a dream before three women. Concerning the recommendation to say the above text during the Priestly Blessing - see Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim (Siman 130), which states one says this if they dreamt a dream and do not know its meaning. Indeed, this text is helpful even for a troubling dream, as noted in Igrot HaChazon Ish, Part 2 (Letter 130), and Sefer Orchot Rabbeinu Part 3 (p. 218) by his name.
Good tidings,
Hillel Meirs
