Megillah, Daf Lammed Bet, Part 4
Introduction
This section contains another statement by the same amoraim from yesterday’s section.
ואמר רבי שפטיה אמר רבי יוחנן: מנין שמשתמשין בבת קול – שנאמר +ישעיהו ל‘+ ואזניך תשמענה דבר מאחריך לאמר. והני מילי – דשמע קל גברא במתא, וקל איתתא בדברא. והוא דאמר הין הין, והוא דאמר לאו לאו.
R. Shefatiah further said in the name of R. Yohanan: From where do we know that we do may make use of a heavenly voice? Because it says, "And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying" (Isaiah 30:21).
This applies only if one hears the voice of a man in town and of a woman in the field, and only if it says, yes, yes, or no, no.
One who is trying to make a decision and hears a voice saying "Yes, yes" or "No, no" may heed that voice. This is not considered sorcery.
However, it must be an unusual voice, such as a man in the town (evidently men were usually in the fields) or a woman in the field. This way he can tell that he didn’t just happen to hear someone say something.