From: hillel@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (hillel.e.markowitz)
Subject: Re: What Does it take to be a Prophet/Messanger?
Organization: AT&T Federal Systems
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 18:00:00 GMT

In article <BxEnLt.CDI@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> hrubin@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes:
>In article <1992Nov8.143442.15078@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> levene@aplpy.jhuapl.edu (Robert A. Levene) writes:
>>In article <1992Nov8.030057.8951@cs.brown.edu> dzk@cs.brown.edu (Danny
>>Keren) writes:
>
>>> I would be grateful for answers to the following:
>
>>> 2) Are there any criterions one has to fill to be considered a
>>>   prhophet/messanger?
>
>>Maimonides spells them out in detail in Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah,
>>particularly chapters 7-10 and thereabouts.  Among the qualifications
>>are scrupulous Torah observance, impeccable character, a demostrated
>>ability to tell the future precisely and accurately, physical health,
>>avoidance of daily trivialities, and maintenance of a consistently
>>high level of spirituality.
>
>This does not jibe with some of those generally considered to be
>prophets.  Balaam (Bil'am) is accepted as a prophet, and while he
>could be excused for not observing Torah, his character was far
>from impeccable.  

The rules in the RMBM are for Jews to be considered prophets.  The
operative term in Devarim is "like me" (Moshe speaking), what is
required for a person to be considered a prophet "like Moshe
Rabbeinu" (that is authoritative).

Bilaam is a special case in that he was given a gift so that the
nations of the world should not be able to say that they didn't
have the opportunity (this is one of the medrashim on the subject
but I don't recall the exact source).  Other commentaries on Bilaam
(such as Rabbi S. R. Hirsch Z'L) point out that Bilaam was not
necessarily a prophet but that he got people to believe that he
could curse his enemies. He was completely surprised when G-d
intervened and told him that he would have to relay His words
exactly.

>
>One of the most successful prophets, from the standpoint of God,
>was Jonah.  Certainly his character was not impeccable.  Also, he
>was successful ONLY because his foretelling the future caused acts
>which made his predictions false!
>

There are rules about predictions as well.  Predictions about
disaster which can be removed by tshuvah are not supposed to be
"accurate" in the sense of happenning no matter what.  That are in
the sense of "if you keep doing this, here is what will happen".

In physical terms, it is the difference between saying, "If you
drive down route 40 this morning your car will get wrecked" and
"Your car will be wrecked no matter what you do (even if a bolt of
lightning has to hit it if you leave it at home and take the
train)".

On the other hand, prophephies like that of Shmuel and Shaul's
donkeys must always occur exactly as stated.  If the prophet is
just giving a personal opinion he must state that, but if he is
asked *as a prophet* he must answer as a prophet (even if he has to
say Hashem doesn't want me to know this).

Yonah atteempted to commit suicide (according to many meforshim)
because he was worried about the honor of Bnai Yisroel.  He knew
that if Ninevah did Tshuva Hashem would forgive them and cancel the
destruction he was prophesying.  This would make Bnai Yisroel look
even worse since thaey had had multiple warnings and still didn't
listen.  He also knew that it would make him look like a navi
sheker to the ignorant and his own warnings would be ignored in the
future.

I said above attempted to commit suicide since he knew that he
couldn't run away from Hashem and was subject to the death
penalty.  THat is why (acording to the meforshim who say this) he
went int the ship and went to sleep during the storm.  When the
sailors came and woke him up he realized that he would be causing
the death of the innocent sailors and told them to throw him in to
the ocean.

>Many of the recognized prophets made no predictions whatever.

The predicitons they made were not written down because they were
not relevant to what was written down.  However, they became
"recognized prophets" by fulfilling the criteria of the RMBM before
making the prophecies we have written down.  One example occurs in
Yirmiyahu when the king asks a question of Chuldah Hanevia because
ZYirmiyahu is not available.  We don't have wahat she said to make
her a nevia.  Another example is in Yeshaya, when the navi says he
has married a nevia.

>False predictions are stated in the Torah as a way of recognizing
>a false prophet.  The idea of a prophet was someone who broadcast
>at least a reasonable version of what God wanted said.

A prophet spoke whatever Hashem told him to say.  They used their
own words and terminology (unlike Moshe who is considered like a
tape recorder) but the message had to be accurate.

>-- 
>Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907-1399

_______________________________________________________________
| Hillel Markowitz        |    Im ain ani li mi li             |
| H_Markowitz@att.com     |    Veahavta Leraiecha Kamocha      |
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