The Eleventh Degree

Posted by Rebecca

In Rambam’s Guide to the Perplexed, degrees of prophecy are listed according to the “requirements of speculation” and the explanation supplied by our Law. Rambam continues to explain that not everyone who is found to have one of his eleven listed degrees is necessarily a prophet, but that all prophets possess these requirements. The eleventh degree consists of a prophet seeing an angel who addresses him in a vision as Abraham did in the binding of Isaac. “In my opinion,” Rambam writes “this is the highest of the degrees of the prophets whose states are attested by the prophetic books…and with regard to the question whether it is possible that a prophet would also see in a vision of prophecy that G-d addressed him – this in my opinion, is improbable.”

This eleventh degree came as a surprise to me. Upon further investigation I found a pasuk in Bamidbar where Hashem says “I do make myself known unto him in a vision; I do speak with him in a dream.” (12:6) Hashem assigns speech to dreams only- people cannot handle speaking with Hashem through a vision.

Upon further reflection, I remembered studying Avraham who, after making a covenant with Hashem, sat outside his tent speaking with G-d. Avraham then interrupts his conversation with G-d so that he may receive three guests. In reference to this, Nehama Leibowitz writes in her book New Studies in Bereshit that “we never find in the Torah another example of Hashem revealing Himself to His creatures unless it is for the express purpose of delivering a message, uttering a message, uttering a blessing or a promise, or issuing a command.” While this implies that Hashem never has casual conversations with His creations, it does imply that Hashem has very direct communications with them.

Furthermore, later when Hashem decides to destroy the city of Sedom, Avraham argues with Hashem in an attempt to save lives. When Hashem tells Avraham to listen to Sarah and send Hagar and Yishmael away, the Torah writes, “G-d said to Avraham” (21:12). This would be unusual language for a dream; one might expect the phrase “Hashem appeared to him,” instead. Not only did Avraham feel comfortable with Hashem that he might be able to argue with him, but so too do Adam, Eve, and Noach. In fact, Adam and Eve appear not to have felt intimidation enough by G- to have avoided violating their only commandment.

Experience has shown me that Judaism differs from other religions in that it always stresses Hashem’s power and omnipotence. Hashem does not share status with a son or spirit. The Hagaddah is proof of a text that states this outright. When commenting on the pasuk “Hashem brought us out of Egypt,” the Hagaddah says, “not through an angel, not through a seraph, not through a messenger, but by the Holy One, Blessed is He, in His glory, Himself.”

I have trouble understanding how Rambam can make such a statement in his list of degrees of Nevuot. On a wider scale, I do not understand why Hashem cannot be more approachable to His creations? Why are people fearful of being spoken to by Hashem? Why can’t Hashem calm people when He is near? Why do many people appear to obey Hashem out of a sense of fear instead of love?