Forty-one percent of Americans believe in the paranormal. Seekers turn to psychics, fortune tellers, and spiritual advisors for insight into life's uncertainties. But the market is flooded with charlatans and con artists, and it is rare to find a true seer. Can you imagine a world where authentic spiritual vision becomes as common as physical sight?
Rambam (in Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuva, Chapter 9, Halacha 2) describes the great wisdom that the world will acquire in Moshiach’s times, and discusses Moshiach’s role in its development:
All people will be well-educated because that king who will arise from the seed of David will be wiser than Shlomo. And he will be a great prophet, close to that of Moshe our Teacher.
Prophecy Present
There were 600,000 prophets during the era of the first Temple, the Talmud teaches. Several great academies were instituted to train its students in the art of prophecy. The books of the Nevi’im describe a scene at one such prophet-school: Men clad in white linen, whirling and dancing in ecstasy, trying to lose touch with their physical selves and access the Divine.
Their schedule cycled through study, prayer, and meditation; through joy, they would shed the mundane and access receptors for the Divine, hoping that the spirit of prophecy would fill them.
Just as visual perception requires a healthy physiological organ—the eye—prophetic vision demands a refined soul. That is why achieving prophecy necessitates considerable personal effort and preparation, including maintaining joy, purity, and engaging in specific practices like wearing a special linen tunic. Only then can someone be worthy of this Divine gift.
But it is not guaranteed. Prophetic vision is granted by G-d and involves receiving His direct communication. Intelligence and wisdom, even the learned behaviors of prophetic training, is not enough. A great genius may arrive at an understanding of the Divine, but lack the absolute conviction that comes from actually seeing.
The prophet is able to recognize G-dliness with the same certainty that the human eye perceives physical objects. This revelation can be exclusively for the prophet's personal growth, broadening their understanding and knowledge of profound matters previously unknown to them. Alternatively, a prophet may act as a messenger to a specific nation, city, or kingdom to guide them on proper conduct or deter them from negative actions.
The Ultimate Prophet
One of the thirteen essential principles of the Jewish faith is that G-d communicates with humanity—but these messages come on myriad levels, like how a kindergartener and a seasoned academic divergently reach understanding on any particular topic. The most renowned instance of Divine interaction, and the pinnacle of prophetic achievement, is when Moshe received the Torah and transmitted it in its entirety to the Jewish nation for all generations.
The future prophecy of Moshiach is also noted throughout Jewish tradition. According to some of the commentators on Mishneh Torah, it is the Rambam’s opinion that Moshiach will be even greater than Moshe in this area, based on the association of this talent to his wisdom that was “greater than Shlomo.” His skill in G-dly communications will enable him to guide and teach all nations, and lead the world in an unprecedented spiritual revolution.
Divine Democracy
In a seemingly incredible prophecy about prophecy itself, a vision of the future unfolds, a time when G-d will "pour out My spirit upon all flesh," leading to a widespread manifestation of prophecy among all segments of society.
The Midrash confirms this revolutionary concept. While in the current era, prophecy has been confined to select individuals, Midrash Tanchuma predicts that in the World to Come, all of Israel will attain the status of prophets, thereby fulfilling Yoel's prophecy.
In the Messianic era, the world will undergo a profound transformation that will enable an unprecedented level of spiritual clarity. The nature of prophetic revelation itself will change, becoming a natural rather than an extraordinary, supra-natural phenomenon. Unlike the prophecy of past eras, which demanded tremendous effort and numerous preconditions, future prophecy will be a seamless, inherent aspect of the human experience. The ability to perceive the Divine will become as innate and commonplace as the current perception of the physical world. Consequently, the fundamental qualities of prophecy—certainty, vision, and clarity—will become a pervasive reality for all people.
The Messianic era will democratize prophecy, transforming Divine consciousness from an elite spiritual achievement into the universal human experience.
The ability to perceive the Divine will become as innate and commonplace as the current perception of the physical world.
Sources & Further Reading:
- Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei Hatorah Chapter 7
- Bamidbar Rabah 15:2
- Hemshech 5672, Pg. 936
- Likkutei Sichot Vol. 17, pg. 94, and Vol. 31, Pg. 163
The Prophet Yoel
The Prophet Yoel (Joel), son of Petuel, is one of the Twelve Minor Prophets. It is not known exactly when Yoel began his work as a prophet, but it is recorded that his inspiration came when a terrible swarm of locusts descended upon the fields and vineyards and devoured everything green. From this devastating locust plague, Yoel derived profound spiritual lessons about Divine judgment and ultimate redemption. His prophecies culminate with the famous prophecy of the Divine spirit being poured out upon all humanity.
Scriptural Reference
The prophet Yoel (3:1-2) tells of the role of prophecy in the Messianic era:
And it shall come to pass afterward, in the time of Moshiach that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit so that they too shall know G-d.
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