The Book of Devarim, Deuteronomy, dives right into this question. It's in chapter 13, verse 2, where it says, "If there arise in your midst a prophet..." But it doesn’t just stop there. It’s not enough to just say you're a prophet. There are criteria, benchmarks, things that need to line up.
The text itself points us back to Deuteronomy 18:15: "A prophet from your midst, from your brothers, such as I, shall the L-rd your G-d raise up for you..." The key phrase here? "Such as I."
So, what does "such as Moses" mean? The Sifrei Devarim, a legal midrash on Deuteronomy, unpacks this for us. It says that just as Moses said, "Thus said the L-rd," so too must all qualifying prophets. They must present their message as a direct communication from God. No hedging, no maybes.
But it goes even further. Remember all those prophecies Moses made? Well, just as Moses spoke prophecies and those prophecies were fulfilled, at least in part, so too must any claimant to prophecy speak words that come to pass. We're talking about verifiable accuracy here. A prophet can't just make vague pronouncements.
And finally, just as Moses spoke of both general principles and specific details, so too must all genuine prophets. The message needs to have breadth and depth, touching on the big picture and the nitty-gritty.
Now, you might be thinking, "Okay, I get it. Like Moses. But why not take it all the way? Why not say that just as Moses was eighty years old and the son of Amram, so too must all prophets be eighty years old and sons of Amram?"
That’s where the text steps in to clarify. That’s where the text emphasizes "a prophet" – in any event. The Sifrei is teaching us that while there are essential qualities a prophet must possess, there are also things that are circumstantial, incidental. God can choose anyone, from anywhere, at any age. The core requirements are about the nature of the message and the messenger's connection to the Divine, not about their specific biography.
It’s a powerful reminder that while we can look for signs and signals, ultimately, recognizing a true prophet requires a deeper understanding of the prophetic tradition, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of faith. What do you think?