[Avodah] Prophet - mashgiach or godol hador?

[Daniel Eidensohn]

In a previous post I mistakenly asserted that the Rambam nowhere stated 
that prophecy had ceased. He in fact states in Moreh Nevuchim 2:32 and 
2:36 that prophecy ceased because of the depression of Exile. He also 
states in Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 7:4 that prophecy requires simcha. 
According to what he says in Moreh Nevuchim this is not obtainable in 
Exile. In MN 2:36 he also states that prophecy will return in the 
Messianic age.

MN (2:32): ... There were also persons who prophesied for a certain time 
and then left off altogether, something occurring that caused them to 
discontinue prophesying. The same circumstance, prevalence of sadness 
and dulness, was undoubtedly the direct cause of the interruption of 
prophecy during the exile: for can there be any greater misfortune for 
man than this: to be a slave bought for money in the service of ignorant 
and voluptuous masters, and powerless against them as they unite in 
themselves the absence of true knowledge and the force of all animal 
desires? Such an evil state has been prophesied to us in the words, 
"They shall run to and fro to seek the word of God, but shall not find 
it" (Amos viii. 12); "Her king and her princes are among the nations, 
the law is no more, her prophets also find no vision from the Lord" 
(Lam. ii. 9). This is a real fact, and the cause is evident; the 
pre-requisites [of prophecy] have been lost. In the Messianic 
period--may it soon commence--prophecy will therefore again be in our 
midst, as has been promised by God.**


> The conjecture of Heschel is rather far fetched - especially since the 
> Rambam relates in Letter to Yemen that he has a family tradition that 
> prophecy will be restored in 1210-1216. That implies that up until that 
> point there is no prophecy. Rambam died in 1204. On the other hand - 
> aside for this mention of family tradition - the Rambam nowhere states 
> prophecy ceased. It is also interesting that the family history the 
> Rambam mentions is actually a Yerushalmi.(Shabbos 6:9)
Daniel Eidensohn