The commandment to heed a true prophet: That we were commanded to heed the voice of every prophet of the prophets in everything that they will command. And with the exception of idolatry, even if he commands us to do the opposite of one of the commandments — or even many of them — temporarily, we heed him. As truthfully, since he is a true prophet, all of his intentions are for the good; and everything he does, he does to strengthen the religion and to bring faith in God, blessed be He. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 18:15), “A prophet from among you, from your brothers, like myself, will the Lord, your God, raise up for you; to him shall you heed.” And so did they say in Sifrei Devarim 175, “‘To him shall you heed’ — even if he says to you to transgress one of the commandments temporarily, heed him.”
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since the highest level for a man is attaining prophecy, and there is nothing for a man in this world that is true knowledge of things like the true knowledge [he acquires] through prophecy; as it is knowledge that has no hesitation about it, since it comes from the Spring of truth. And there are few people of the world that merit it and rise to it, since the ladder is very [tall] — its foot is on the “ground and its head reaches the heavens.” And who is the man that fears God and merits and “goes up to the mountain of the Lord, may He be blessed, and rises in His holy place?” [It is] one of thousands of myriads of people that reaches this level — and [only] in a generation that is fit for it. Hence the Torah commanded us, that in [it being only] one man in a generation reaching this level — and he be known among us regarding his manner and the propriety of his actions that he is trusted as a prophet — that we listen to him in all that he commands. As he is the one who knows the true path, and he will guide us in it. And we should not raise our souls to rebel [against his words]; as disagreement with him about anything is a big mistake and a lack of knowing the truth.
And this commandment is practiced by males and females at any time that a prophet is found among us. And one who transgresses it and does not heed him is liable for death by the hand of the Heavens, and as it is written (Deuteronomy 18:19), “And it shall be that the man who does not heed the words, etc. I will require it of him.” And our Sages, may their memory be blessed, said in Sanhedrin 89a, “The death of three is by the hand of the Heavens: one who transgressed the words of the prophet; the prophet who transgresses his own words; and one who suppresses his prophecy (does not say it).” And all of this is in the understanding of the verse, as it stated, “who does not heed (yishma), etc.” — and they, may their memory be blessed, said, “Read in it, ‘not heed (yishma),’ and read in it, ‘not make heard (yashmia).’”
מִצְוָה לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל נְבִיא הָאֱמֶת – שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּינוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל כָּל נָבִיא מֵהַנְּבִיאִים בְּכָל מָה שֶׁיְּצַוֵּנוּ, וַאֲפִלּוּ יְצַוֶּה אוֹתָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּהֵפֶךְ מִצְוָה אַחַת מִן הַמִּצְוֹת אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הַרְבֵּה מֵהֶן לְפִי שָׁעָה, חוּץ מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת, אַחַר שֶׁהוּא נְבִיא אֱמֶת כָּל כַּוָּנוֹתָיו לְטוֹבָה, וְכָל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לְחַזֵּק הַדָּת וּלְהַאֲמִין בַּשֵּׁם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים יח טו) נָבִיא מִקִּרְבְּךָ מֵאַחֶיךָ כָּמֹנִי יָקִים לְךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵלָיו תִּשְׁמָעוּן. וְכֵן אָמְרוּ בְּסִפְרֵי (כאן) אֵלָיו תִּשְׁמָעוּן אֲפִלּוּ יֹאמַר לְךָ לַעֲבֹר עַל אַחַת מִן הַמִּצְוֹת לְפִי שָׁעָה שְׁמַע לוֹ.
The commandment to heed a true prophet: That we were commanded to heed the voice of every prophet of the prophets in everything that they will command. And with the exception of idolatry, even if he commands us to do the opposite of one of the commandments — or even many of them — temporarily, we heed him. As truthfully, since he is a true prophet, all of his intentions are for the good; and everything he does, he does to strengthen the religion and to bring faith in God, blessed be He. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 18:15), “A prophet from among you, from your brothers, like myself, will the Lord, your God, raise up for you; to him shall you heed.” And so did they say in Sifrei Devarim 175, “‘To him shall you heed’ — even if he says to you to transgress one of the commandments temporarily, heed him.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁתַּכְלִית מַעֲלַת הָאָדָם הִיא הַשָּׂגַת הַנְּבוּאָה, וְאֵין לוֹ לְבֶן אָדָם בְּעוֹלָמוֹ אֲמִתַּת יְדִיעָה בִּדְבָרִים, כַּאֲמִתַּת יְדִיעָתוֹ בִּנְבוּאָה, שֶׁהִיא הַיְּדִיעָה שֶׁאֵין אַחֲרֶיהָ פִּקְפּוּק, כִּי הִיא תָּבוֹא מִמַּעְיַן הָאֱמֶת, וּמְעַטִּים מִבְּנֵי הָעוֹלָם זוֹכִים בָּהּ וְעוֹלִים אֵלֶיהָ, כִּי הַסֻּלָּם גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, רַגְלוֹ בָּאָרֶץ וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה, וּמִי זֶה הָאִישׁ יְרֵא הַשֵּׁם יִזְכֶּה וְיַעֲלֶה בְּהַר הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיָקוּם בִּמְקוֹם קָדְשׁוֹ? אֶחָד מֵאַלְפֵי רִבְבוֹת אֲנָשִׁים הוּא הַמַּשִּׂיג לְמַעֲלָה זוֹ, וּבְדוֹר שֶׁרָאוּי לְכָךְ. עַל כֵּן צִוַּתְנוּ הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי בְּהַגִּיעַ אִישׁ אֶחָד בַּדּוֹר אֶל הַמַּעֲלֶה הַזֹּאת, וְיִהְיֶה יָדוּעַ אֶצְלֵנוּ בְּעִנְיָנוֹ וּבְכֹשֶׁר מַעֲשֵׂהוּ כִּי נֶאֱמָן לְנָבִיא, שֶׁנִּשְׁמַע אֵלָיו בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה, כִּי הוּא הַיּוֹדֵעַ דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת וְיַדְרִיכֵנוּ בּוֹ, וְלֹא נִשָּׂא נַפְשֵׁנוּ לְהַמְרוֹת פִּיו וְלַחְלֹק עִמּוֹ, כִּי הַמַּחְלֹקֶת עָלָיו בְּשׁוּם דָּבָר, הוּא טָעוּת גָּמוּר, וְחֶסְרוֹן יְדִיעַת הָאֱמֶת.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since the highest level for a man is attaining prophecy, and there is nothing for a man in this world that is true knowledge of things like the true knowledge [he acquires] through prophecy; as it is knowledge that has no hesitation about it, since it comes from the Spring of truth. And there are few people of the world that merit it and rise to it, since the ladder is very [tall] — its foot is on the “ground and its head reaches the heavens.” And who is the man that fears God and merits and “goes up to the mountain of the Lord, may He be blessed, and rises in His holy place?” [It is] one of thousands of myriads of people that reaches this level — and [only] in a generation that is fit for it. Hence the Torah commanded us, that in [it being only] one man in a generation reaching this level — and he be known among us regarding his manner and the propriety of his actions that he is trusted as a prophet — that we listen to him in all that he commands. As he is the one who knows the true path, and he will guide us in it. And we should not raise our souls to rebel [against his words]; as disagreement with him about anything is a big mistake and a lack of knowing the truth.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מְבֹאָרִים בְּסוֹף סַנְהֶדְרִין (פרק הנחנקין).
The laws of the commandment are elucidated at the end of Sanhedrin (the chapter [entitled] HaNechenakin).
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, בְּכָל זְמַן שֶׁיִּמָּצֵא נָבִיא בֵּינֵינוּ. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְלֹא יִשְׁמַע אֵלָיו חַיָּב מִיתָה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם) וְהָיָה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשְׁמַע אֶל דְּבָרַי וְגוֹ' אָנֹכִי אֶדְרֹשׁ מֵעִמּוֹ. וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין (פט, א) שְׁלֹשָׁה מִיתָתָן בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, הָעוֹבֵר עַל דִּבְרֵי נָבִיא, וְנָבִיא שֶׁעָבַר עַל דִּבְרֵי עַצְמוֹ, וְהַכּוֹבֵשׁ נְבוּאָתוֹ, וְכָל זֶה בְּמַשְׁמַע הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁאָמַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשְׁמַע וְגוֹ'. וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה קְרִי בֵהּ "לֹא יִשָּׁמַע", וּקְרִי בֵהּ "לֹא יַשְׁמִיעַ".
And this commandment is practiced by males and females at any time that a prophet is found among us. And one who transgresses it and does not heed him is liable for death by the hand of the Heavens, and as it is written (Deuteronomy 18:19), “And it shall be that the man who does not heed the words, etc. I will require it of him.” And our Sages, may their memory be blessed, said in Sanhedrin 89a, “The death of three is by the hand of the Heavens: one who transgressed the words of the prophet; the prophet who transgresses his own words; and one who suppresses his prophecy (does not say it).” And all of this is in the understanding of the verse, as it stated, “who does not heed (yishma), etc.” — and they, may their memory be blessed, said, “Read in it, ‘not heed (yishma),’ and read in it, ‘not make heard (yashmia).’”