As I walk down the streets of New York and hear soapbox prophets sharing the future, I smile and remember what Rabbi Yorḥanan said on today’s daf TB Baba 12. “Rabbi Yorḥanan said: From the day that the Temple was destroyed, prophecy was taken from the prophets and given to imbeciles and children. The Gemara explains: In what way was prophecy given to imbeciles?” (Sefaria.org translation)
Why there
are no more prophets today is one of the questions people ask a rabbi. The age
of prophecy is over. I compare the need of prophecy to the development of children.
When a child first learns how to walk, a loving parent holds the baby’s hands
and helps him across the room. Eventually the parent has to let go to allow the
child to walk on his own. Otherwise the child’s development will be stifled.
Similarly in Israel’s early history, our people needed that helping hand to get
off on the right foot. As the Jewish people grew and matured, God had to let go
so to speak in order that we can grow by using our wisdom to walk down the
correct path of life.
God gave
prophecy to those whom He knows we wouldn’t listen to. In the end, God wants us
to make our own decisions and live by the consequences of our actions. That’s
what mature adults do.
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