Prophecy for Torah students?

Prophecy for Torah students?
A mystical argument is recorded in the Talmud Bava Metzia 59b between Rabbi Eliezer the Greater and his colleagues . They argued over the ritual purity of an oven that had been cut, reassembled with soil placed in between the plates.
In his frustration that the majority disagreed with every argument he presented, Rabbi Eliezer invoked mystical forces, arguing that his logic is based upon spiritual reality which reflects only the truth. As such his arguments had to be true , or else where would the spiritual force come from?
He asked the Carob Tree to prove him right and it immediately jumped the equivalent of 2 football fields! The Rabbis said that this proved nothing except that he had the power to move the immovable. Next he had a stream change its’ course and flow upstream. This was meant to show that anyone who flowed against his ideas had to turn around and rethink his position.
Next , he asked the walls of the academy to prove the truth of his words .The academy walls began to collapse upon the enclosed Rabbis . Rabbi Yehoshua stood up and told the walls that they had no business mixing in a Torah argument. Here too, Rabi Eliezer was trying to point out that the walls which had been witnesses to many years of Torah discussion and had absorbed the sounds of the conclusions of the sages of the previous generations would show that arguments against Rabbi Eliezer ran contrary to what they had received over the years!
Finally , Rabbi Eliezer used his trump card , he called upon the Heavens . Then a voice from Heaven declared that all that Rabbi Eliezer said was in accordance with the true Halacha or law!
Again Rabbi Yehoshua stood and declared “it is not in the Heavens”!
For the Torah had been given to the opinion of the majority in the court.
The question that comes immediately to mind is that Rabbi Eliezer knew that the Torah is not in the Heavens, and yet tried to get the Rabbis to agree with him by using mystical powers . By what logic did he assume that they would listen?
The Rebbe is quoted as saying that he did not expect that they change their mind based upon mystical powers . Rather, he wanted them to rethink their positions . By demonstrating that his insights were not mere human logic but Divine Wisdom , he hoped to have
Them reconsider their opposition to his ideas .
Now what would be the proof of truth from the movement of a tree or running stream? What was the importance of the walls of the study hall that required Rabbi Yehoshua’s response? Finally , how do you disagree with G-D , who apparently was the voice from Heaven?
A possible answer can be given that these four "proofs" represent two types of hidden wisdom that Rabbi Eliezer excelled in.Thus there were 2 examples for each type of wisdom.
The Talmud in Chagigah tells us that there are two types of Hidden Wisdom . One is called Maaseh Bereishis or the secret of the creation ,which includes the natural sciences. The second is called Merkavah or the Divine Chariot .
The difference between the two is that Merkava is much deeper and hence more secret. In fact the secrets of Bereishis can be given in detail to two worthy students at a time . Merkava on the other hand,
Can only be discussed privately . Even then, the master only hints the major points to his student , who must solve the mysteries on his own .
Rabbi Eliezer was demonstrating that since he could alter nature that he had mastered the secrets of creation as they are found in the Torah. In that case , since the external halachah is only the garment of the internal Torah, then his knowledge was more accurate than his peers . The response of Rabbi Yehoshua was that Maaseh Bereishis could be altered by prayer . Hence any change in the physical world does not reflect upon truth . Rather it merely requires that the individual’s prayers can be accepted . Even the ability to cause water to go upstream which indicated a mastery of the forces of the world does not indicate that it is the superior wisdom of the master . Rather , it indicates that Rabbi Eliezer was a master of his evil inclination and as such could change the nature of other physical things. For the world has been placed in the heart of Man .
When a man masters his nature, he can master all of nature .
The second set of mystical proofs were more profound and required a response . The walls of the study hall were witness to all that had been discussed within them, including the secret conversations between Rabbi Eliezer and his great Rebbe, Rabbi Yochonon Ben Zakkay. These secret discussions dealt with Merkava , the deepest of the Torah secrets. Accordingly, Rabbi ELIEZER WAS SHOWING THAT HIS WISDOM ENCOMPASSED THE DEEPEST LAYERS OF THE TORAH. He therefore challenged the very authority of those who argued with him. Since his wisdom was so far above theirs why would they not defer to him, as surely the mind that can solve the mystery of the Merkava could certainly be relied upon to make proper conclusions in smaller matters!
The walls of the bais Hamidrash were ready to fall upon the occupants for daring to challenge the great Rabbi Eliezer as they witnessed his superiority over the many who argued against him.
What Rabbi Yehoshua implied in warning the walls was that he too, had penetrated the Merkava . However, the revelation had taken place in a location outside the study hall. Hence Rabbi Eliezer was not greater than Rabbi Yehoshua on this level. So Rabbi Eliezer invoked the very heavens to testify about his superiority in penetrating Torah’s secrets. If he is superior to those who argue with him. Then at least there could not be a definitive verdict against his opinions.
What was the proof from Heaven? That Rabbi Eliezer’s ideas were consistent with all of the aspects of the Torah. Since his wisdom fathomed even the deepest areas correctly ,then his opinions had the stamp of truth on every level ,even in the simple , concrete world!
This is the meaning of the statement that the law is according to Rabbi Eliezer in every place. That means , that on every level of Torah he has penetrated the truth and has reached true wisdom on every topic. His ideas coincide with every aspect of Torah on every level. Therefore, his opinion is true everywhere!
Rabbi Yehoshua replied that the Torah is beyond the Heavens and that the truth of the Torah cannot be ascertained by wisdom, even
Merkava wisdom! This is because halacha comes through wisdom but essentially is rooted in Kesser-transcendency. In other words, the ability to penetrate into spiritual realities is a wisdfom but does not reach the depths of halachah which is beyond Wisdom!
Good Shabbos
-----------------------------------------------------Rabbi Chaim Moshe BergsteinVisit my blog at rabbichaimmoshe.blogspot.com