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It says in the beginning of Toldos (Beireshit 25:22-23) that Rivka had stomach-aches, so she went to "ask Hashem" about her pregnancy.

Rashi says that since she didn't have ruach hakodesh, it was actually Shem who told her about Yaakov and Esav.

But at the end of the parsha (Beireshit 27:42), it says "and it was told to Rivka [that Esav wanted to kill Yaakov]", and Rashi says it was told to her in ruach hakodesh.

So did she get ruach hakodesh later?

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According to Rambam's 13 principles (principle 7), Moses as the prophet was special in such a way that only he could "initiate" the prophecy to have 2-way communication with G-d.

All other prophets, including the forefathers (and mothers), could only prophesize when initiated by G-d, so if G-d didn't speak to them they could not do much.

BTW it is very true for other Fathers - why didn't they ask G-d every time they had a doubt - why Abraham and Yitzhok and Yaakov wanted to go down to Egypt without consulting G-d first? THe answer is exactly that - if G-d wanted (in the case with Yitzhok) He instructed him, if no - He didn't.

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  • I’m not sure if this fully answers the question. He wanted to know why at the beginning Rivkah needed to ask a proper Navi, but at the end she was perfectly capable of having Ruach HaKodesh on her own. While your answer is technically correct, it’s essentially saying “because it is” - not a very satisfying answer. Do any Mefarshim explain why Hashem, so to speak, felt the need to speak with her directly at the end, but not at the beginning?
    – DonielF
    Nov 10, 2018 at 19:48
  • That's exactly the point – "she was told" – she didn't ask. Is the question "why G-d spoke to her that time and not another?" 2. רוח הקודש is not a direct talk - it's more like a vision.
    – Al Berko
    Nov 10, 2018 at 20:30
  • 1. You’ve lost me. 2. And your point is?
    – DonielF
    Nov 10, 2018 at 22:40
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    @AlBerko if your answer is true than how could SHem have told her anything?!
    – user8832
    Nov 11, 2018 at 5:22
  • @AlBerko He would have had to Ask Hashem, and according to this comment, only Moshe could have. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere (not sure of the source) that Ruach Hakodesh only rests on men directly, so that's why she had to ask Shem, but then I have the question from the end of the parsha...
    – user8832
    Nov 11, 2018 at 5:33

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