the gemara on 4a says that a good nevuah can be reversed becaused of a sin. Yet on 7a the gemara says that a good nevuah even on condition is irreversable?
Shmuel Wagner, lakewood, nj
Shmuel,
Excellent question. Your question is, in fact, discussed at length by Rav Eliyahu Mizrachi (the Re'em) to Bereishis 32:8, among others.
(a) The simple answer to your question seems to be that there is a difference between recalling a prophecy for a passive reason, and recalling a prophesy due to a positive action .
The Gemara on 7a tells us that an unfulfilled condition is not enough to revoke a promised reward, since there is no active reason to revoke it. However, the Gemara on 4a is telling us that a prophecy can indeed be revoked if a person actively sins, creating grounds for revoking the promised reward.
This is the answer offered by the RADVAZ 3:638 and the LECHEM MISHNAH in Yesodei Hatorah 10:4.
(b) However, the MAHARAL (in Gur Aryeh to Bereishis 32:8) takes a very different approach. He differentiates between a prophecy and a promise .
A prophecy will never be revoked, under any conditions. However, not every promise is a prophecy. The promise that Hash-m made to Yakov (that He will watch Yakov wherever Yakov goes etc.) did not have the status of a prophecy. Rather, Hash-m was telling Yakov that as a reward for Yakov's efforts to follow the will of Hash-m, Yakov earned the distinction that Hash-m would watch over him and protect him. Since this was promised based on Yakov's present level of G-d-fearingness, should Yakov sin, he would lose the promised protection.
I hope that you find this helpful. Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld
Kollel Iyun Hadaf