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How G-d speaks today + possibility of Godly visions

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Rabbi Ari Shvat

Elul 29, 5775
Question
You say that God ceased prophecy and supernatural miracles so as to allow more "free will" and thus make mankind more independent. But isn’t mankind's maturity seen in submitting one’s will to the will of G-d or rather uniting freely one’s will with G-d’s will? Similarly, isn’t mankind’s mistake in breaking away from G-d in a deceptive independence when in fact we are always dependent on G-d. If man was to be independent and have free will, then the super-righteous person that receives visions is the least independent and has weakest free will of all his contemporaries. Isn’t human soul’s hunger not only to be Godly but also to see and hear G-d in visions, dreams, inner voices, etc..as soon as possible during one’s lifetime not solely at the Revival of the Dead?
Answer
The best thing for every person is the generation in which he was born. In our generation, where the “ground-rules” don’t include prophecy, that’s a sign that at this stage, it’s not in our best interest. We definitely define Godliness by identification with the Torah’s guidelines and 613 instructions for living, and this being “tuned-in” and connected to G-d, is what will eventually make certain individuals capable of prophecy. It’s also true that part of maturity is to accept the truth from others (e.g. G-d, rabbis and parents…) who are more intelligent and experienced (something difficult for adolescents and egoists!). Our spiritual (!) independence and freedom to be our Godly selves, and not to be bound by lower drives, instincts and habits, is acquired through their free will, Torah study and hard work (and praying for G-d’s help), and only afterwards (!), and at the right time, those worthy are granted prophecy or visions, which to a certain extent do limit their free-will (but they voluntarily chose to be in that situation). On the other hand, regarding our physical (!) needs, we surely remember that everything stems from G-d, so religious Jews speak to G-d on a regular basis 3 times a day in prayer, before and after eating, and before all physical pleasures, and pray that He will help our worldly efforts and choices (which we try and unite with what seems to us to be His will, when it’s unclear from the Torah). In short, of course we hunger for G-d, and we satisfy that desire by being G-dly and building a G-dly idealistic society, as directed by His Torah, which was the greatest of all eternal (!) visions. In the world to come, we’ll have the pleasure of G-dly visions but will lack free-will, but this world, where G-d hides Himself (to enable choice), is for the pleasure of being G-dly= independently good (which may be even greater!).
את המידע הדפסתי באמצעות אתר yeshiva.org.il