If Judah symbolizes the Jew in exile—a Jew characterized by self-sacrifice, acceptance of the yoke of Heaven, and adherence to mitzvot not for personal gratification but purely out of submission to God’s will—then Judah also reflects the state of “I am asleep,” which relates to exile. Nonetheless, even in this state of sleep in exile, “my heart is awake” which suggests some level of awareness, it is like someone asleep but experiencing a vivid dream—ultimately, they are still asleep.
In contrast, Joseph represents the Jew who is fully awake. Joseph symbolizes the Jew in redemption, one who is spiritually awake and alive, experiencing true delight and joy in Divine service.
Now the difference between them is that a person who is awake perceives all the details of reality, everything they experience around them, as a unified whole. Just as when the body functions, one experiences it as a single cohesive entity without focusing on individual organs. Interestingly, the hallmark of being awake is perceiving the world as unified. What is sleep? A sleeping person experiences every phenomenon in the world as separate and disconnected. They live in a reality of multiplicity. In contrast, the hallmark of being awake is living in a reality of unity and harmony. Thus, if a person truly feels separation in the world they live in, it is a sign they are spiritually asleep.
A person doesn’t always know whether they are awake or asleep. However, according to these teachings, there is a clear sign: if the world appears as one unified whole, you are awake. If you see the world as filled with contradictions, with phenomena that are different and conflicting, it is a sign you are asleep.
Indeed, it is written that the essence of a dream is the coexistence of opposites, constant contradictions. And yet, in this state, Judah demonstrates simple acceptance of the yoke of Heaven and performs mitzvot with the mindset of “they were not given for personal enjoyment.” Joseph, however, operates on an entirely different level. He sees the same reality but perceives it as a unified whole. For Joseph, everything he sees, everything that happens, is one picture reflecting God, the Master of the Universe, in simple clarity.
Judah and Joseph’s perspectives are described in Chasidic thought as representing two states of mind. Joseph’s is termed, “Divinity is a given and the world is a novelty.” Judah’s experience is the opposite. He lives in a dream state where “the world is a given and Divinity is a novelty.” In his perception, the world is made up of different things—different people, different opinions, and each distinct from the other. This multiplicity is Judah's default state. If he occasionally has a spark or flash of divine revelation, it is referred to as “Divinity is a surprise”—a novelty.
