Chullin 92: The Vine as Metaphor

The rabbis interpret Bereishit (40:10), "And in the vine were three bunches and as it was budding its blossoms shot forth and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes".

Rabbi Eliezer says that the vine is the world, the branches are our patriarchs, the blossoms the matriarchs and the ripe grapes were the twelve tribes.  Rabbi Yehoshua says that dreams tell the future, and thus the vines the Torah, the branches are Moses Aaorn and Miriam, and the budding blossoms are the Sanhedrin.  The ripe grapes were the righteous of all generations.  Rabbi Elazar HaModa'i says that the vine is Jerusalem, the branches are the Temple the King and the High Priest, blossoms are young priests, and the grapes are the libations.  Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says that the vine is the Torah, the branches are the well, the pillar of cloud, and Mann, the blossoms are the first fruits, and the grapes are the libations.  Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says that the vine is the nation, the branches are the homeowners who provide financial support, the clusters are the Torah scholars, the leaves are the ignoramuses, the tendrils are those in Israel with no learning.  He offers a proof from the word sent from Israel: "Let the clusters pray for the leaves, for were it not for the leaves the clusters would not survive".

A grapevine includes four parts: zemorot, branches, eshkolot, clusters, alim, leaves, and kenokanot, tendrils