Many people consider the prophets of the Bible to be nothing more than spokesmen and agitators, who spoke out against the wrongs of their people and governments. What is not generally known is the fact that these prophets were among the greatest mystics of all times, actively engaged in the loftiest meditative techniques. The great spiritual power of the prophets is atr tested to by the force of their message, which after almost three thousand years, still influences a large segment of humanity.
One reason why the prophets are not usually recognized as mystics is because, with the possible exception of Ezekiel, they record very little of their mystical experiences. Of their techniques, only the vaguest hints are recorded in the Bible, and we must rely totally on the teachings of the Kabbalists, who preserved some traditions from the prophets. It is only in their writings that we gain insight into the fascinating world of the prophets of the Bible.
Before we begin to discuss the prophets, it would be useful to study the exact meaning of the word Navie, the Hebrew word for “prophet.”
Some early sources state that the word Navie (
) comes from the same root as the word niv (
) as in the verse, “He created the fruit (Niv of the lips” (Isaiah 57:19).1 According to this, the main connotation of the word Navie is indeed that of a spokesman, especially one who speaks in God's name. There are, however, other verses, where this word refers to a spokesman in general, as in the passage, “Aaron your brother shall be your prophet (Navie)” (Exodus 7:1).
In this view, the word Nava (
), meaning to prophesy, refers primarily to the verbal expression of the revelation. As such, it may be related to the word Navach (
), meaning to bark or cry out.
Others, however, dispute this opinion, and contend that the main connotation of the word Navie is that of a channel, through which spiritual force can flow. The eminent philologist, Rabbi Solomon Pappenheim (1750–1814), states that it is related to the root Boa (
), meaning to “come” or “bring.”2 According to this, the main ability of a prophet is to bring spiritual power, channeling it where it is needed. As we shall see, this opinion is also supported by a Biblical account of one of Ezekiel's experiences.
A similar opinion is voiced by another major linguist and philosopher, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808–1888). In his opinion, the word Navie is closely related to the root Nava (
), meaning to “flow” or “gush forth,” as in the case of a spring or fountain.3 This word also has the connotation of expression and communication.4 The prophet or Navie is then one who can “gush forth” with spirit, communicating with the Divine, and expressing the will of God.
Another closely related root is Byb (
) or Navuv (
), both meaning “hollow,” as in the verse, “A hollow (navuv) man will gain heart” (Job 11:12). In this context, a prophet would be one who totally hollows himself, emptying himself of all ego, so that, like an empty pipe (Byv), he makes himself a channel for the Divine Spirit. Such a person would then be on the level of King David, who said of himself, “My heart is hollow within me” (Psalms 109:22). This indicates that David had totally annihilated his ego, and the same must be true of the prophet before he can be a vessel for the Divine.5
Although such philological analysis is important, an even clearer picture emerges when we look at the context of the word. Here too, we see that the word Nava, meaning “prophesy,” actually denotes more than just speaking out in God's name.
The clearest example of this occurs with regard to Ezekiel, in his vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. Before these bones were resurrected, God told the prophet, “Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit: Thus says the Lord God, ‘From the four winds, come O spirit, and blow into these corpses that they should live’ ” (Ezekiel 37:9). What God is telling Ezekiel to do is not to be a spokesman or to predict the future, but to channel spiritual force into these dead bodies. So potent was this spiritual force that it literally had the power to bring the dead back to life.6
In this account, Ezekiel is told to prophesy three times, and in each of these cases, it is evident that his prophecy is a channeling and “bringing” of spiritual force. It is significant to note that in all three of these places, the word Nava, meaning to prophesy, is paralleled in the same verse by the root Boa, meaning to come, or bring.7 The appearance in all three cases of these two words in the same verse is not coincidence, but a deliberate play on words, indicating that the prophet is one who brings spiritual forces to bear.
This interpretation clears up several very obscure passages which speak of prophecy. The very first mention of a prophet in the Bible occurs after King Abimelech had attempted to take Sarah away from Abraham, and had been warned by God in a dream not to do so. God then tells Abimelech, “Now restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you” (Genesis 20:7). There are many forced attempts that try to explain why this verse mentions that Abraham was a prophet, and what effect this would have on his prayer. But if we understand that the main power of a prophet is the ability to channel spiritual energy, the reason is obvious. Through his prayer, Abraham was able to channel such spiritual energy, and it was therefore likely that his prayer would be effective.
God tells Moses, “I have made you as a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother will be your prophet (Exodus 7:1). As we have already seen, it is from this verse in particular that a number of commentators derive the interpretation that a prophet is primarily a spokesman or interpreter. But actually, if one carefully looks at the account, one finds that it was Moses, and not Aaron, who spoke to Pharaoh, indicating that Aaron never acted as a spokesman in this respect. What we do find, however, is that Aaron was the one who brought about the first miracles. Aaron was therefore said to be Moses' prophet, since it was he who channeled the prophetic energy necessary to perform these miracles.
Of course, this channeling of spiritual energy could occasionally also result in a prophetic message. This, actually, is the main difference between a prophet and other mystics. While the experience of other mystics is indistinct and inarticulate, that of the prophet is clear and specific. One of the mystic's greatest difficulties is describing the mystical experience because of its indefinable, incommunicable nature, where even on the highest levels, it is nothing more than a general sensation of spiritual power. The true prophet, on the other hand, is able to channel this spiritual power, focusing it clearly enough to obtain an unambiguous message or vision.
The ability to focus spiritual energy was a task that took great discipline and many years of intensive training. The word that the Bible uses to describe the process of seeking prophecy is Hit-nave (
), the reflexive (hit-pael) sense of the verb Nave, to prophesy. This literally means that the individual is “prophesying himself.” The meaning of this is that he is focusing spiritual energy into himself, trying to obtain a clear message while in a mystical state.
Another way in which a prophet can focus spiritual power is when he causes others to attain a prophetic experience. A clear case of this occurs with regard to the seventy elders, when God told Moses, “I will distill from the spirit that is on you, and I will place it on them” (Numbers 11:17). A. similar idea is found in the case of King Saul's prophetic experience, where Samuel planned for a group of his disciples to focus prophetic energy on Saul. The scripture relates, “He came there to the plateau and saw a band of prophets coming toward him, and a spirit of God succeeded on him, and he prophesied among them” (1 Samuel 10:10).
In the most striking such case, we actually find that people were forced into a prophetic state against their will. David had escaped King Saul's wrath, and had escaped to Samuel's academy in Ramah. The Bible relates, “Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of prophets prophesying with Samuel standing over them, they also prophesied themselves” (1 Samuel 19:20). Note that the verse states that Samuel's group was “prophesying” (Nava) in a direct sense, indicating that they were transmitting and focusing prophetic energy on Saul's men. This in turn caused Saul's messengers to “prophesy themselves” (Mit-nave), in a reflexive sense, where they were overwhelmed by an inward-directed prophetic experience.
The account continues to relate how Saul sent three groups of messengers, and how they were all captivated in this manner. Saul himself finally went to recapture David, and he is also overcome by a spirit of prophecy in the same manner. Unless we say that the prophetic force could actually be projected and forced on another person, this entire account must be interpreted in a manner that is very far from its literal meaning.
There are many levels of prophecy. Just as one person may have greater intelligence than another, so one prophet can be greater in prophecy than another.
All prophets, however, have one thing in common. They all see their prophecy only in a dream or vision at night, or else during the day, while in a trance. This is what the Torah means when it says, “[If there be a prophet among you, then I, God,] will make Myself known to him in a vision — I will speak to him in a dream” (Numbers 12:6).
Prophecy is also a very traumatic experience. The prophet's limbs tremble, his body becomes faint, and he loses control of his stream of consciousness. All that remains in his conscious mind is a clear understanding of what he is experiencing at the time.
We thus find in the case of Abraham, “[Abraham fell into a trance,] and a great dark dread fell upon him” (Genesis 15:12). Similarly, Daniel describes his vision, saying, “[I saw this great vision and I became powerless.] My appearance was destroyed, and my strength deserted me. [I heard the sound of His words, and I fell on the ground in a trance]” Daniel 10:8).
When a prophet is given a message, it is given in the form of an allegory. The interpretation of the allegory, however, is immediately implanted in the prophet's mind, and he is aware of its meaning.…
In some instances, the Prophet divulged both the allegory and its interpretation. In others, only the interpretation was revealed. Occasionally, only the allegory was recorded, and this is true of some of the proph eri es of Ezekiel and Zechariah. All the prophets, however, only prophesied by means of allegories and metaphors.…
Individuals seeking to attain prophecy were known as the “sons of the prophets.”8 Even though they would do everything properly, however, it was possible that the Divine Presence would descend on them, but then again, it was also possible that it would not.
A prophet sometimes experiences prophecy only for his sake alone. It then comes to broaden his outlook, increase his knowledge, and help him learn more about these elevated concepts.
At other times, a prophet may be sent to a group of people, a city, or a national government. He then comes to prepare and instruct them, or to stop them for doing evil.
Rabbi Moses Maimonides.
The prophetic experience must come about through intermediaries. A human being cannot directly attach himself to God's glory, perceiving it as one sees a man standing in front of him. The perception of God involved in true prophecy must therefore come about through God's servants, whose task it is to provide such a vision.
These intermediaries then act as lenses through which the individual sees the Glory. What the prophet actually perceives, however, is the Glory itself, and not something else. The way one sees it, however, depends on the particular intermediary involved, just as what one would see through a lens would depend on the particular type of lens.
There are therefore many degrees of perception, depending on the (spiritual) Lens (Ispaklaria) involved. It may cause the subject to appear far away or very close. There can furthermore be different degrees of transparency or opaqueness in the Lens itself.
When God reveals Himself and bestows His influence, the prophet is greatly overwhelmed. His body and all his limbs immediately begin to tremble, and he feels as if he is being turned inside out.
This, however, is due to the nature of the physical. It cannot tolerate the revelation of the spiritual, and this is particularly true when this consists of the revelation of God's own Glory. The prophet's senses cease to operate, and his mental faculties can no longer function independently. They have all become dependent on God and on the influx that is being bestowed.
As a result of this attachment of the soul (Neshamah), it gains a degree of enlightenment far beyond the powers of the normal human intellect. This enlightenment does not come to it because of its own nature, but as a consequence of the fact that the highest Root is bound to it. The soul therefore perceives things in a much higher manner than it could ever attain by itself.
The power of prophecy is therefore much greater than that of Ruach HaKodesh, even with respect to providing information. Prophecy can bring the highest enlightenment possible for man, namely that which is an aspect of his being bound to his Creator.
The revelation of God's Glory is what initiates everything transmitted in a prophetic vision. This is then transmitted to the imaginative faculty in the prophet's soul (Nefesh), which in turn forms images of the concepts impelled upon it by the power of the highest revelation. The imagination, however, does not initiate anything on its own.
These images, in turn, convey to the prophet certain ideas and information, whose conception comes from the power of the revealed Glory. The subject remains fixed on the prophet's mind, and when he returns to his normal state, this knowledge is retained with perfect clarity.…
When one attains a full level of prophecy, everything comes to him with clear perception and full knowledge. This is transmitted to him through the steps outlined, where it is first conceived in the form of images and then translated into ideas. When an individual understands his prophecy clearly, he also becomes aware that he is truly a prophet.
He is then totally aware of the fact that he was bound to God, and that it was God Himself who was revealed to him, acting upon him in this manner. He realizes that the images that he conceived were prophetic visions, resulting from this influence of God. Knowledge of its subject matter is permanently fixed in his mind through his influence. The prophet then has no uncertainty about his being a prophet, about any aspect of his prophecy, or about its origin and results.
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto.10