The Kabbalists, those mystical explorers of Jewish tradition, delved deep into this very question. Let's pull up a chair and explore what they discovered.
The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a central text of Kabbalah, offers some fascinating insights into the nature of prophecy. It suggests that the way prophecy appears to someone depends on their spiritual level. Imagine that!
For someone on the level of "human," the prophetic vision appears in "the image of man." But what if you're, shall we say, spiritually advanced? The Tikkunei Zohar continues: If you're more like the angelic-beasts – the ḥayot – of the Divine Chariot (think Ezekiel's vision), then prophecy appears in the image of those very ḥayot. It's all tailored, personalized, you might say, "to each one according to his strength."
Now, this isn't about ego. It's not about spiritual boasting. Jeremiah 9:22-23 warns, "Let not the boaster boast..." The Tikkunei Zohar emphasizes that all perception of the Divine comes through the Shekhinah, the Divine Presence, the immanent aspect of God. No prophet, no seer, can grasp the Divine except through this lens.
Think of the Shekhinah as a kind of translator, or perhaps a filter, allowing us to perceive what would otherwise be incomprehensible. It's the Divine adapting itself to our limited human capacity.
But wait, there's more! The Tikkunei Zohar throws another curveball. It speaks of "a human" who is higher than "human." This refers to the level of Ḥokhmah, or Wisdom, which is associated with the divine attributes of Ko-aḤ – meaning "power," numerically equivalent to 28 – and MaH – meaning "what," numerically equivalent to 45. This higher level of wisdom, it suggests, surpasses even prophecy.
And here’s the mic drop: The Talmud, in Baba Batra 12a, even states, "A wise man – ḥakham – is more preferred than a prophet." More preferred than a prophet! What does this mean?
It suggests that while prophecy is a powerful and direct experience of the Divine, wisdom – cultivated through study, contemplation, and ethical living – can lead to an even deeper and more lasting connection. Prophecy is a flash of insight, but wisdom is a sustained illumination.
So, what does this all mean for us? Maybe it's a reminder that the Divine communicates with us in ways that are uniquely suited to our individual capacities. Maybe it's an encouragement to cultivate wisdom, not just seek fleeting glimpses of the extraordinary. Or maybe, just maybe, it's a call to recognize the Divine spark within ourselves, the potential to become something even "higher than human."