Questions about non-Jewish prophets and traditions

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asked 5 years ago

Peace and blessings,
According to Maimonides and his doctrine that the words of prophets are influenced by the prophet’s style, his knowledge of the Hebrew language, etc., how can one explain the grammar of the sages in the prophet’s text (sermons, exactitudes, demands of various kinds)? Ostensibly, the entire idea underlying the sermons of the text’s text is the sanctity of the text, and when the wording is flawed or influenced by “foreign” factors – what sanctity is there in it?

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מיכי Staff answered 5 years ago

I am not familiar with Maimonides’ method in this. The Talmud itself states that no two prophets prophesy in the same style. That is, the style of prophecy is unique to the prophet. But that does not mean that this style is just ordinary human language. It is still possible that this style is part of the prophecy that this prophet receives and there is room for scrutiny. Another formulation: Every prophet sees the prophecy from his own perspective, but he formulates this angle in a precise way that was planted in him from above.

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מיכי Staff replied 5 years ago

And another note. Most sermons and sermons do not depend on subtleties of style. For example, there are sometimes general and specific sermons that are based on formulations in the books of Rishonim and Achharim. I gave some examples of this in the second book in the Talmudic Logic series.