To posess the moral virtues in their entirety, to the extent of not being impaired by any vice at all, is not one of the conditions of prophecy. Solomon was a prophet according to the testimony of Scripture: In Gideon the Lord appeared, ets.
Yet we find, that he had a moral vice,namely, manifest lust....
Similarly David, peace be upon him, was a prophet. He said: The Rock of Israel spoke to me. Yet we find that He was cruel, even though he directed it (his cruelty) against the infidels, while being compassionate to Israel. Still, it is explained in Chronicles that because of his frequent killing, God did not find him fit to build the Temple and said to him: You shall not build the house upon my name, because you have shed much blood
We find that Elijah, may his memory be blessed, had the moral habit of irasscibility, even though he directed it against the heretics and was irate at them. Still the sages, may their memory be blessed, explained that God removed him (from the world) and said to him: "Someone with as much zeal as you is not suitable for the people, for he would destroy them
Maimonides, Eight Chapters |
