Highlights of Rambam’s Guide for the Perplexed: Part 7
The Apex of Religious Experience -- Achieving Prophecy: Book II Chapter 32
Rabbi Tuvia Berman
“The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world... to see clearly is poetry, prophecy
and religion all in one.”- John Ruskin
For Rambam, the hight of religious achievement is the level of prophecy. The Prophet
maintains a special understanding and relationship with the Divine; he is God’s messenger in
this world. Understanding the method of achieving prophecy is critical to a full
comprehension of the Jewish spiritual enterprise. Rambam suggests that there are three
approaches to understanding prophecy: the common religious approach, the philosophic
approach, and the true Torah interpretation. He spells out the first approach of the masses:
Among those who believe in Prophecy, and even among our coreligionists, there are some
ignorant people who think as follows: God selects any person He pleases, inspires him with
the spirit of Prophecy, and entrusts him with a mission. It makes no difference whether that
person be wise or stupid, old or young; provided he be, to some extent, morally good. For
these people have not yet gone so far as to maintain that God might also inspire a wicked
person with His spirit. They admit that this is impossible, unless God has previously caused
him to improve his ways.
Most people believe in a semi-magical religious attachment to God. This attachment is the
sole product of God’s incomprehensible will. God chooses almost capriciously the recipient of
his “grace”. This position is contrary, claims Rambam, to a mature and complete
comprehension of God. How could God choose the unworthy? How can the untrained serve as
a vessel for the Divine? This is contrary to basic logic. Therefore, this approach must be
rejected.
The second approach, that of the philosophers, is more subtle and sophisticated:
The philosophers hold that prophecy is a certain faculty of man in a state of perfection, which
can only be obtained by study. Although the faculty is common to the whole race, yet it is not
fully developed in each individual, either on account of the individual's defective constitution,
or on account of some other external cause … Accordingly, it is impossible that an ignorant
person should be a prophet; or that a person being no prophet in the evening, should,
unexpectedly on the following morning, find himself a prophet, as if prophecy were a thing
that could be found unintentionally. But if a person, perfect in his intellectual and moral
faculties, and also perfect, as far as possible, in his imaginative faculty, prepares himself in the
manner which will be described, he must become a prophet; for prophecy is a natural faculty
of man.
If a person develops his moral and intellectual attributes and perfects himself, assuming he
has the natural potential, he will automatically connect to God and have such a heightened
comprehension that he will be a prophet. God has no choice in the matter. This of course fits
well with certain philosophic understandings of God as the Unmoved Mover who displays
neither will nor understanding of mankind. But even this understanding of prophecy is
lacking. The philosophers leave no room for God; everything is automatic. If the common
understanding of prophecy is unsophisticated and illogical, the philosophers’ version denies
God any role whatsoever. This cannot be the approach of the Torah which demonstrates that
HaShem works in the world and relates to Man.
Rambam’s final approach is what he deems to be the Torah’s interpretation. In a sense this
combines both the advantages of the other two:
The third view is that which is taught in Scripture, and which forms one of the principles of
our religion. It coincides with the opinion of the philosophers in all points except one. For we
believe that, even if one has the capacity for prophecy, and has duly prepared himself, it may
yet happen that he does not actually prophesy. It is in that case the will of God [that withholds
from him the use of the faculty]. According to my opinion, this fact is as exceptional as any
other miracle, and acts in the same way. For the laws of Nature demand that everyone should
be a prophet, who has a proper physical constitution, and has been duly prepared as regards
education and training. If such a person is not a prophet, he is in the same position as a
person who… is deprived of the use of his hand, or of his eyes.
In most ways, Rambam agrees with the philosophers, and unlike that of the more common
notion, that the road to becoming a prophet requires significant preparation: moral and
intellectual. The religious faculty is similar to a muscle. Almost everyone has this capability.
However, like muscles, a person must exercise the religious faculty and cannot expect it to
come without work. Preparation, like the philosophic position, is necessary, but unlike the
philosophers, Rambam claims it is not sufficient. God has a choice. Sometimes, theoretically
worthy individuals may be denied prophecy.
For Rambam, reaching religious heights is a two way street. God may reach out his hand or
hold it back, but unless the person stretches forth his own hand, he can’t touch God.
Prophecy, as the ultimate in religious experience requires a partnership between man and
God.