Prophetic Actions Without Explicit Divine Sanction/2

Prophetic Actions Without Explicit Divine Sanction

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

All Divinely Commanded

All of the miracles and deeds performed by a prophet are done via Divine command.  Even if Hashem's instructions are not explicitly mentioned, it can be assumed that they were communicated to the prophet.

Sources:Josephus8 13:2-4About Josephus Antiquities of the Jews, YerushalmiTaanit 2:8Megillah 1:11About the Yerushalmi,  Vayikra Rabbah22:9About Vayikra Rabbah, R. Saadia GaonBemidbar 16:4About R. Yehuda ibn Balaam,  R. Yehuda ibn BalaamBemidbar 16:4About R. Yehuda ibn Balaam, RashbamShemot 11:1Bemidbar 16:4Bemidbar 16:28-29About R. Shemuel b. Meir, TosafotSanhedrin 89bAbout Ba'alei HaTosafot, Radak #2Melakhim I 18:21Melakhim I 18:36Melakhim II 4:16About R. David Kimchi,¹ Ramban #2Shemot 10:2Shemot 11:1Shemot 14:15Shemot 16:4Shemot 32:27Vayikra 9:2Vayikra 10:3Bemidbar 16:5Bemidbar 17:6About R. Moshe b. Nachman, R. Yosef ibn KaspiMelakhim I 17:1About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi,² NetzivShemot 16:6-8Shemot 16:16Shemot 16:23Shemot 16:34Shemot 32:27Vayikra 10:3Bemidbar 16:4, 17Bemidbar 16:28, 30About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin

Prophetic autonomy – According to this approach, prophets do not have the power to change nature on their own, and, thus, any miracle that a prophet performs is done only at Hashem's bidding.³It is possible to go even further and suggest that prophets do not have the autonomy to make any significant decisions, even in the natural realm, except with Divine guidance.⁴

Biblical cases – This position attempts to explain away all cases where a prophet seems to be acting on his own:

• Incense test – Many of these sources⁵ understand Moshe's falling on his face after Korach's initial complaint as a sign of prophetic communication.  At this juncture,  Hashem told him how to proceed during the rebellion and directed him to propose the incense test.  It was, thus, not Moshe's own invention.⁶
• Earth opening – Ramban maintains that Hashem hinted that the earth was to swallow the leaders when He said, "הֵעָלוּ מִסָּבִיב לְמִשְׁכַּן קֹרַח דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם," so here, too, Moshe was not declaring a miracle on his own.⁷
• Moshe and the petition of the 2/12 tribes – Ramban points to the tribes' words "אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר י"י אֶל עֲבָדֶיךָ כֵּן נַעֲשֶׂה" as proof that Moshe did not independently decide that they could settle the eastern bank.
• Yehoshua and the sun – These sources could explain that Yehoshua was not decreeing that the sun stand still, but rather praying to Hashem for aid, hoping that He would acquiesce to make a miracle.  Thus, the verse states, "אָז יְדַבֵּר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לַי"י " emphasizing that Yehosua's word were addressed to Hashem, and were not a public declaration.
• Shemuel bringing rain – This approach would likely explain that, despite the text's silence, Shemuel had been told beforehand to bring rain as a sign for the people. However, it is difficult to understand why he then needed to pray that the rain come.  The position could answer that Shemuel wanted to ensure that the people recognized that the rain was indeed coming from Hashem and not coincidental.
• Natan and the Mikdash – In this case, Natan clearly speaks against Hashem's wishes when he permits David to build the Mikdash, so it is impossible to suggest that Natan had been told previously what to say.  This approach would likely suggest that Natan was not acting in the role of prophet when he responded to David, but only as a royal advisor.  Alternatively, they might suggest that though a prophet cannot bring a miracle on his own, he does have the autonomy to make certain decisions on his own, and if he errs, Hashem corrects him.
• Eliyahu's Miracles
• Eliyahu's declaration of drought and the Altar on Mt. Carmel – Several sources⁸ point to Eliyahu's statement on Mt. Carmel that  "הַיּוֹם יִוָּדַע כִּי... אֲנִי עַבְדֶּךָ [וּבִדְבָרְךָ] (ובדבריך) עָשִׂיתִי אֵת כׇּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" as proof that Eliyahu's actions were all done at Hashem's behest.⁹  It is ambiguous, though, if the words "כׇּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה" refer just to the events on Mt. Carmel, or also to the initial declaration of drought. These sources would likely say that even if it refers only to the former, one can learn from here to the rest of Eliyahu's miracles, that they too were done by the word of God.  
• Eliyahu and the pitcher of flour – The text itself states that this miracle occurred by the word of Hashem: "כִּדְבַר י"י אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּיַד אֵלִיָּהוּ".
• Eliyahu reviving the boy – These sources could explain that in this case, Eliyahu was really simply praying to Hashem that the boy revive and did not know in advance, nor necessarily expect, that Hashem would accede to his request.
• Eliyahu and officers of fifty – These sources might suggest that just as the text attests to the fact that an angel told Eliyahu not to kill the third officer and his men, Hashem had previously told him that He would release fire on the others.¹⁰
• Elisha's miracles¹¹ – Only by two of Elisha's miracles (the sweetening of waters, and giving of bread) does the text allude to Hashem's having directed that the miracle would occur. (In each case,  Elisha prefaces the bringing of the miracle with the statement, "כֹּה אָמַר י"י ".)  This approach would suggest that the other miracles happened in the same manner., even though this is not explicit.

Why is Hashem's command not stated? As seen above, in several cases there is some allusion in the text to a command of Hashem, though not always explicit.  Ramban explains that it is the way of Tanakh to be brief in one place and lengthy in another. Instead of tediously repeating both a command and its fulfillment, sometimes the Torah brings one, sometimes the other, and sometimes both.  However, the reasoning behind the choice of when to share each component is not always clear.¹²

"מֵקִים דְּבַר עַבְדּוֹ" – This verse, in context, says nothing about Hashem fulfilling the independent decrees of his prophets.  Rather, it refers to Hashem keeping His own promises as expressed via the prophecies of His loyal messengers. Hashem is contrasting the speech of "imposters" ("בַּדִּים") and "diviners" ("קֹסְמִים") whose words are not trustworthy, with that of His prophets, whose predictions are reliable precisely because they speak the word of God.¹³

"וְתִגְזַר אֹמֶר וְיָקׇם לָךְ" – These words of Elifaz to Iyyov are also unrelated to the concept of Hashem fulfilling the decrees of his prophets and simply mean that Hashem cares for the righteous and helps them succeed in their chosen paths.

Prophetic fallibility – Since a prophet has no autonomy to act on his own, there is no room to err.¹⁴

Poetic License

Speaking/ Acting in Hashem's name

Moshe versus other prophets – These sources do not distinguish between Mose and other prophets with regards to the level of autonomy granted to each.

Evaluation of Prophetic ability

Prophet's Own Initiative

A prophet is granted the ability by Hashem to act and perform wonders on his own initiative.

Sources:Ramban #1Bemidbar 16:5Bemidbar 17:6About R. Moshe b. Nachman, R. Yosef AlboR. Yosef Albo Sefer HaIkkarim 4:22About R. Yosef Albo, R. Avraham b. Shelomo,¹⁵ AbarbanelMelakhim II 8:6About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel,¹⁶ MalbimMelakhim I 17:1Melakhim I 17:14Yeshayahu Beur HaInyan 44:26Iyyov 22:28About R. Meir Leibush Weiser

Prophetic autonomy – According to this position, a prophet has a significant degree of autonomy.  He is able not only to determine his own course of action without Hashem's prior approval, but also to invoke supernatural means to do so:

• R. Yosef Albo explains that when someone has reached a certain level of righteousness and belief in Hashem, he is able to control nature through his speech.¹⁷  If a miracle is needed, not only need he not first seek Hashem's agreement to act, it is preferable that he perform the deed on his own.¹⁸
• R. Avraham b. Shelomo, in contrast, suggests that a prophet can act on his own only because he is so in tune with Hashem's thoughts and will that he can intuit what Hashem would want done.  As such, it is as if Hashem has communicated with him. 

"מֵקִים דְּבַר עַבְדּוֹ" and "וְתִגְזַר אֹמֶר וְיָקׇם לָךְ" – These two verses serve as proof that whatever a prophet decrees will be fulfilled by Hashem.

Biblical cases – These sources point to the many cases in Tanakh where a prophet acts/ brings miracles without first consulting with Hashem as proof of their position.  During Korach's rebellion, Moshe independently decides to make the incense test and declares the miraculous deaths of Datan and Aviram. Yehoshua's stopping of the sun, Shemuel's bringing of rain, Eliyahu and Elisha's many miracles are similarly all done by their word alone and not prefaced by Divine commands.

Why pray? If a prophet can indeed perform supernatural phenomenon, it is not clear why in some of the above cases¹⁹ the prophet felt the need to pray to Hashem that He fulfill the decree.

• It is possible that the public nature

"וְלֹא הָיָה כַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לְפָנָיו וְאַחֲרָיו לִשְׁמֹעַ י"י בְּקוֹל אִישׁ" – This verse is problematic for this approach as it suggests that Yehoshua's deed was unique and that it was the only case in which Hashem fulfilled the decree of a prophet.

Prophetic fallibility

• According to R. Avraham b. Shelomo, the only individuals who can independently bring miracles are those who are completely in line with Hashem's thoughts and desires.  Thus a prophet can not err or act against Hashem's wishes.
• According to the other sources, however, it would seem that prophetic autonomy leaves room for a prophet to make mistakes.  Perhaps, more problematically, it would also seem to allow a prophet  "force Hashem's hand" even against His will. In fact Abarbanel claims

Prophetic Prayer

When a prophet independently declares that a miracle is to happen, he is in effect praying that Hashem will fulfill his words and risks the possibility that Hashem will not accede to his request.

Sources:R. Yosef KaraYehoshua 10:12Shemuel I 12:17About R. Yosef Kara, Ibn EzraShemot Second Commentary 8:8-9Bemidbar 16:4About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RambamCommentary on the Mishna, IntroductionAbout R. Moshe b. Maimon, Radak #1Melakhim I 17:1Melakhim I 18:21Melakhim I 18:36About R. David Kimchi, Avvat NefeshAvvat Nefesh, Commentary on Ibn Ezra Bemidbar 20:8, RalbagShemuel I 12, Toelet 23Melakhim I 17:1Melakhim I 18:32-36Melakhim I Toalot 18:36About R. Levi b. Gershom, Akeidat YitzchakBemidbar 78Bemidbar 80Bemidbar 82About R. Yitzchak Arama, AbarbanelShemot 8:8Shemot 10:29, 11:1, 4Shemot 16:9Shemot 16Shemot 16:23Shemot 32:27Vayikra 9:5-6Vayikra 10:3Bemidbar 16:3Devarim 34:11Melakhim I 17:1Melakhim I 18:36Melakhim II 2:22Melakhim II 8:6About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel

Uniqueness of Moshe

¹ This seems to be Radak's less preferred understanding.  He also raises the possibility that prophets act on their own, trusting that Hashem will fulfill their words.

² Ralbag brings two possibilities, suggesting that the prophet might always act under Divine orders, but also allowing for the possibility that a prophet might bring a miracle through prayer.

³ It should be noted that each of the sources above refer only to individual cases, and do not discuss the issue in general terms, so it is difficult to know for certain if they would necessarily take this approach regarding all miracles.

⁴ However, none of these sources explicitly make this claim.

⁵ See R. Saadia, Ibn Balaam, Rashbam and Ramban.

⁶ Rashbam even claims that Moshe's later words "בְּזֹאת תֵּדְעוּן כִּי י"י שְׁלָחַנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כׇּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה" refer specifically to his hope that the nation will recognize that the test was devised by Hashem, and not himself.  [Most other commentators, in contrast, explain that Moshe is speaking of the choosing of Aharon as priest.

⁷ He further suggests that Moshe even announced teh miracle in the name of HAshem and the people themselves recognized the Divine role in the miracle. Later when they complained "אַתֶּם הֲמִתֶּם אֶת עַם י"י", they were referring only to those killed through the incense test, not by the earth.

⁸ See Yerushalmi Ta'anit, Yerushalmi Megillah, Vayikra Rabbah and Radak.  The midrashic sources all focus on how Eliyahu can build a private altar if this is prohibited by the Torah, rather than the question of how Eliyahu could bring miraculous fire.

⁹ See Radak who questions, as above, that if so, it is not clear why Eliyahu then needs to pray that Hashem answer him.  Radak answers that Eliyahu wanted to ensure that the people did not think that the fire was some magical trick.

¹⁰ The same fact, however, can be used to make the reverse argument.  The fact that an angel was needed to tell Eliyahu not to kill the third officer might support the possibility that otherwise Eliyahu's words themselves would have sufficed to have him killed by fire.

¹¹ See also: Melakhim II 4 and Melakhim II 6:15-18.

¹² Regarding the story of Korach, he also raises the possibility that Hashem's will was known to Moshe not through speech but rather "רוח הקודש" and therefore no speech is mentioned in the text.

¹³ See Radak on the verse in Yeshayahu.

¹⁴ See above regarding Natan's mistaken response to David when asked about building the Beit HaMikdash.

¹⁵ According to R. Avraham b. Shelomo the prophet intuits the will of God.

¹⁶ This is how Abarbanel presents the miracles of prophets in his comments to Melakhim 8.  In his commentary on Devarim, in contrast, he emphasizes how prophets must pray to Hashem to elicit a  miracle.

¹⁷ Though it is ultimately Hashem who brings the miracle, the prophet knows with certainty that Hashem will fulfill his words, and so it is as if he alone is acting.

¹⁸ Otherwise the prophet might cause a desecration of Hashem's name when people think that he wasn't capable of performing miracles.  R. Yosef Albo, in fact, claims that this was Moshe and Aharon's sin at Mei Merivah.  By running to the Tent of Meeting to seek Hashem's advice, rather than miraculously bringing the people water on their own, they caused the people to doubt their supernatural powers and that Hashem would surely "fulfill the word of his servants".

¹⁹ For example, Yehoshua prays to Hashem that the sun stand still, Shemuel prays for rain, Eliyahu asks Hashem to bring fire and to revive the boy, and Elisha prays to resurrect the son of the Shunamite woman and to change the vision of his servant and the Arameans that surround them.