The wisdom of the prophets stems from their knowledge of the network of connections that links all parts of nature. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (the Ramchal), a great Kabbalist of the 18th century, describes in his book The Way of God how a person works on developing love for others and, through it, ascends to high spiritual degrees. One of these degrees is called prophecy.
In this process of development, a person discovers the connections between people, and between people and all other parts of nature. They see how every detail of nature is connected in a global and integral way, how a single force surrounds everything, encompasses everything, and how everything functions as one system called “reality.”
They investigate this system and discover that love enables them to feel the other parts of the system as they feel themselves, i.e., to feel everyone, to live within them, to discover what is happening in them and in reality as a whole. They make this discovery by breaking through the boundaries of egoistic perception, i.e., a perception via a desire to enjoy at the expense of others and nature. Additional senses and feelings open within them that ordinary people do not possess. Through these senses, they perceive the general network of connections that binds together all elements of reality, and they see how they can influence it and bring it into balance.
The prophets perceive all the states that can exist within this network. Once they rise above egoistic perception, they no longer experience the concept of “time” but rather the concept of “state.” They see that under certain conditions certain events take place, while under different conditions different events unfold.
To us, they describe these things as though they will happen in the future, from the perspective of the network’s development. Then they say: “If we relate to each other in a certain way, there will be a certain systemic response. If we improve our attitude toward each other, the response will be different.”
They do not say that something specific will definitely happen, because it depends on human beings, i.e., on the extent to which we work on correcting the heart, correcting the ego, and whether or not we build harmonious relationships among each other and with all parts of reality.
Sometimes the prophets say, “Thus I heard,” and at other times they say, “Thus I saw.” These are two levels of prophecy. Hearing is prophecy at the level of Bina, while seeing is prophecy at the level of Hochma. At the level of Bina, one understands what will happen; at the level of Hochma, one also understands why it will happen. This represents a deeper penetration into the network.
The Talmud states: “All the prophets prophesied only regarding the days of the Messiah” (Berachot 34b). The days of the Messiah are a time when people will feel that they need a special force to draw them out of egoism to love for others and for society. There will be a genuine sense of obligation to step outside oneself and move toward others, because otherwise humanity and the world will continue descending to a collapse.
Today, we can already see signs of this. The world is becoming increasingly interconnected and interdependent, yet at the same time, human beings are becoming increasingly egoistic. Each person sees only themselves and builds their success upon the ruin of others. When reality places us all in the same boat, it means that we are all in danger of sinking.
We resemble members of a family locked together in the same apartment, yet they hate each other to such an extent that a major explosion could erupt at any moment. It is impossible to live this way.
If we understand the message of the prophets, i.e., a message written specifically for us, and learn the method of harmonious connection that the sages prepared for us, then we will be able to advance to the peak of our development through a pleasant and constructive path.
Our relationships will become increasingly aligned with the integral network of connection that exists in nature. Eventually, we will become connected “as one man with one heart,” in love for each other and for all of creation.
It is toward this perfect state that the prophets direct us. May we succeed in attaining it.
Based on “New Life 178 – The Prophets” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
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