PROPHECY VERSUS MIRACLES
Thoughts on the Sinai Experience
by Ashirah Yosefah
Judaism is unique
in contrast to other religions in the world. There are, of course, many ways in which Judaism
stands apart, but one aspect I would like to comment on:
A proper approach to the study of Torah
teaches one to ask questions.
In other words,
we are not to assume that we have all the answers. In many of the world’s religions, there is an underlying
premise that one does not question the doctrines that have been established by the
religion’s founder(s) or leaders; or one is only permitted to ask questions within
the parameters of the religion’s theology. Not so in Judaism. Even a precursory examination of Jewish texts,
and especially an examination of the Talmud, reveals that the Sages of Judaism have
always asked questions. The Talmud reveals
time and again the existence of differing approaches and interpretations of particular
passages and concepts in the Torah. This
being said, the differing approaches and interpretations all fall within the boundaries
of the accepted principles of proper Torah exegesis that have been handed down from
generation to generation of Jews. Torah study
within the context of Judaism is an exacting science, based on the understanding
that there is not one superfluous word in Torah. Even the smallest word, even the smallest variation
in the spelling of words, holds a precise meaning or indication in context of the
Hebrew language, grammar and structure of the passage wherein it is located. Translations into other languages do not allow
this dissection of the text for the purposes of proper interpretation. There is no other religion I am aware of that has
such clearly defined and accurate methods of Scriptural exegesis.
Furthermore,
in studying Torah, a Jew is encouraged to ask why, what, where, how, who, when?
Jewish source texts are full of these types
of questions. This intellectual approach
to Torah study does not set aside the foundational tenets that belief in G-d is
a fundamental prerequisite to Torah observance and that the G-d of
Another key
difference between Judaism and other religions is that Judaism is based on the fact
that no less than three million people underwent an experience of prophetic revelation
at Har Sinai. The
account of this experience has been passed down from generation to generation of
an entire nation. Other religions claim that
an individual (usually the founder of the particular religion) had some from of
spiritual experience or prophetic revelation. Their experience then forms the central core of
the religious system which the leader and/or their followers later develop. There is an issue here. The assertions of these religions cannot be proven.
They are subjective, based solely on the
experiences of a single individual or a small group of people. We are human beings. We make mistakes. Hashem created us with a “G-d shaped void” within
us that can only be filled by a true relationship with Him. Given our psychological makeup, until we establish
this true relationship, we are constantly, both consciously and unconsciously, seeking
to fill that void, to satisfy that spiritual craving. As a result, we are vulnerable to ‘spiritual’ experiences
that we then interpret through the lenses of our religious knowledge and experience
up until that point. Sometimes the intensity
of this craving to fill that empty space within, especially when combined with periods
of emotional or physical need in a person’s life, can actually facilitate a person
having experiences that are more of their own making than based on spiritual realities.
Judaism, on
the other hand, contends that the Sinai revelation direct
from G-d Himself did take place. As a result,
an entire nation then, and every generation of Jews since, accepted the appointment
of Moshe Rabbeinu as the teacher and prophet that Hashem
had appointed to teach them His Torah. The
Torah’s account of this revelation has never been challenged. Most monotheistic religions in the world today
incorporate this event and the Ten Statements that proceeded from it as part of
their doctrines. How these religions each
interpret these Ten Statements is another matter. It should be noted that for many centuries Hebrew
was regarded as a ‘dead language’, except within the realm of Torah-true Judaism,
its teachers and its students. The many translators
and Bible scholars of other religions developed their theologies based on Greek
texts or texts in their own languages, none of which can be equated with the nature
and complexity of Hebrew, especially the Biblical Hebrew in which Torah was given
by G-d and with which the writers of the books of Tanach
recorded their testimonies and their prophetic revelations.
In his commentary
on Parasha Yitro, Rabbi Uziel Milevsky makes an interesting
comparison between Prophecy and Miracles and then makes an observation on how we
as humans should proceed in our quest to “know G-d”. Note the methodology of analyzing the passage and
asking questions. His observations follow:
“A most baffling
exchange between G-d, Moshe, and the Jewish people precedes the Torah passage that
depicts the Sinai Revelation:
‘Moshe came and summoned the elders of the people, conveying
to them all the G-d had said. All the people
answered as one and said, ‘All that G-d has spoken, we will do.’ Moshe brought the people’s replay back to G-d.
G-d said to Moshe, ‘I will come to you in thick cloud, so that
all the people will hear when I speak to you. They will then believe in you forever.’ Moshe told G-d the people’s reply [to that]. G-d said to Moshe, ‘Go to the people and sanctify
them today and tomorrow …’”
(Shemot 19:7-10)
Since Moshe specifically ‘summoned the elders, why did
all the people’ respond? Secondly, why
did the elders remain silent? And since there
is no evidence that the people actually said anything afterward, what is the second
response Moshe relayed to G-d?
The commentators
explain that the experience of witnessing a miracle has a transitory psychological
effect – it makes a powerful impression on the observer but is soon forgotten. Prophecy, on the other hand is an extremely unsettling
experience that remains firmly implanted in one’s mind and changes a person for
the rest of his life. The prophet attains
so clear a state of awareness that any doubt becomes impossible. All veils of obscurity part,
enabling the individual to achieve a heightened state in which truth reigns supreme.
Moshe realized
that the people had witnessed him climbing to the top of Mount Sinai and miraculously
entering the cloud of divine glory residing there, yet he knew that witnessing this
miracle alone could not possibly elevate them to the level of awareness necessary
for a personal encounter with G-d. Thus he
overlooked the people and summoned only the elders, who had managed to attain a
spiritual level sufficiently elevated to allow for such an encounter with the divine.
The people,
however, were unwilling to accept Moshe’s evaluation. They considered themselves ready to experience
G-d one-on-one, and they gave Moshe a clear message to that effect. ‘All that G-d has spoken we will do,’ they
cried out, drowning out the voices of the elders.
Moshe, in
a quandary over how to proceed, turned to G-d ‘and brought the people’s reply’ to
Him. G-d agreed to include the people in
the experience of the Revelation, but He would not speak to them directly. ‘G-d said to Moshe, I will come to you in thick
cloud, so that all the people will hear when I speak to you.’ The people would thus be permitted to experience
the event ‘in a thick cloud’ – indirectly via Moshe, in a partially obscured vision.
However,
Moshe realized that this obscure vision would not satisfy the people; they wanted
an unobstructed, direct, and personal experience of divine revelation. Thus Moshe ‘told G-d the people’s reply [to that]’
– Moshe’s response to G-d was ‘But they will not accept that! They want a direct experience!’
G-d agreed
to this request as well, but only after the Jewish people would undergo a period
of spiritual purification. Therefore G-d
instructed Moshe to ‘go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow.’
In the end
the people could manage to listen only to the first two commandments, for it soon
became evident that their souls were not sufficiently developed to allow them to
contend with the experience after all. Upon
hearing the second commandment they cried out to Moshe and begged him to assume
the role of intermediary between themselves and G-d.
G-d knew
all along how limited was the people’s ability to tolerate such a spiritual encounter,
but He consented to Moshe’s request to give them a chance, so that they could experience
how intense the experience would be.
Staying Within
One’s Limits
G-d instructed
Moshe to ‘set a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them to be
careful not to climb the mount and not to touch its edge. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to
death.’ (Shemot 19:12)
The concept
of ‘setting a boundary around the mountain’ teaches us an important lesson about
spiritual development: we should not attempt
to come close to G-d prematurely, nor at an exceedingly fast pace. Spiritual growth is a gradual, incremental process
that requires patience and perseverance. To leap too far beyond one’s limits is a dangerous
and foolish practice that is bound to backfire.”
(Ner
Uziel, Volume 1, Rabbi Uziel
Milevsky, pgs. 389-391)
The Torah tells
us that Moshe was the most humble man on earth. His active role as the leader of the Children of
Israel did not begin until he was eighty years old. G-d did not manifest His Presence to him in the
burning bush until after Moshe had spent forty years shepherding in the deserts
of Midian, having fled there as a refugee from Pharaoh.
This says something. The magnitude of the revelation Moshe received
could easily have overwhelmed him and elevated his ego to dangerous levels, but
it did not. Why not?
In Kabbalah, it is taught that we are vessels capable of receiving
the revelation of Hashem, but if we aspire to receive or take more of Hashem’s glory
and revelation than our vessel can contain at that point in time, we can do harm
to ourselves. The key, as Rabbi Milevsky points out, is to proceed gradually and patiently,
applying and processing what we learn and achieve each step of the way. In this manner, our vessels are capable of expanding
gradually to absorb more and more Divine revelation without shattering. Hashem gave the prophet Jeremiah the example of
a clay pot on the potter’s wheel. Clay on
the wheel is moist and malleable. It can
be shaped, widened and brought up to the maximum height inherent in the quantity
of clay upon the wheel. Once the vessel is
formed and fired, it becomes solid and inflexible. If it is forced beyond its capacity or dropped,
it will break.
It should be
our goal to remain responsive to the Hashem’s Will so that He may complete to perfection
the vessel that He has created each of us to be; otherwise, it may become necessary
for Him to ‘break us’ in order than we can continue our spiritual growth. He is faithful, Baruch Hashem, to bring each of
us to completion in accordance with His Will. For some, the pivotal point, the purpose of our
existence, might be only one precise moment or event in our lives; for others it
might entail a lifetime of dedicated service in a given area. In each case, the merit is equal if we fulfill
that which we were created to be and to do. Overriding this all is the Torah philosophy that
man’s purpose in life, be they Jew or Gentile, is to meet the requirements of the
law as it applies to each of us.
“The word
which came to Jeremiah from Hashem: ‘Go down
to the house of a potter and there I will impart My words
to you.’ So I went down to the house of a
potter, and found him working at the wheel. And is the vessel he was making was spoiled, as
happens to clay in the potter’s hands, he would make it into another vessel, such
as the potter saw fit to make. Then the word
of Hashem came to me: ‘O House of