--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mainstream rabbis essentially closed the…" description: "\"Mainstream rabbis essentially closed the book on dreams by the sixth century, and Church fathers established that only certain saints have the discernm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/rodger-kamenetz-32290_book_mainstream-rabbis-essentially-closed-the_1205116.jpg" --- # Mainstream rabbis essentially closed the book on dreams by… ![“Mainstream rabbis essentially closed the book on dreams by the sixth century, and Church fathers established that only certain saints have the discernment to determine which dreams are from God. The dream is exiled.” quote by Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/rodger-kamenetz-32290_book_mainstream-rabbis-essentially-closed-the_1205116.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/rodger-kamenetz-32290_book_mainstream-rabbis-essentially-closed-the_1205116.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/rodger-kamenetz-32290_book_mainstream-rabbis-essentially-closed-the_1205116.jpg) > “Mainstream rabbis essentially closed the book on dreams by the sixth century, and Church fathers established that only certain saints have the discernment to determine which dreams are from God. The dream is exiled.” [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Traditional religious authorities limited dream interpretation to elite saints, marginalizing ordinary people's spiritual insights. **In simple terms:** Dreams were deemed only for saints, excluding most people. Key Takeaway Recognize personal dream meaning despite institutional limits. Themes spirituality authority dreams Mood reflective curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative writing - psychotherapy - spiritual counseling Key Concepts theology psychology cultural control Questions to Reflect On - How can you validate your own dream insights? - What role should community play in interpreting dreams? A Different Perspective Dreams can still offer personal guidance even if institutions dismiss them. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-fathers/) [Discernment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discernment/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Mainstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mainstream/) [Rabbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rabbi/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) ## Related quotes > [That in itself is an act of peacemaking, because we're seeking to align our wills with God's will, our dreams with God's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/that-in-itself-is-an-act-of-peacemaking-because-we-re-seeking-to/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [Determine your dreams earlier, do not be afraid to go for it and have fun along the way .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/determine-your-dreams-earlier-do-not-be-afraid-to-go-for-it-and-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Historically, the rabbis are split on the question of dreams. None of them denied their power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/historically-the-rabbis-are-split-on-the-question-of-dreams-none-of/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Direct religious experience is threatening to organized religion, which often mediates it with a rabbi or priest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/direct-religious-experience-is-threatening-to-organized-religion/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“Through dreams, God awakened me; through prayers, God directed me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-odden/through-dreams-god-awakened-me-through-prayers-god-directed-me/) Teresa Odden > [“Pay attention to your dreams - God's angels often speak directly to our hearts when we are asleep. ~Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-elias-freeman/pay-attention-to-your-dreams-god-s-angels-often-speak-directly-to-our/) [Eileen Elias Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-elias-freeman/) > [“The God who created the universe is enough for us–even without our dreams…God was enough for the martyrs facing lions and fire–even when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-vischer/the-god-who-created-the-universe-is-enough-for-us-even-without-our/) [Phil Vischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-vischer/) > [“Awakening and owning the dreams that God has placed in our hearts isn’t about getting stuff or attaining something. It’s about embracing who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stasi-eldredge/awakening-and-owning-the-dreams-that-god-has-placed-in-our-hearts-isn/) [Stasi Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stasi-eldredge/) > [“Strange! that you should not have suspected years ago--centuries, ages, eons, ago!--for you have existed, companionless, through all the eternities. Strange, indeed, that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/strange-that-you-should-not-have-suspected-years-ago-centuries-ages/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I'm not an ambitious person. I'm very content, and I have no pending dreams. God has given me so much, and if there's one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiranjeevi/i-m-not-an-ambitious-person-i-m-very-content-and-i-have-no-pending/) [Chiranjeevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiranjeevi/) > [Man in the world's life works out the dreams of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/man-in-the-world-s-life-works-out-the-dreams-of-god/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [“When we give our hopes and dreams to God And then leave them in His hand, We can trust His love and care for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sper/when-we-give-our-hopes-and-dreams-to-god-and-then-leave-them-in-his/) Sper > [“Someone who dreams cannot be forced to stop—there are no limitations to dreams, because we do not own dreams, dreams are from God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-westover/someone-who-dreams-cannot-be-forced-to-stop-there-are-no-limitations/) [Christina Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-westover/) > [You can hear my dreams? God, you must never get any quiet. I'd be shooting myself in the head if I were you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/you-can-hear-my-dreams-god-you-must-never-get-any-quiet-i-d-be/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [There's nothing man ever dreams of that God hasn't already thought of!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berg/there-s-nothing-man-ever-dreams-of-that-god-hasn-t-already-thought-of/) [David Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berg/) ## More by Rodger Kamenetz > [Your dreams change. Initially the belly-buttons help establish the dreamer's predicament - the situation you are trapped in or held back by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/your-dreams-change-initially-the-belly-buttons-help-establish-the/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Direct religious experience is threatening to organized religion, which often mediates it with a rabbi or priest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/direct-religious-experience-is-threatening-to-organized-religion/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [ “So," Art \[Green\] said, "it's hard to do Judaism and travel light. Judaism is not mostly about letting go, but mostly about attachment to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/so-art-green-said-it-s-hard-to-do-judaism-and-travel-light-judaism-is/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [I'm too intellectual. I don't think that the theological vocabulary is as important as the experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/i-m-too-intellectual-i-don-t-think-that-the-theological-vocabulary-is/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [In our society, to be obsessed with a vision about how to make a better automobile makes you a genius, but to be obsessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/in-our-society-to-be-obsessed-with-a-vision-about-how-to-make-a/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Freud "interpreted" dreams by treating them as intellectual riddles whose details, once processed through free association, exposed hidden wishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/freud-interpreted-dreams-by-treating-them-as-intellectual-riddles/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“Our ancient sources of wisdom call on human beings to rise to their highest capacity and behave in extraordinarily open and generous ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/our-ancient-sources-of-wisdom-call-on-human-beings-to-rise-to-their/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“We can’t choose our poetic fathers any more than our biological ones — but we can choose how to come to terms with them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/we-can-t-choose-our-poetic-fathers-any-more-than-our-biological-ones/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“The preservation of Buddhism is preserving your own internal heart. If Tibetans became terrorists they might win back Tibet, but Buddhism would be destroyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/the-preservation-of-buddhism-is-preserving-your-own-internal-heart-if/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [A dream ignored is like a letter unopened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/a-dream-ignored-is-like-a-letter-unopened/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Historically, the rabbis are split on the question of dreams. None of them denied their power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/historically-the-rabbis-are-split-on-the-question-of-dreams-none-of/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“According to the Buddhist tradition,” he began, “there is no sort of conversion or missionary work. It is not good to ask someone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/according-to-the-buddhist-tradition-he-began-there-is-no-sort-of/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [Dreams are at the foundation of all religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/dreams-are-at-the-foundation-of-all-religions/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) > [“The ancient sages said, ‘He who is angry—it is the same as if he worshiped idols.’ They also said, ‘One who yields to anger—if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodger-kamenetz/the-ancient-sages-said-he-who-is-angry-it-is-the-same-as-if-he/) [Rodger Kamenetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) [Explore all 15 Rodger Kamenetz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodger-kamenetz/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Mainstream rabbis essentially closed the book on dreams by the sixth century, and Church fathers established that only certain saints have the discernment to determine which dreams are from God. 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