Yoel 3 | "I Will Pour My Spirit Out Over Humankind"

Chapter 3 opens with the phrase, "afterward, this is what will be." On the one hand, it is clearly a continuation of God's response to the priests' prayer; on the other, it marks a new phase. This second stage begins with a stirring promise: "afterward, this is what will be: I will pour My spirit out over humankind." (3:1) The people, feeling distant and unable to believe that God is truly among them, will merit prophecy. And not just prophecy for a select few. No longer will they have to rely on intermediaries to convey God's word. Instead, each individual will experience a direct connection to God.

Looking back to the Torah, this was, in many ways, the original plan. In the era of the forefathers, prophecy was not limited to individuals. The forefathers (Avot), of course, had direct communication with God, but even wicked gentiles like Pharaoh and Avimelekh received divine messages. Later, at the splitting of the red sea, "a maid-servant beheld at the Red Sea what was not beheld by Yechezkel and the other prophets" (Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Shira 3). And at Mount Sinai, the entire nation heard God's voice as one. What went wrong?

The sin of the golden calf. After this transgression, God withdrew His Divine Presence (Shekhina) and refused to return. He was willing to uphold the covenant and grant Israel every possible salvation — but only through a messenger: "I will send an angel ahead of you, and drive out the Canaanites… to a land flowing with milk and honey, But I will not go among you, because you are a stiff-necked people; I might destroy you on the way" (Shemot 33:2-3). Moshe refused to accept this and insisted that God Himself lead them: "If Your presence does not go with us, do not make us leave this place" (Shemot 33:15). God partially conceded. He would be present within Moshe, and Moshe would be present among the people. Thus, the Divine Presence would be among Israel — but only through Moshe as an intermediary: "The Lord said, ‘Now am I hereby making a covenant: Before your entire people I will perform such wonders as never have been performed anywhere on earth, for any nation. And the peoples you live among shall see: how awe-inspiring are the deeds that I The Lord will do for you" (Shemot 34:10). For further exploration of this concept, we recommend looking into the attached lecture by Dr. Yoshi Fargeon.

This became the prophetic model throughout the Tanakh. No longer would people experience a direct relationship with God; instead, God would speak to the prophet, and the prophet would relay His words to the people. Yet Yoel's prophecy promises that this punishment will not last forever. God will pour out His spirit upon all flesh, and all will experience a direct connection to the Divine. They will not merely know what God has said, they will be in direct communication with Him.

I would like to pint out a crucial point. We have not yet merited this, and we do not have prophecy. We do, however, see God's hand in the world. With open eyes, it is clear that He delivers us from our enemies, grants us prosperity, and watches over us — but He does not communicate with us in a literal way. Our stage in history resembles the period after the golden calf, and before Moshe’s plea: "I will send a messenger ahead of you and drive out the Canaanites." (Shemot 32:2) Moshe’s way forward was to tell God that this was not enough for him. Imagine a couple in conflict: the husband leaves the house, saying, ‘I will continue to support you financially, but I do not want to live with you anymore.’ He wants to see how his wife will respond. Will she accept the new arrangement, content to receive all the goods from afar? Or will she insist: ‘I am not satisfied with gifts. I want you.’ Do we demand God Himself? Do we pray only for salvation, or also for the Divine Presence (Shekhina)? For success, or also for the return of prophecy and direct communication with the Divine?

The message of Sefer Yoel is that God's door is open to prayer. And it seems that this, too, is something worth praying for.