Sicha, Shabbos Parshas Balak 5716
A. A People That Rises Like a Lioness
In this week’s Torah portion, Balaam prophesies about the Jewish people: “Behold, a people that rises like a lioness and lifts itself up like a lion” (Source 1).
The Zohar explains that an aryeh, a lion, is strong, while a lavi, a lioness, is even stronger. The Rebbe asks: If so, why does the verse first mention the weaker term, “lion,” and only afterward the stronger term, “lioness”? Seemingly, the verse should have proceeded in ascending order, from the weaker to the stronger.
The Rebbe explains that the verse refers to the time of the Redemption, after the completion of the work of refinement, when there will no longer be a real struggle with the opposing forces of evil. During a conventional battle, the strategy is to exercise force gradually, progressing from lesser force to greater force. One does not begin immediately with the greatest intensity, because the stronger levels of power are held in reserve for later stages of the battle.
At the completion of the work of refinement, however, the situation changes. At first, the greater force of the “lioness” is needed. Afterward, such intensity is no longer necessary, because the power of the opposing forces has already been weakened, and the strength of the “lion” is sufficient.
B. What Is Prophecy?
One of the foundations of Jewish faith is that G-d reveals Himself and communicates with human beings through prophecy.
Maimonides lists the necessary qualifications for a person to be worthy of prophecy (Source 2), and he also describes the spiritual level of the prophet as one who rises above other human beings (Source 3). At the time of prophecy, the prophet’s soul becomes divested from his body, meaning that the prophet detaches from material concerns and worldly involvement, becoming a refined vessel capable of receiving the word of G-d.
Prophecy itself is not conveyed in a direct and obvious manner, but through allegory, metaphor, and imagery. At times, the prophetic writings record both the imagery and its interpretation, while at other times they present only the interpretation without detailing the imagery itself (Source 4).
C. Prophecy Will Return
In the previous verse, the Torah states: “At that time it will be said to Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God wrought?’” (Source 6).
The Jerusalem Talmud states that Balaam spoke this prophecy “at the midway point of the existence of the world” (Source 7). Maimonides explains that Balaam prophesied in the year 2488 from Creation. Once that same number of years would pass again, namely in the year 4976, prophecy would return to the Jewish people (Source 8).
Indeed, around that period we find several great sages of Israel who merited prophetic inspiration, including Rabbi Shmuel HaChassid, Rabbi Elazar, author of Sefer HaRokeach (Source 9), the Ramban (Source 10), the Raavad (Source 11), and others. This indicates that the return of prophecy to the Jewish people had already begun. As a result, the following verse, “Behold, a people that rises like a lioness and lifts itself up like a lion,” which alludes to the future redemption, could already begin to be fulfilled.
In later generations, as the coming of Moshiach drew closer, prophecy once again became revealed, beginning with the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, continuing with the Alter Rebbe, as cited by the Tzemach Tzedek (Source 12), and then with the Chabad Rebbes who succeeded him.
Since the return of prophecy has already been fulfilled, the prophecy of “a people rising like a lioness” can also already come to fruition.
D. Didn’t the Sages Say That Divine Inspiration Departed?
At first glance, the Sages state that prophecy departed after the passing of the last prophets.
The Rebbe explains that this does not mean that prophecy ceased entirely. Rather, it departed in the sense that it was no longer common as it had once been. The Sages explicitly state in several places that Divine inspiration continued afterward among select individuals. However, because of the spiritual state of later generations, people are generally not on the level required to receive prophecy, and therefore prophecy is not commonly present in practice. But if a person worthy of prophecy were to arise, Divine inspiration could once again rest upon him.
This is why Maimonides never states that prophecy was destined to be abolished. In addition, he tells of a person in his own era who merited prophetic inspiration.
E. Prophecy in Our Generation
Moshe prophesies in the Torah: “The L-rd your G-d will raise up for you a prophet from among your brethren, like me; to him you shall listen…” (Source 13).
A prophet is G-d’s messenger, conveying G-d’s word and instructions to the Jewish people. Every person is commanded to listen to the prophet and fulfill his words, just as one fulfills the word of G-d Himself.
This principle applies to the prophets of every generation. So too in our generation, the Rebbe Rayatz was a prophet of our time, and he prophesied that “Behold Mashiach is coming.”
