Moses' Prophecy

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The Unmatched Prophecy of Moses

TANAKH

Moses' prophecy is unparalleled in its directness and intimacy with God, setting a standard that no other prophet has matched. The fifth book of the Torah, Deuteronomy, recounts Moses' final speeches and emphasizes his unique relationship with God.

Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses—whom יהוה singled out, face to face,

Deuteronomy 34:10

Mystical Reincarnation Revealed

MUSAR

Moses' prophecy is interpreted through a mystical lens, suggesting that the generation of the Exodus will be reincarnated to experience the final redemption. Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz’s 17th-century work, Shenei Luchot HaBerit, integrates Kabbalistic concepts with traditional Jewish teachings to offer a unique perspective on Moses' prophecy.

It is the mystical dimension of Michah 7,15: כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות "I shall then show him miracles as I did when you came out of Egypt." The wording should have been: "I shall then show you miracles, etc." However, the prophet wanted to emphasize that the generation which will experience those miracles would be the same as the one that experienced the Exodus. [I presume that the generation of the Exodus which perished in the desert will experience a transmigration of souls prior to the final redemption which will then enable them and Moses to share the experiences they…

Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Vaetchanan, Torah Ohr 32

The Foundation of Moses' Prophecy

HALAKHAH

The belief in Moses' prophecy is rooted in the direct revelation at Mount Sinai, not in the miracles he performed. In his famed 12th-century code of Jewish law, Mishneh Torah, Maimonides (Rambam) emphasizes the significance of the Sinai revelation as the foundation of Jewish belief in Moses' prophecy.

The Jews did not believe in Moses, our teacher, because of the wonders that he performed. Whenever anyone's belief is based on wonders, [the commitment of] his heart has shortcomings, because it is possible to perform a wonder through magic or sorcery.
All the wonders performed by Moses in the desert were not intended to serve as proof [of the legitimacy] of his prophecy, but rather were performed for a purpose. It was necessary to drown the Egyptians, so he split the sea and sank them in it. We needed food, so he provided us with manna…

Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 8:1

Unmatched Miracles and Prophecy

JEWISH THOUGHT

Moses' miracles were unique because they were performed publicly in front of both his followers and his opponents, setting him apart from all other prophets. In his 12th-century philosophical work, The Guide for the Perplexed, Rambam (Maimonides) explores the unparalleled nature of Moses' prophecy and its public demonstration.

The general distinction between the wonders of Moses and those of other prophets is this: The wonders wrought by prophets, or for them, are witnessed by a few individuals, e.g., the wonders wrought by Elijah and Elisha; the king of Israel is therefore surprised, and asked Gehazi to describe to him the miracles wrought by Elisha: “Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. And it came to pass as he was telling, etc. And Gehazi said: ‘My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life’” (2 Kings 8:4, 5)…

Guide for the Perplexed, Part 2 35:4

Signs of Moses' Divine Mission

COMMENTARY

Moses was given specific signs and miracles to convince the Israelites of his divine mission. This passage from the Pesach Haggadah, the guiding text of the Passover seder, recounts the sequence and nature of these signs, such as the transformation of the staff into a serpent, the sign of leprosy, and turning water from the Nile into blood.

One must explain the matter of the signs which God commanded Moses to perform in order that the people might believe that he was sent by God to redeem Israel from Pharaoh and Egypt. The Torah states: “Moses spoke up and said: ‘What if they do not believe me and do not listen to me but say, ‘the Lord did not appear to you.’ God said to him: ‘What is in your hand?’ And he replied, ‘A staff.’ God said: ‘Cast it on the ground.’ When he cast it down, it became a serpent, and Moses fled before it. Then the Lord said to Moses: ‘Put out your hand and grasp it by the tail…

Minchat Ani on Pesach Haggadah, Magid, First Fruits Declaration 23:2

Moses' Prophetic Warnings

TANAKH

Moses foresaw the Israelites' future complacency and warned them of the dire consequences of drifting from their faith. In the Torah portion 'Haazinu,' Moses delivers a poetic and prophetic warning to the Israelites about the dangers of losing their faith after settling in the Promised Land.

God requites good with good, evil with evil. When bad things happen to us, it is because we have been guilty of doing bad things ourselves. The fault lies not in our stars but within ourselves.

I Believe; A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible, Haazinu; The Arc of the Moral Universe 8

The Eternity of Moses' Prophecy

JEWISH THOUGHT

The Law of Moses is considered eternal because no prophet of Moses' stature will ever arise again. Rabbi Joseph Albo, in his 15th-century work Sefer HaIkkarim, critiques Maimonides' inclusion of the Torah's immutability as a fundamental principle. Albo argues that Maimonides' assertion of Moses' unparalleled prophetic status already implies the eternal nature of the Torah, making a separate principle about its unchangeability redundant.

Chapter twenty explains that the Law of Moses is eternal because it is impossible that there should arise another prophet like Moses. This idea does not follow necessarily from the verse, And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses (Deut. 34, 10), but rather from the answer given to Moses when he said, So that we are distinguished, I and Thy people (Ex. 33, 16). Maimonides is criticized for including the immutability of the Torah as a fundamental principle when he had already named the superiority of Moses’ prophecy as a fundamental principle.

Sefer HaIkkarim, Forward 89

The Spiritual Disparity Between Moses and Balaam

KABBALAH

The Zohar contrasts the divine and holy nature of Moses' prophecy with the unholy and inferior prophecy of Balaam, highlighting their vast spiritual disparity. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, offers deep mystical interpretations of the Torah, including the nature of prophecy.

Said R. Judah: ‘As Moses excelled all prophets in Israel in respect of the superior, holy prophecy, so Balaam excelled all other pagan prophets and soothsayers in respect of the inferior, unholy prophecy. In any case Moses was above, Balaam below, and there were numerous stages between them.’

Zohar, Shemot 52:395

Unveiling Moses' Divine Destiny

SECOND TEMPLE

Moses was not just an assistant but the divinely chosen leader to guide the Israelites from Egypt to their new home. Philo of Alexandria, a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, offers a unique blend of Jewish theology and Greek philosophy to provide a deeper understanding of Moses' leadership.

[71] After showing to Moses this miraculous portent, so clearly warning him of the events that were to be, God begins in oracular speech to urge him to take charge of the nation with all speed, in the capacity not merely of an assistant to their liberation, but of the leader who would shortly take them from Egypt to another home. He promised to help him in everything:

On the Life of Moses, Book I 14:1

The Future of Prophecy in Israel

COMMENTARY

Moses foretells the future role of prophets in Israel, emphasizing that God will raise up a prophet like him from among the people. In his final speeches, Moses underscores the importance of prophetic leadership and the continuity of divine guidance after his death.

Enumerating the various leadership roles within the nation that would take shape after his death, Moses mentions not only the priest/judge and king but also the prophet: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him” (Deut. 18:15).

Covenant and Conversation; Deuteronomy; Renewal of the Sinai Covenant, Shoftim, True and False Prophets 2

The Future Prophet Like Moses

TARGUM

The prophecy of a future prophet like Moses, guided by the Holy Spirit, is central to Jewish eschatology and messianic expectations. The Targum Jonathan, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, elaborates on this prophecy and emphasizes the necessity of obedience to this future prophet.

a Prophet from among you of your brethren like unto me, with the Holy Spirit will the Lord your God raise up unto you; to Him shall you be obedient.

Targum Jonathan on Deuteronomy 18:15

The Unique Confirmation of Moses' Prophecy

JEWISH THOUGHT

Moses' prophecy was uniquely confirmed by the direct experience of the entire nation at Mount Sinai. Rabbi Nissim of Gerona, in his 14th-century sermons, explains how the collective prophecy at Sinai established the divine origin of the Torah and Moses' unparalleled prophetic status.

And if you would ask: but the prophecy of Moses was confirmed not by signs but by the evidence of their eyes, as intimated to Moses in the beginning of his prophecy (Exodus 3:12): "And He said: 'For I will be with you. And this is the sign that I have sent you: when you take the people out of Egypt, you will serve G-d on this mountain.'" The meaning is as follows: Moses had asked (Ibid 11): "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?" That is, I am not the man to be entrusted with such a great embassy…

Derashot HaRan 12:33

The Direct Vision of Moses

LITURGY

Moses beheld God's image directly, setting him apart from other prophets. This prayer, recited daily upon entering the synagogue, acknowledges Moses' unparalleled closeness to God.

There never arose in Israel another like Moses, a prophet who beheld God's image.

Siddur Sefard, Upon Arising, Upon Entering Synagogue 30

Moses with the tablets of stone, Ephraim Moses Lilien 1908.

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