Pisqa’ 84156H:132; JN1:233-234. 1. “And the sign or prodigious deed is accomplished” (Dt.13:3). Said R. Yose the Galilean: Observe how much the verse puts up with servants of a foreign cult— giving them dominion over the sun, the moon, the stars, and the constellations! Nevertheless, do not listen to them! And why not? “For HASHEM your God is testing you, to learn if you truly love HASHEM your God” (Dt.13:3-4).
Said R. Akiva: May Heaven preserve us! The All-Present would never tamper with the course of the sun, moon, stars and constellations to satisfy servants of a foreign cult! Indeed, the verse is only speaking about those who began as prophets of truth and later became prophets of lies, like Hananiah b. Azzur.157Who prophesied during the reign of King Zedekiah (Jer.28:1-17).
(דברים יג ג) וּבָא הָאוֹת וְהַמּוֹפֵת, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי: רְאֵה עַד הֵיכָן הִגִּיעַ הַכָּתוּב! סוֹף עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, יִנָּתֵן לָהֶם מֶמְשָׁלָה אֲפִלּוּ עַל חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת – אַל תִּשְׁמַע לָהֶם! מִפְּנֵי מָה? – ״כִּי מְנַסֶּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֶתְכֶם לָדַעַת הֲיִשְׁכֶם אוֹהֲבִים״.
Pisqa’ 84156H:132; JN1:233-234.
1. “And the sign or prodigious deed is accomplished” (Dt.13:3).
Said R. Yose the Galilean:
Observe how much the verse puts up with
servants of a foreign cult—
giving them dominion over
the sun, the moon, the stars, and the constellations!
Nevertheless, do not listen to them!
And why not?
“For HASHEM your God is testing you,
to learn if you truly love HASHEM your God” (Dt.13:3-4).
אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָה: חַס וְשָׁלוֹם שֶׁמַּעֲמִיד הַמָּקוֹם חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת לְעוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה! הָא אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא בְּמִי שֶׁהָיוּ נְבִיאֵי אֱמֶת מִתְּחִלָּה וְחָזְרוּ לִהְיוֹת נְבִיאֵי שֶׁקֶר, כַּחֲנַנְיָה בֶן עַזּוּר!
Said R. Akiva:
May Heaven preserve us!
The All-Present would never tamper with
the course of the sun, moon, stars and constellations
to satisfy servants of a foreign cult!
Indeed, the verse is only speaking about
those who began as prophets of truth
and later became prophets of lies,
like Hananiah b. Azzur.157Who prophesied during the reign of King Zedekiah (Jer.28:1-17).
(דברים יג ד) לֹא תִשְׁמַע אֶל דִּבְרֵי הַנָּבִיא הַהוּא – וְלֹא הַחוֹזֵר בּוֹ,
2. “Do not listen to the words of that prophet”(Dt.13:4)—
or one who later recants.
אוֹ אֶל חוֹלֵם הַחֲלוֹם הַהוּא – וְלֹא הֶחָשׁוּד לְמַפְרֵעַ,
“Or that dreamer of dreams” (Dt.13:4)—
or one [whose prophecy is]
falsified in light of events.
כִּי מְנַסֶּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֶתְכֶם לָדַעַת הֲיִשְׁכֶם אֹהֲבִים.
“For HASHEM your God is testing you,
to learn if you truly love HASHEM your God” (Dt.13:3-4).