The Talmud in Nedarim 35 quotes Rabbi Yochanan as saying that God only rests his spirit on a person who possesses the following: wisdom, physical might, and financial wealth. Rambam, the great Rabbi, doctor and philosopher, discussed this concept in the Laws of Prophecy.[1] He describes a lower level of prophecy as requiring the following traits: Wisdom, total control over desires, and an extremely broad intellect. A prophet is a person who sanctifies himself or herself to be in tune with the spiritual world.
Our forefather Jacob had a dream (Bereshit 28:12): Jacob was on his way to his uncle Lavan’s house. While camping out in the fields one night, he saw a vision of a ladder, with its base resting firmly on the ground and its head in the heavens, angels were climbing up and down the ladder.
There are many interpretation of the symbolism of this dream:
- The angels are spiritual entities that accompanied Jacob to protect him on his travels. Rashi explains that there are different angels for different areas of the world i.e. different states of Divine providence depending on where one lives. When a person leaves a certain place their spiritual auras also change some for the better and some for the worse.
- The ladder represents the timeline of Jewish history. The angels climbing up and down the ladder represent the nations who will become great and ultimately fade away. God was on top of the ladder as He ultimately watches over human history.
- This ladder also represents human beings. We are a synthesis of the material and the physical worlds. Our feet must rest firmly on the ground, we need to be practical. But our heads – our intellect should be up in the clouds i.e. in contact with the spiritual.
Our physical existence is important and has to be provided for, but our visions and aspirations the angels should be directed upwards to the holy to realize that spiritually we can go either up or down the spiritual escalator of life.
[1] Yesodei Hatorah 7:1, see Kessef Mishnah.
Rabbi David Bassous 