Prophecy

In the Talmud, when the Holy Spirit speaks through the prophets, at that moment in time, are they one with the creator?

<>

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

First, a word on the prophets. The prophets were people who separated themselves from the mundane occupations of this world and focused on attaching themselves in mind, body, and soul to the Holy One, blessed be He. Such a person would have a form of Divine holiness rest upon him.

The prophets received their prophetic visions while asleep whether at night or during the day. As it says: “I will reveal Myself to him in a vision; in a dream I will speak to him.” (Numbers 12:16). During prophecy they lose control of their bodies which opens their mind to receive the visions. Their limbs shake, their physical strength is weakened, and their thought processes are interrupted, leaving their minds free to understand what they see.

Prophecy was delivered not through speech but through allegory and imagery. Prophecy is a vision the prophet sees, not speech that he hears. The interpretation of the allegory is immediately clear to him and he knows what it means. For example, when Jacob has his vision of the ladder with angels ascending and descending upon it (Genesis 28:12) he knew it meant that nations throughout history would enslave his descendants, and the like with all other prophets and prophecies.

So to answer your question, yes, when G-d speaks to the prophets they are at one with Him.

In some prophecies, the prophet receives only the content of his prophecy, and he must himself choose the words with which to communicate his message. There are also prophecies in which the prophet is also given the specific words to say to the people. Sometimes the prophet is also commanded to do a prophetic act, which arouses higher powers connected with the prophecy.

Based on Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei Hatorah, chapter 7.