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hankman wrote:
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<div><font face="Arial" size="2">In response to the comments of RHB
and RRRW below it has been my understanding (Although I can not cite a
specific mekor) that the understanding by a Novi of his Nevuha is in
fact infallible. The infallibility stems from the infallibility of
Hashem to communicate the exact message he wishes to impart to the
Novi, not metsad the Novi himself.</font></div>
<div> </div>
</blockquote>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="">Sefer
HaIkkarim</span></span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><sup><span
style=""><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><!--[endif]--></span></sup></span></font></b><b><span
style="font-weight: bold;"> (3:17):</span></b><span style=""> Even
though that all the words of
the prophets are true with out any doubt, nevertheless according to the
greatness of the prophet and his level of prophecy will the truth that
comes
from his words be stronger. Because many prophets due to the weakness
of their
comprehension did not comprehend the clear facts properly. This is
because what
happens to the perception of the prophets is that which happens to
perception
of our physical senses. One whose senses are healthy and strong
perceives
things the way they truly are and one whose sense are weak will not
perceive
things the way they truly are but will only be aware of the general
type or
category and not the full details. Someone with healthy vision will see
things
according to the way they really are for example red or green and will
perceive
the hue of red or green. However the one who has weak vision will only
perceive
things in general. Even if he perceives the category i.e., red or green
he will
not perceive which hue or red or green. This is true also with the
sense of
hearing and the other senses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span
style="">This
exact thing occurs also with the prophets and their perceptions. One
who has
strong perception will perceive things the way they are without
illusion and
his words will be clear without vagueness and thus his understanding
will be
true the way things are. A prophet who is on a lower level will
perceive things
as vague or as a puzzle or metaphors that are unclear. Therefore he
won't see
the truth as it is but only according to the appearance of the
metaphor. He
will thus confuse the metaphor with that which it alludes to and thus
will fail
to be aware of actual reality i.e., the message that he was sent. [Ohel
Yaakov:
for example Zecharya saw a man riding on a horse...That in itself was
meaningless...what was to be seen by the prophet in this vision was
that he was
being sent by G-d to travel all over the land.]<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span
style="">Thus
we find Yechezkeil whose prophecy took place after the destruction of
the
Temple speaking in metaphors and parables which could not be taken to
be
literally true until they complained as Yechezkiel said to G-d, <i><span
style="font-style: italic;">They say to me that I am just a spinner of
parables
(21:1)</span></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span
style="">And
similarly Zechariya who was at the end of the period of prophecy - had
all his
prophecy in visions that were not true in of themselves but only for
what they
alluded to. He said he saw horses, women, and golden menorahs with
olives. The
menorah and olives were not true in themselves but only to what they
alluded
to. In contrast, Yirmiyahu who was prior to the destruction of the
Temple - all
his prophesies were extremely clear as to what they actually were.<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span
style="">G-d
has already described the uniqueness of Moshe Rabbeinu's prophecy. The
Torah
(Bamidbar 12:8) states <i><span style="font-style: italic;">mouth to
mouth I
spoke to him in vision but not parables.</span></i> This was in
contrast to all
the other prophets who received prophesy through the medium of parables
and
metaphors that were not self-evident and were not the message
themselves.
Therefore the words of all the prophets are of necessity subordinate to
that of
Moshe Rabbeinu. In other words the prophesy of a lesser prophets needs
to be
made totally consistent with that which a greater prophet said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span
style="">To
clarify this matter we find for example that Yeshaya (6:1) said <i><span
style="font-style: italic;">And I saw G‑d sitting on a throne elevated
and
transcendent</span></i>. In contrast Moshe said <i><span
style="font-style: italic;">G-d said that no man can see Me and live.</span></i>
If we didn't know
the relative greatness of these two prophets we might have thought that
the
words of Yeshaya are correct. We would have assumed that because of his
great
prophetic ability that he perceived from G-d that which he was capable
of
seeing and therefore his words are to be taken literally <i><span
style="font-style: italic;">And I saw G-d.</span></i><span style=""> </span>We
would have assumed that Moshe had not reached the level of
Yeshaya and therefore could not perceive G-d to any significant degree
and thus
he said <i><span style="font-style: italic;">No one can see G-d and
live.</span></i>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span
style="">But
now that we know that Moshe was the epitome of the prophets...we know
that
Moshe's statements have to be taken as literally true and the words of
Yeshaya
are on a lower level and are not literally true. In fact according to
his lower
level the words <i><span style="font-style: italic;">I saw G-d</span></i>
which
indicated he thought he saw G-d are not correct and are the result of
his
imagination. Moshe in contrast did not utilize the power of imagination
in his
prophecy at all. His prophecy was to report things exactly as they were
and
thus <i><span style="font-style: italic;">No one can see G-d and live</span></i>
is literally true.<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span
style="">Yeshaya
who utilized his power of imagination in his prophecies that is called
by our
sages (Yevamos 49b) the unclear lenses - was brought to err by means of
his
imagination to think that he actually saw G-d. The explanation of this
is that
the physical essence of Yeshaya was not as refined as that of Moshe as
Yeshaya
(6:5) said <i><span style="font-style: italic;">I am a man of impure
lips</span></i>.
Even his moral qualities were not proper as he said (6:5) <i><span
style="font-style: italic;">In the midst of a people of impure lips I
dwell</span></i>.
Dwelling amongst people with made moral qualities degrades the moral
qualities
of a good person. That is why he said (6:5) <i><span
style="font-style: italic;">Woe
is me that I have imagined</span></i>. In other words I have been
brought to
error by my imagination I didn't prophesize with a clear lens like the
prophesy
of Moshe who heard the voice speaking to him without needing the image
in from
of his eyes. But I - said Yeshaya - prophesize with an unclear lens
which is
through the power of imagination I am not able to proper comprehend
what I hear
without seeing what I am being told and this causes me to be <i><span
style="font-style: italic;">a man of impure lips </span></i>and that <i><span
style="font-style: italic;">I dwell amongst a nation of impure lips</span></i>.
And I know that this activates my imagination because concerning G-d it
is
impossible to associate any clear description or image even in a
prophetic
vision for one who has a clear lens.<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span
style="">This
is what our sages (Yevamos 49b) say that Menashe killed Yeshaya because
he had
said <i><span style="font-style: italic;">I have seen G-d</span></i>
while Moshe
Rabbeinu had said it is impossible to see G-d... He could however have
defended
himself by saying that even in the time of Moshe the people said <i><span
style="font-style: italic;">they saw the G-d of Israel (Shemos 24:10)</span></i>
because the people also did not have a comprehension through a clear
lens.<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
<p class="quote" dir="ltr"
style="text-align: justify; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><font
face="Arial Narrow" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span
style="">What
is learned from all this is that a prophet can never disagree with a
prophet
who is on a higher level. Instead he must interpret his own words in
such a way
that there is no conflict between them. Since the Torah has stated that
the
prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu was on the highest level of all the
prophets, it is
impossible for any prophet to disagree with him or nullify his words.
However
if it is possible to reconcile the apparent disagreement by saying that
there
were </span></span></font><span dir="rtl"></span><font
face="Times New Roman" size="2"><span dir="rtl"
style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" lang="HE"><span
dir="rtl"></span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->
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style="font-family: FrankRuehl;" lang="HE"><br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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