[Avodah] Prophet - mashgiach or godol hador?

[Daniel Eidensohn]

R' David Riceman wrote:
>
> From: "Daniel Eidensohn" <yadmoshe at 012.net.il>
>
>> 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.
>
> The problem with this is that, as I pointed out above, the Rambam 
> doesn't restrict what a prophet does when he isn't prophesying.  In 
> fact he can be a king or a member of the Sanhedrin.
>
> 

I agree  that the individual prophet can have a life outside his status 
of prophet. He is not prohibited from being a king or posek. Similar 
there is no law against a mashgiach serving also as a rosh yeshiva, 
posek or rocket scientist. I was simply noticing how the Rambam 
describes the prophet and his type  of perfection. He notes for example 
if a person has the imaginative faculty stimulated he is a political 
leader. If the intellectual faculty is stimulated he is a philosopher. 
Only if both are stimulated he is prophet. This  implies that the 
prototypical political leader is not a prophet and a prophet is not 
likely to be a politcal leader.

While you can point to the fact that Shmuel was apparently a king and 
judge in addition to being a prophet - I don't know of any other prophet 
aside from Moshe serving these multiple roles.  The possible sole 
exception is that the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah had prophets as members. 
However we really don't know what this body was and what role these 
prophets served. I am not aware of any sources which state they served 
as judges or poskim. If you have such sources have I would appreciate 
hearing about them.


>> A specific example is that the Rambam does not allow the involvement 
>> of ruach hakodesh in the Sanhedrin while the Ramban does.
>
> Where is this Ramban?
 
Ramban(Devarim 17:11): Left and Right.  *...t he Torah was given to us 
in writing and it is known that people don’t think identically in all 
matters. Therefore it would be natural for disputes over what the Torah 
means to continually multiply and it would end up that there would be 
many Torahs instead of one. That is why this verse tells you that one 
must obey the Sanhedrin which convenes in G‑d’s presence in the Temple – 
in everything they say concerning the understanding of the Torah. There 
is no difference in the requrement to obey whether this Torah 
understanding is part of the Tradition which goes back what G‑d told 
Moshe or what their understanding of the meaning or intent of a Torah 
verse.  This requirement to accept their Torah understanding is because 
the Torah was in fact given to us according to their understanding. 
Therefore they must be obeyed even if their view contrasts with your 
understanding as left contrasts with right and surely if you agree with 
their understanding. That is because G‑d’s spirit is on those who serve 
in His Temple and He does not desert His pious ones. G‑d always protects 
them from error and mistake. The Sifri (Shoftim 154) says that you must 
obey them even if appears that they have reversed right with left and 
left with right.

> The Rambam doesn't proscribe ruah hakodesh, he just proscribes other 
> members of the Sanhedrin letting it influence them

The Rambam prohibits any invovlement of heavvenly inspiration in the 
halachic  process. If a prophet proclaimed that he had poskened based  
on Divine inspiration - and not on legal reasoning - Rambam would have 
him executed. Maharetz Chajes suggests that ruach hakodesh can provide 
the insight which is then developed fully by the rational faculty. 
Therefore the only prohition is to not rationalize the psak but to rely 
entirely on inspiration.

>
>> 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.
>
> Other than the SHAUBTMH I don't know of anyone who says this. Are 
> there explicit sources? 


The Minchas Chinuch cites Tosfos both in Sanhedrin and Yevamos.


Daniel Eidensohn