Prophetic Actions Without Explicit Divine Sanction/2

Prophetic Actions Without Explicit Divine Sanction

Exegetical Approaches

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All Divinely Commanded

The miracles and deeds performed by a prophet are done via Divine command.  Despite Hashem's instructions not being explicitly mentioned, it can be assumed that they were communicated to Moshe.

Sources:Josephus8 13:2-4About Josephus Antiquities of the Jews, R. Saadia Gaon,  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, RadakMelakhim I 18:21Melakhim I 18:36Melakhim II 4:16About R. David Kimchi,¹ RambanShemot 10:2Shemot 11:1Shemot 14:15Shemot 16:4Shemot 32:27Vayikra 9:2Vayikra 10:3Bemidbar 16:5Bemidbar 17:6About R. Moshe b. Nachman #2, R. Yosef ibn KaspiMelakhim I 17:1About R. Yosef ibn Kaspi,²

Prophetic autonomy – According to this approach, prophets do not have the power to change nature on their own.  All miracles that a prophet performs are done only at Hashem's command.

Biblical cases

• Moshe and Korach's congregation
• Incense Test – Many of these sources³ point to Moshe's falling on his face after Korach's initial complaint as evidence that Moshe received prophecy at that point. Hashem told him how to proceed during the rebellion, directing him to propose the incense test. Rashbam further claims that Moshe's later words "בְּזֹאת תֵּדְעוּן כִּי י"י שְׁלָחַנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כׇּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים הָאֵלֶּה" refer to the nation recognizing that the test was devised by Hashem, and not made up by Moshe.
• Earth opening – Ramban claims that in Hashem's words, "הֵעָלוּ מִסָּבִיב לְמִשְׁכַּן קֹרַח דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם" He hinted that the earth was to swallow them, so Moshe did not demand this on is own.
• Yehoshua and the sun
• Eliyahu's miracles
• Elisha's miracles

Why is Hashem's command not explicitly stated?

"מֵקִים דְּבַר עַבְדּוֹ"

Prophetic fallibility

Speaking/ Acting in Hashem's name

Moshe versus other prophets

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:RambamCommentary on the Mishna, IntroductionAbout R. Moshe b. Maimon, Ramban #1, R. Yosef AlboR. Yosef Albo Sefer HaIkkarim 4:22About R. Yosef Albo, ?R. Avraham b. Shelomo,⁴ ?Abarbanel⁵

Prophetic Prayer

When a prophet declares that a miracle that was not Divinely commanded 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 16:4Sefat Yeter 84About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, 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 12:6Shemuel I 12, Toelet 23Melakhim I 17:1Melakhim I 18:32-36Melakhim I Toalot 18:36About R. Levi b. Gershom, Akeidat YitzchakBemidbar 78Bemidbar 80About 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 Radak 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 See R. Saadia, Ibn Balaam, Rashbam and Ramban.

⁴ According to R. Avraham b. Shelomo the prophet intuits the will of God.

⁵ 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.