To not test a true prophet more than is necessary: That we have been prevented to not test more than is necessary a prophet that rebukes the nation and teaches the ways of repentance, once the truth of his prophecy is known. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 6:16), “Do not test the Lord, your God, as you tested Him at Massah,” meaning to say, Do not test the rewards of God and His punishments about which He has informed you through His prophets in a way that will cause you uncertainty.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since harm will be [caused] with superfluous testing of true prophets, as sometimes people that are jealous of him and hurt from his status will disagree with him from this. And the matter of prophecy is not a constant matter to every prophet, as sometimes he will only prophesy a little. And if we burden him each and every time to give a trustworthy sign or a wonder [to show that] he is a prophet, it will be a cause for the people to rebel against him and to frequently take his words lightly. Hence we have been warned to believe him and not to test him more than is necessary, once he is established with us as good and trustworthy as a prophet. And this matter happened to the true prophets with the false prophets, as [the latter] would contradict their prophecy and quibble about them and contradict their words to the point that one sign after another and one wonder after another was not enough for them.
And likewise included in this commandment is not to do the commandments of God, blessed be He, by way of testing, such that a person do a commandment to test whether God, may He be blessed, will reward him according to his righteousness; and not from his love of God and his fear of Him. And let it not be difficult to you that which they, may their memory be blessed, said in the first chapter of Tractate Taanit 9a, “‘A tithe shall you tithe (te’aser)’ (Deuteronomy 14:22)? Take a tithe (asser) so that you will become wealthy (titasher).” As they have already answered it there and said that in all the commandments it is stated, “Do not test,” except in this [one] of tithes, as it is stated (Malachi 3:10), “Bring the whole tithe into the storeroom,[...] and test Me now by this, etc.” And the reason for this is like the matter that is written (Proverbs 19:17), “He is lending to God, he who is gracious to the poor” — meaning to say that God, may He be blessed, has informed us that it is through our financing the servants of His house with tithes that purpose and blessing is found in our money, no matter what, and [that] no matter of sin or iniquity will impinge on it. And the reason for the prohibition of testing about the commandments is because the reward for the commandments is not in this world; and as they expounded in Tractate Avodah Zarah 3a, “Today is the day to do them, but tomorrow” — meaning the world to come — “is [the day] to take their reward.” And [about] that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Batra 10b), “One who says, ‘This coin is for charity in order that my son should live,’ behold, he is completely righteous” — the wise commentators have answered [that it is when he decides in his heart to give it whether [his son] lives or does not live, as this is not testing God.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, informed us about what confirms to us the prophecy of a prophet to the point that we not doubt his words afterwards. It is that he say things that will happen in the world in the future two or three times, and his words [come true] exactly. And we should not obligate him to do a sign or a miracle [that involves] a change in nature, as was done by Moshe, Eliyahu and Elisha. And also the man that we assume to be a prophet and that we believe needs to be a just man that walks innocently; as it is known that prophecy only rests upon the pious and among men of good deeds (Shabbat 92a). But [regarding] a prophet that promises about an evil that will come, even if it does not come, there is no contradiction to his being a prophet with this. [That is] because God is long of patience and of great kindness and He reconsiders [doing] evil when people repent, like with the people of Nineveh, and like with Hizkiyahu, whose days were added to from the Heavens after the decree that he die. Yet if a prophecy of a prophet that promises about the good does not come true, it is a contradiction to his being a prophet; since any good that God decrees through a sent prophet — even if it is conditional — never returns empty (is always fulfilled). And this is from His abundant goodness and His great kindness. [This] and the rest of its details are in [various] places in the Talmud. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Foundations of the Torah 10.)
And this commandment is practiced by males and females in every place and at all times when a prophet arises for Israel. And one who transgresses it and tests a prophet more than is necessary has violated this negative commandment. But we do not administer lashes for it, since there is no act [involved] with it.
שֶׁלֹּא לְנַסּוֹת נְבִיא אֱמֶת יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי – שֶׁנִּמְנַעְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא לְנַסּוֹת יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי הַנָּבִיא הַמְּיַסֵּר אֶת הָעָם וְהַמְּלַמְּדָם דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה אַחַר שֶׁנֵּדַע אֲמִתַּת נְבוּאָתוֹ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים ו טז) לֹא תְנַסּוּ אֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתֶם בַּמַּסָּה. כְּלוֹמַר, לֹא תְּנַסּוּ גְּמוּלֵי הַשֵּׁם וָעֳנָשָׁיו שֶׁהוֹדִיעַ לָכֶם עַל יְדֵי נְבִיאָיו עַל צַד שֶׁתִּסְתַּפְּקוּ בָּהֶם.
To not test a true prophet more than is necessary: That we have been prevented to not test more than is necessary a prophet that rebukes the nation and teaches the ways of repentance, once the truth of his prophecy is known. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 6:16), “Do not test the Lord, your God, as you tested Him at Massah,” meaning to say, Do not test the rewards of God and His punishments about which He has informed you through His prophets in a way that will cause you uncertainty.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁבַּנִּסָּיוֹן הַיָּתֵר בִּנְבִיא הָאֱמֶת יִמָּצֵא הֶפְסֵד, כִּי פְּעָמִים יַחְלְקוּ עָלָיו מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם הַמְּקַנְּאִים בּוֹ וְהַכּוֹאֲבִים לְמַעֲלָתוֹ, וּדְבַר הַנְּבוּאָה אֵינֶנּוּ עִנְיָן תְּמִידִי לְכָל נָבִיא, כִּי פְּעָמִים לֹא יִתְנַבֵּא כִּי אִם מְעַט, וְאִם בְּכָל פַּעַם וּפַעַם נַטְרִידֵהוּ לָתֵת אוֹת וּמוֹפֵת נֶאֱמָן שֶׁהוּא נָבִיא, יִהְיֶה סִבָּה לָעָם שֶׁיִּמְרְדוּ בּוֹ וְיָקֵלּוּ בִּדְבָרָיו הַרְבֵּה פְּעָמִים, וְעַל כֵּן הֻזְהַרְנוּ לְהַאֲמִין בּוֹ וְשֶׁלֹּא לְנַסּוֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי אַחַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֻחְזָק עִמָּנוּ כְּטוֹב וְנֶאֱמָן לְנָבִיא. וְהַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֵרַע לִנְבִיאֵי הָאֱמֶת עִם נְבִיאֵי הַשֶּׁקֶר, שֶׁהָיוּ מַכְחִישִׁים נְבוּאָתָם וּמְחַטְּטִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם וּמַכְחִישִׁים דִּבְרֵיהֶם עַד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מַסְפִּיק לָהֶם אוֹת אַחַר אוֹת וּמוֹפֵת אַחַר מוֹפֵת.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since harm will be [caused] with superfluous testing of true prophets, as sometimes people that are jealous of him and hurt from his status will disagree with him from this. And the matter of prophecy is not a constant matter to every prophet, as sometimes he will only prophesy a little. And if we burden him each and every time to give a trustworthy sign or a wonder [to show that] he is a prophet, it will be a cause for the people to rebel against him and to frequently take his words lightly. Hence we have been warned to believe him and not to test him more than is necessary, once he is established with us as good and trustworthy as a prophet. And this matter happened to the true prophets with the false prophets, as [the latter] would contradict their prophecy and quibble about them and contradict their words to the point that one sign after another and one wonder after another was not enough for them.
וּכְמוֹ כֵן בִּכְלַל הָאַזְהָרָה, שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוֹת הַשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַנִּסָּיוֹן, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה אָדָם מִצְוָה לְנַסּוֹת אִם יִגְמְלֵהוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּצִדְקוֹ, לֹא לְאַהֲבַת הָאֵל וְיִרְאָתוֹ אוֹתוֹ. וְאַל יִקְשֶׁה עָלֶיךָ מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּפֶרֶק קַמָּא דְּמַסֶּכֶת תַּעֲנִית (ט, א) עַשֵּׂר תְּעַשֵּׂר (דברים יד כב) עַשֵּׂר בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁתִּתְעַשֵּׁר, שֶׁכְּבָר תֵּרְצוּהָ שָׁם וְאָמְרוּ, שֶׁבְּכָל הַמִּצְוֹת נֶאֱמַר לֹא תְנַסּוּ, חוּץ מִזּוֹ דְּמַעֲשֵׂר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג י) הָבִיאוּ אֶת כָּל הַמַּעֲשֵׂר אֶל בֵּית הָאוֹצָר וּבְחָנוּנִי נָא בָּזֹאת וְגוֹ'. וְהַטַּעַם בָּזוֹ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי יט, יז) מַלְוֵה ה' חוֹנֵן דָּל. כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁהוֹדִיעָנוּ הָאֵל בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּי בְּפַרְנְסֵנוּ מְשָׁרְתֵי בֵּיתוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂר, נִמְצָא הַתּוֹעֶלֶת וְהַבְּרָכָה בְּמָמוֹנֵנוּ עַל כָּל פָּנִים וְלֹא יְעַכֵּב זֶה שׁוּם דְּבַר חֵטְא וְעָוֹן. וְטַעַם אִסּוּר הַנִּסָּיוֹן בַּמִּצְוֹת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשְּׂכַר מִצְוֹת אֵינוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּרֵישׁ מַסֶּכֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (ג, א) הַיּוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם (דברים ז יא) וּלְמָחָר, כְּלוֹמַר לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, לִטֹּל שְׂכָרָם. וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"ב י, ב) הָאוֹמֵר סֶלַע זוֹ לִצְדָקָה בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיִּחְיֶה בְּנִי הֲרֵי זֶה צַדִּיק גָּמוּר, תֵּרְצוּהָ חֲכָמִים הַמְּפָרְשִׁים, כְּשֶׁגּוֹמֵר הַנּוֹתֵן בְּלִבּוֹ לָתֵת אוֹתָהּ בֵּין שֶׁיִּחְיֶה אוֹ לֹא יִחְיֶה, שֶׁאֵין זֶה מְנַסֶּה אֶת הַשֵּׁם.
And likewise included in this commandment is not to do the commandments of God, blessed be He, by way of testing, such that a person do a commandment to test whether God, may He be blessed, will reward him according to his righteousness; and not from his love of God and his fear of Him. And let it not be difficult to you that which they, may their memory be blessed, said in the first chapter of Tractate Taanit 9a, “‘A tithe shall you tithe (te’aser)’ (Deuteronomy 14:22)? Take a tithe (asser) so that you will become wealthy (titasher).” As they have already answered it there and said that in all the commandments it is stated, “Do not test,” except in this [one] of tithes, as it is stated (Malachi 3:10), “Bring the whole tithe into the storeroom,[...] and test Me now by this, etc.” And the reason for this is like the matter that is written (Proverbs 19:17), “He is lending to God, he who is gracious to the poor” — meaning to say that God, may He be blessed, has informed us that it is through our financing the servants of His house with tithes that purpose and blessing is found in our money, no matter what, and [that] no matter of sin or iniquity will impinge on it. And the reason for the prohibition of testing about the commandments is because the reward for the commandments is not in this world; and as they expounded in Tractate Avodah Zarah 3a, “Today is the day to do them, but tomorrow” — meaning the world to come — “is [the day] to take their reward.” And [about] that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bava Batra 10b), “One who says, ‘This coin is for charity in order that my son should live,’ behold, he is completely righteous” — the wise commentators have answered [that it is when he decides in his heart to give it whether [his son] lives or does not live, as this is not testing God.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁהוֹדִיעוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בַּמֶּה תִּתְאַמֵּת לָנוּ נְבוּאַת הַנָּבִיא? עַד שֶׁלֹּא נְסַפֵּק בִּדְבָרָיו אַחַר כֵּן, הוּא שֶׁיֹּאמַר דְּבָרִים הָעֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת בָּעוֹלָם פַּעֲמַיִם אוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ וְיֵאָמְנוּ דְּבָרָיו בְּכִוּוּן, וְלֹא נְחַיְּבֵהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹת אוֹ מוֹפֵת בְּשִׁנּוּי הַטֶּבַע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה אוֹ כְּאֵלִיָּהוּ וֶאֱלִישָׁע. וְגַם כֵּן צָרִיךְ הָאִישׁ שֶׁנַּחְזִיק אוֹתוֹ בְּנָבִיא וְנַאֲמִין בּוֹ לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ יָשָׁר תָּמִים הוֹלֵךְ, כִּי יָדוּעַ שֶׁאֵין הַנְּבוּאָה שׁוֹרָה (שבת צב א) כִּי אִם עַל הַחֲסִידִים וְאַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה. וְנָבִיא שֶׁהִבְטִיחַ עַל הָרָעָה שֶׁתָּבוֹא, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא בָּאת אֵין סְתִירָה בִּנְבוּאָתוֹ בְּכָךְ, כִּי הַשֵּׁם אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד וְנִחָם עַל הָרָעָה כְּשֶׁעוֹשִׂין בְּנֵי אָדָם תְּשׁוּבָה, כְּמוֹ בְּאַנְשֵׁי נִינְוֵה, וּכְמוֹ בְּחִזְקִיָּהוּ שֶׁהוֹסִיפוּ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם עַל יָמָיו אַחַר הַגְּזֵרָה שֶׁיָּמוּת, אֲבָל כָּל נָבִיא שֶׁהִבְטִיחַ עַל הַטּוֹבָה, אִם לֹא נִתְאַמְּתָה נְבוּאָתוֹ הִיא סְתִירָה בֶּאֱמֶת לִנְבוּאָתוֹ, שֶׁכָּל דְּבַר טוֹבָה שֶׁיִּגְזֹר הָאֵל עַל יְדֵי נָבִיא שָׁלוּחַ, אֲפִלּוּ עַל תְּנַאי, אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר לְעוֹלָם, וְזֶה מֵרֹב טוּבוֹ וְחַסְדּוֹ הַגָּדוֹל, נִמְצָא שֶׁבְּדִבְרֵי הַטּוֹבָה יִבָּחֵן הַנָּבִיא. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ, בִּמְקוֹמוֹת בַּתַּלְמוּד [ה' יסוה"ת פ"י].
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, informed us about what confirms to us the prophecy of a prophet to the point that we not doubt his words afterwards. It is that he say things that will happen in the world in the future two or three times, and his words [come true] exactly. And we should not obligate him to do a sign or a miracle [that involves] a change in nature, as was done by Moshe, Eliyahu and Elisha. And also the man that we assume to be a prophet and that we believe needs to be a just man that walks innocently; as it is known that prophecy only rests upon the pious and among men of good deeds (Shabbat 92a). But [regarding] a prophet that promises about an evil that will come, even if it does not come, there is no contradiction to his being a prophet with this. [That is] because God is long of patience and of great kindness and He reconsiders [doing] evil when people repent, like with the people of Nineveh, and like with Hizkiyahu, whose days were added to from the Heavens after the decree that he die. Yet if a prophecy of a prophet that promises about the good does not come true, it is a contradiction to his being a prophet; since any good that God decrees through a sent prophet — even if it is conditional — never returns empty (is always fulfilled). And this is from His abundant goodness and His great kindness. [This] and the rest of its details are in [various] places in the Talmud. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Foundations of the Torah 10.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן שֶׁיָּקוּם נָבִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וּמְנַסֶּה הַנָּבִיא יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה, וְאֵין לוֹקִין עָלָיו, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה.
And this commandment is practiced by males and females in every place and at all times when a prophet arises for Israel. And one who transgresses it and tests a prophet more than is necessary has violated this negative commandment. But we do not administer lashes for it, since there is no act [involved] with it.