Illustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
What's going on here? מַה זֶה?
Benei Yisrael are warned not to follow the words of a נְבִיא שֶׁקֶר (nevi sheker, false prophet). The Torah describes this as a person who performs miracles, but then tells Benei Yisrael to worship other gods (Devarim 13).
Who exactly is this nevi sheker, and what gives them the power to perform miracles?
- R. Akiva says it’s someone who used to be a real, and good, prophet. That’s how they were able to perform miracles. The Torah is warning us that, if a prophet breaks away from God, we have to stop listening to them (Sanhedrin 90a).
- Rambam says it may look like a nevi sheker can perform miracles, but it’s just tricks and illusions.
- Ramban argues that a nevi sheker was a bad guy who actually could perform real miracles!
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