Prophecy

Midrash Rabbah, Book of Leviticus, First Aliyah

"And He called to Moses, Rabbi Tanhum bar Hanilai opened [the discussion] with [Psalms 103:20]: 'Bless the Lord, His angels, mighty in strength, that perform His word,' etc. What is the Scripture speaking about? If it speaks about the celestial beings, has it not already been said (Psalms 103:21): 'Bless the Lord, all His hosts'? Rather, it speaks about the terrestrial beings. Regarding the celestial beings, it is said: 'Bless the Lord, all His hosts,' because they can stand in the functions of the Holy Blessed One. But regarding the terrestrial beings, since they cannot stand in the functions of the Holy Blessed One, therefore it is said: 'Bless the Lord, His angels' and not 'all His angels'.

Another thing, the prophets were called angels, as it is written (Numbers 20:16): 'And He sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt,' etc. Was it an angel of the Lord? Was it not Moses? Why is he called an angel? From here [we learn] that the prophets are called angels. And similarly (Judges 2:1): 'And the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim.' Was he an angel? Was it not Phinehas? Why is he called an angel? Rabbi Simon said that when the Holy Spirit rested upon him, his face blazed like torches."

From here [we learn] that the prophets of the Lord have free will and are not like the sun and the moon and the rest of the Lord's hosts, whose function is fixed in the nature of creation and in the governance of the world. Sometimes the prophets are called angels, and sometimes they are like other humans, having periods when their personal will is not fulfilled and all their will is the will of the Place (God), and therefore they are worthy of respect as their honor is the honor of the Place (God). And there are times when their opinion is like that of other human beings, in the way of what is said in Tractate Gittin, seventh chapter, first Mishnah, in the matter of "One who is seized by a cordyceps."