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The gemara in berachot says: "All kinds of beasts are a good sign in a dream, except the elephant, the monkey and the long-tailed ape" (57b). Why is a dream with an elephant, a monkey or a long-tailed ape not a good sign? Does this sentence of the gemara mean that a dream with one of those animals is a bad sign?

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    Starving cows don't seem to be so good either. :-) Commented Feb 19, 2013 at 15:23
  • related judaism.stackexchange.com/q/1847/759
    – Double AA
    Commented Feb 19, 2013 at 18:53
  • is related...but doesn't really answer...
    – juanora
    Commented Feb 25, 2013 at 9:37
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    @MonicaCellio Starving cows are good for reuniting families...
    – Harel13
    Commented Jan 17, 2021 at 22:15
  • @Harel13 ...and getting tzaddikim out of jail.
    – Meir
    Commented Nov 26 at 15:45

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The gemara Berakhos 57b states:

כׇּל מִינֵי חַיּוֹת יָפוֹת לַחֲלוֹם, חוּץ מִן הַפִּיל וְהַקּוֹף וְהַקִּפּוֹד. וְהָאָמַר מָר, הָרוֹאֶה פִּיל בַּחֲלוֹם פֶּלֶא נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ! לָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא דִּמְסָרַג, הָא דְּלָא מְסָרַג.

The Gemara says: All types of animals are auspicious signs for a dream except for an elephant, a monkey and a long-tailed ape. The Gemara asks: Didn’t the Master say: A miracle will be performed for one who sees an elephant in a dream? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This statement that a vision of an elephant is a good omen refers to a case where it is saddled, while this statement that it is not a good omen refers to a case where it is not saddled.


Very likely, the problem is the meaning of the roots that create animal names.

פיל - is imperative of the word נפל - fall as in the verse about Ishmael, Bereshis 25:18

וַיִּשְׁכְּנ֨וּ מֵֽחֲוִילָ֜ה עַד־שׁ֗וּר אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה אַשּׁ֑וּרָה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־אֶחָ֖יו נָפָֽל׃

They dwelt from Havilah, by Shur, which is close to Egypt, all the way to Asshur; they camped alongside all their kin.

As Rashi explains:

נפל (literally, he fell) means ‘‘he dwelt”, as (Judges 7:12) “Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all children of the East dwelt (נופלים) in the valley.” Here it says “He fell” and there (16:12) it says “In the presence of all his brethren shall he dwell”. But it may be explained thus: before Abraham died it could be said “He would dwell in security: after he died, “he fell” (Genesis Rabbah 62:5).


קוף also can be seen as imperative of נקף, which means to round off, go in circles or to chop, strike, beat as in Vayikra 19:27

לֹ֣א תַקִּ֔פוּ פְּאַ֖ת רֹאשְׁכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֣א תַשְׁחִ֔ית אֵ֖ת פְּאַ֥ת זְקָנֶֽךָ׃

You [men] shall not round off the side-growth on your head, or destroy the side-growth of your beard.


Finally, קִּפּוֹד also means a hedgehog and short-eared owl, and the root קפד can mean ruined, made unapproachable, angry, provoked as in Yishayahu 14:23

וְשַׂמְתִּ֛יהָ לְמוֹרַ֥שׁ קִפֹּ֖ד וְאַגְמֵי־מָ֑יִם וְטֵֽאטֵאתִ֙יהָ֙ בְּמַטְאֲטֵ֣א הַשְׁמֵ֔ד נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃

and I will make it a home of bitterns, pools of water. I will sweep it with a broom of extermination—declares GOD of Hosts.

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