Through an Opaque Lens

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February 23 2006
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In last week’s issue, we compared Yeshayahu’s throne room vision (Yeshayahu 6:1-3) to Yehezkel’s ma’aseh ha-merkavah. This week, we will discuss the same vision in relation to the prophecy of Moshe Rabbenu.
Though deeply inspired by Yeshayahu’s throne room vision, Chazal noticed a theological difficulty with it. Moshe, the Master of the Prophets, had been told by God: “You cannot see My face, for no man shall see Me and live” (Shemos 33:20). How, then, could Yeshayahu see God, and live to tell about it?
The Talmud offers the following answer: “‘I saw the Lord’ (Yeshayahu 6:1) [is to be understood] in accordance with the tenet that all the prophets looked through a dim glass, but Moshe looked through a clear glass (Yevamot 49b)." In other words, Yeshayahu truly believed that he saw God, but his vision was not fully accurate, though he did not perceive this distortion. On the other hand, because Moshe’s prophecy was vastly superior to that of Yeshayahu, he truly understood that he could not see God.
One Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 1:14) similarly suggests that Yehezkel saw through nine lenses, whereas Moshe looked through only one when experiencing prophecy. The Midrash concludes that Yehezkel perceived prophecy through a “dirty” lens, i.e., his vision was clouded and he also could not see fully through to the other side.
Rabbenu Bahya, followed by several later commentators (including Akedat Yitzhak, Abarbanel and Malbim), adds another dimension to this Talmudic passage by referring to God’s distinction between Moshe’s prophecy and that of all other prophets:
He said, Hear now My words; If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known to him in a vision (ba-mar’ah), and will speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moshe, for he is the trusted one in all My house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, manifestly (ba-mar’eh), and not in dark speech; and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moshe? (Bamidbar 12:6-8).
Rabbenu Bahya explains that a mar’eh is a vision, and that is how Moshe perceived God. However, all other prophets, by looking through an opaque lens, saw a mar’ah, a mirror. By advancing this interpretation, he intimates that the vision of other prophets was colored to some degree by their personality. Thus, non-Moshe prophets in fact perceived a combination of objectivity and subjectivity in their prophecies. They combined true perception of God with their spiritual attainments, historical circumstances, and the needs of their audiences. Moshe, in contrast, was unique in his perception of objective Truth. Moshe, who enjoyed the closest relationship to God, appreciated God’s infinitude like none other—he truly understood that he could not see God and live.
Given that God’s praise of Moshe’s unparalleled prophecy appears in the same chapter as the Torah’s praise of Moshe’s matchless humility (Bamidbar 12:3), it appears that these two elements are integrally linked. The extent of one’s humility is the extent that God’s presence is welcomed within. As Chazal derive from Yeshayahu’s vision, “If one walks with a stiff bearing even for four cubits, it is as if he pushed against the heels of the Divine Presence, since it is written, ‘the whole earth is full of His glory’ (Yeshayahu 6:3) ” (Berakhot 43b).
Although we have been discussing the nature of non-Moshe prophecy, these principles apply all the more to non-prophets. By definition, we have objective and subjective components mixed into our perceptions. Personal background and experience, the circumstances of our times, our levels of spiritual and intellectual attainment, and other variables contribute to our overall perception of Truth. The greater one’s humility and religious character, the greater one’s ability is to transcend those variables that cloud human perception. Somewhat paradoxically, apprehending this lack of true clarity may bring us one step closer to gaining clarity in our ever-growing relationship with God.

Machshava:
Parsha:
Teruma 

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Einayim L'Torah Parshas Terumah 5766. Hashkafic Thought by Rabbi Hayyim Angel

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    Learning on the Marcos and Adina Katz YUTorah site is sponsored today by Judy & Mark Frankel & family l'ilui nishmos מרדכי בן הרב משה יהודה ע"ה and משה יהודה ז"ל בן מאיר אליהו ויהודית and by the Polinsky Family to commemorate the 5th Yahrzeit of Gil Polinsky, Gedalyahu Gootmun Chaim ben Yaakov Dov