Q&A: A True Prophet Who Sinned
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
A True Prophet Who Sinned
Question
Hananiah son of Azzur was a true prophet, but afterward he became a false prophet and became liable for death. And as far as I know, in Jewish law, a true prophet who sins with a sin that incurs the death penalty is put to death. So why does Nachmanides go to the trouble of explaining that Balaam was only a diviner and one who knew the knowledge of the Most High, and not a prophet, because it is impossible that Israel would lay hands on a prophet? After all, it is certainly possible.
Answer
Perhaps because he was not a false prophet. He was a true prophet. What he said really was put in his mouth by God.
Discussion on Answer
*And from where?
As I wrote, he apparently assumes that a true prophet is not killed.
But in any case they killed him. Apparently he was liable for death (because of the advice to cause them to sin?).
And if we assume that he was a true prophet and not a diviner, and still became liable for death, would he not have been killed?
In Jewish law there is no immunity for someone who was a true prophet, and it seems that Nachmanides is giving him immunity. Why? From where?