[Avodah] Prophet - mashgiach or godol hador?

[Daniel Eidensohn]

R' David Riceman wrote:
> From: "Daniel Eidensohn" <yadmoshe at 012.net.il>
>
>> Intervening in politics i.e., making prophetic pronouncments that 
>> impact society or government is not being a political leader.
>
> This distinction is too subtle for me.  Could you give a concrete 
> example of something the Rambam would think inappropriate for a 
> prophet and the Ramban would think appropriate?

My suggestion is that the Rambam views the prophet in the same way as we 
view a mashgiach - in relationship to to a rosh yeshiva or a magid in 
relationship to a rav. Someone who advises or suggest rather than having 
a position of leadership. Someone who is sensitive, wise and insightful  
- but doesn't have political or decision making power. In contrast a 
king or political leader is not necessary wise or sensitive but he makes 
the decisions and sees that they are implemented. While there are times 
when the prophet has a specific message or action that is required - but 
he is not a leader.  In contrast we today view our gedollim as being 
endowed with ruach hakodesh.

A specific example is that the Rambam does not allow the involvement of 
ruach hakodesh in the Sanhedrin while the Ramban does. The Divrei Chaim 
clearly states that each generations leaders are qualified by their 
ruach hakodesh. Prophecy or ruach hakodesh seems to be an essential 
characteristic for those who reject the Rambam's understanding of 
prophecy and ruach hakodesh.

Another distinguishing factor between the Rambam's concept and others is 
whether the prophet must be obeyed in everything he says or just what he 
says in G-d's name.

Chinuch(516): We are commanded to listen to all the prophets in all that 
they command us to do. They are to be obeyed even if they tell us to 
temporarily do something against one of the mitzvos of the Torah or even 
many of them - except for idol worship. Since he is a true prophet all 
his intentions are for the good and whatever he does it is to strenghten 
the religion and the belief in G‑d. This is clearly stated in the Torah 
(Devarim 18:15) and is explained in the Sifre (175). The basis of this 
mitzva is that the ultimate level that a man can achieve is that of a 
prophecy. Furthermore for a human being in this world, prophecy is the 
highest level of knowledge of the truth possible. It is knowledge that 
is not open to dispute since it comes from the fountain of truth itself. 
Few people achieve the level of development that is required to reach 
prophecy. The ladder needed to reach it is immense with its feet on the 
earth and its top in the heavens. Who is the man with the proper fear of 
G‑d who has the merit to ascend G‑d's mountain and stand in His holy 
place? Only one of hundreds of thousands of men achieves this level and 
only in a generation that is deserving of it. Therefore the Torah 
commanded us that one who in fact achieves this ultimate level of human 
achievement and he is known to us as having the spiritual qualities and 
conduct of a true prophet – he is to be obeyed in all that he commands. 
That is because he is the one who knows the way of truth and therefore 
he will guide us in it. We should not be so arrogant as to defy his 
words and to disagree with him because any dispute with him on any 
matter is a total error and can only be because of the lack of knowledge 
of the truth.

 The Minchas Chinuch (#516) asserts that the Rambam only requires 
obedience to a prophet when he says that Gd has commanded the action. In 
contrast the Chinuch seems to require that everything that a prophet 
says must be obeyed.

Daniel Eidensohn