Parashat Shoftim
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Transcript of Parashat Shoftim
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Parashah Insights
by
Rabbi Yaakov Hillel Rosh Yeshivat Ahavat Shalom
Parashat Shoftim
With Hashem Alone
Our Link with Hashem
“Be wholehearted with Hashem your G-d. For these nations that you will
dispossess listen to astrologers and diviners, and you, this is not the lot that Hashem
your G-d gave to you. A prophet from among your brothers, like me, Hashem your
G-d will make available for you, to him you will listen” (Devarim 18:13-15).
Rashi explains.
“‘Be wholehearted with Hashem your G-d’: walk with Him in full faith, and trust in
Him. Do not seek to inquire into the future. Instead, whatever He metes out to you,
accept faithfully, and then you will be with Him, and His portion.
“‘This is not the lot that Hashem your G-d gave to you’: to listen to the
astrologers and diviners, for He rested the Divine Presence on the prophets and on
the Urim V’Tumim.”1
The simple meaning of these verses is that we must rely solely on Hashem,
looking to Him alone and trusting in Him fully concerning all that befalls us. We
need know nothing of what the future holds, trusting that our lot lies strictly in the
hands of G-d. We have only to “throw our burden upon the Al-mighty” (Tehillim
55:23), depending on Him to grant us what is best for us. While the people of other
nations may have many ways of foretelling future events, we should not turn to them
to uncover these secrets. A legitimate Jewish prophet appointed by G-d is the only
one from whom we may accept predictions of the future. We are commanded to
“walk with Him in full faith, and trust in him,” without recourse to mysticism and
1 A form of Divine prophecy exclusive to the High Priest in the Tabernacle and Temple.
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clairvoyance. Instead, we rely implicitly on Him and what He has in store for us. This
wholehearted faith binds us to Hashem, and through it, we are “with Him, and His
portion.”
Practically speaking, however, error now runs rampant in this sensitive area. Many
attempt to discover the unknown through a variety of dubious individuals claiming
lofty spiritual stature and Divinely granted powers. Well-meaning but misguided
people are taken in by deceptive advertising which proclaims the unholy as holy,
showering them with undeserved titles and accolades. The masses are unable to
differentiate between impure and pure, genuine and imitation. To avoid this pitfall,
let us study the Torah’s commandment to “be wholehearted with Hashem your G-
d.”
I can attest personally to the truth of Rashi’s words, “walk with Him in full faith,
and trust in Him...and then you will be with Him, and His portion.” On a visit to the
Far East, a fortune teller once approached me and offered to foretell my future in
exchange for a few pennies. I told him that I would pay him double not to foretell my
future. It is only when we rely completely on Hashem and trust in Him to look after
us that we are His. There can be no greater privilege in all the world than living our
lives in perfect faith, trusting fully in Hashem that our future, whatever it may hold, is
in His Hands alone. This is the beauty of life as a believing Jew. With his pretense of
foretelling my fortune, this Far Eastern fraud wanted to sever my bond to the Al-
mighty. When man feels that his future has been revealed, he no longer looks
trustingly to Hashem, as he does when he faces the unknown. The field of fortune-
telling and revelations through the occult serves to weaken man’s tie to his Creator.
Achieving Spiritual Powers
At times we encounter a disconcerting phenomenon. Certain people somehow
seem to know things which there is no apparent way for them to know. They can tell
others in surprising detail exactly what they did in the utmost privacy of their homes
when there definitely was no one watching, and produce predictions of future events
which prove to be uncannily accurate, just like the great prophets of old.
We should not be impressed with these supposedly great and mighty wonders.
Omens, portents, predictions, miracles, and wonders are not the mark of true
greatness among the Jewish people. The world abounds with men of mystical
“powers,” and it is important for us to understand their source. Mere knowledge of
the unknown and the ability to predict the future are not an endorsement of
holiness, which is defined by other essential criteria.
There is a very clear, obvious path to holiness and elevated spiritual levels, one
which is open to any Jew: intensive, dedicated toil in Torah and service of Hashem
for many years, until he attains lofty levels of sanctity and becomes worthy of
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knowing secrets hidden from other people’s eyes (see Shaare Kedushah, Part 3,
Shaar Zayin). Even then, not everyone who seeks to attain this level will be found
worthy of it; only a few special individuals are chosen by Hashem for this role. This
principle is explicit in the words of the verse: “A prophet from among your brothers,
like me, Hashem your G-d will make available for you.” Bottom line, it is Hashem
alone Who selects His prophets. There are no shortcuts to true prophecy.
Pure or Impure?
On the other hand, however, the possibility does exist of a person linking up with
the Forces of the Occult by means of corrupt character traits and unworthy deeds, in
order to obtain special powers from these impure, evil forces. A prime example of
this is Bilam’s “prophetic” power, which came from impure sources (Zohar,
Parashat Balak p. 21b). This type of evil person is able to deceive others with his
great “spiritual capacities,” while in reality, his heart is utterly and despicably corrupt.
This is the exact opposite of the powers of a true prophet chosen by G-d, whose
prophetic insight comes from the Forces of Holiness.
It is essential to differentiate between those whose powers are derived from pure
sources and those who are empowered by the Forces of Impurity, G-d forbid. The
difference between the two can be so very subtle that even sincere and righteous
individuals are not always able to identify the source of their own spiritual powers.
Rabbi Yitzhak Isaac of Komarna, author of the Kabbalistic work Heichal
HaBerachah, related a telling statement he had heard from his uncle and rebbe,
Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch of Ziditchov. Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch, the author of the commentary
Ateret Tzvi on the Zohar, said that it was only when he reached the age of forty that
he felt sure that his success in prayer, imparting blessings, and bringing salvation to
fellow Jews was not drawn from the Forces of Evil. If this was true of a Torah scholar
and spiritual giant like the Ateret Tzvi, what can we say today? (See Heichal
HaBerachah, Shmot p.157a.)
Hassidim relate the story of a very pious rebbe, a holy man who worked many
wonders for his people. Hassidim would come to him from far and wide, seeking his
blessings, advice, and assistance. One of his hassidim was miserably, pathetically
poor; whatever he did, failed. He beseeched his rebbe time and time again for help,
to no avail.
On one occasion, while traveling through a forest, he met an old man who gave
him a coin as a gift, telling him that it would bring him good luck. From that day on,
the elderly stranger told him, whatever the poor hassid would undertake would be
blessed with great success. And so it was. After that fateful encounter, everything
changed. Suddenly and inexplicably, anything this lifelong pauper touched turned to
gold and he acquired fabulous, undreamed-of riches. Now a wealthy man, he went
to see his rebbe to ask for a blessing and leave a nice donation for charity. To his
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dismay, the rebbe refused to bless him or accept money from him. The rebbe told
his stunned hassid that the kindly old gentleman who had given him the coin was a
messenger of the Forces of Evil. As soon as he took the coin from him and was
blessed with wealth by this impure being, he became firmly attached to impurity.
Albeit unknowingly, he had sold his soul to Evil. Never in this life would he be able to
free himself from its tentacles, and even after death, he was doomed to the lowest
depths of perdition. The rebbe told him that there was one possible solution, which –
if he were fortunate – might save him. His sole hope was to return to the forest, find
the old man, and give him back every last penny he had gotten from him,
relinquishing his entire vast wealth. This was the only way he might possibly free
himself of his evil grip.
The hassid set out promptly for the forest, where he searched high and low for the
old man. When he finally tracked him down, he threw himself at his feet and pleaded
with him to take back everything he had given him. He literally begged for mercy,
until at last, the old man finally agreed to his request. There was only one condition,
he told the hassid. He would have to return to his rebbe and tell him that his own
spiritual powers also came from him, or in other words, from the Forces of Evil. No
doubt unhappily, the hassid complied. When the rebbe heard the old man’s
message, he was deeply shocked. He immediately retired from his position as a
rabbi and leader of the community. To atone for his sin, he took on self-imposed
exile and disappeared without a trace.
This story teaches a disturbing lesson. There are sincerely pious people who are
not even remotely connected to wickedness. They are by no means disciples of the
infamous Bilam, who engage in evil in order to gain supernatural powers through the
Forces of Impurity. Nonetheless, their power to perform wonders stems from impure
sources. The Ramhal explains that this can happen not only to those who sin in
order to connect with evil, hoping to draw down impure supernatural powers. It can
also happen to sincerely G-d-fearing people whose efforts to purify and perfect
themselves fall short of what is required of them. Hashem may test such people by
granting them supernatural powers from impure forces. We see, then, that even a
righteous person cannot be certain that his spiritual powers are not an exceptionally
difficult Divinely ordained test (Derech Hashem, Part 3, Chapter 4).
If this is the case, then who is reliable? How can we be sure that a given rabbi’s
accomplishments are the product of sanctity and a genuine attachment to Hashem,
making his prayers and blessings worth seeking? Is he – or is he not – one of those
of whom the Torah says, “to him you will listen?” We find one answer in the words
of the Zohar. The quality of an individual’s service of Hashem, the extent to which it
is pure, wholehearted, and totally dedicated and self-sacrificing, is an indication of
the source of his spiritual accomplishments (see Zohar, Parashat Terumah, p.128a).
If he is pure, his prayers and powers are also pure.
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Recognizing False Prophets
The Ma’or VaShemesh discusses the question of how to recognize a true and
trustworthy tzaddik as opposed to an appealing charlatan.
The Torah forbids us to listen to a false prophet (Devarim 13:2-6): “If there should
arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a
wonder, and the miracle comes about of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘let us
follow other gods which you did not know, and we will serve them.’ Do not listen to
the words of that prophet or to that dreamer of dreams, for Hashem your G-d is
testing you, to know whether you love Hashem your G-d with all your heart and all
your soul. After Hashem your G-d you will follow, Him you will fear, His
commandments you will observe and to His Voice you will listen, and Him you will
serve, and to Him you will cleave. And that prophet and that dreamer of dreams will
die.”
In these verses, the Torah describes precisely the type of phony kabbalist to whom
the masses so easily fall prey. He produces miracles, wonders, omens, and charms
with ease. It all seems to work, so how can he be anything but holy? Little or nothing
is known of this gentleman’s past, and he has not built up a solid, long-term
reputation as a scholarly and pious Jew, but that does not matter. Naive individuals
are dazzled by the gimmicks, and they surround him with reverence and awe.
They are missing the point. We seek the company of tzaddikim to learn from their
example in Torah and fear of Heaven. Wonders and miracles are irrelevant; the
measure of a man is his caliber as a dedicated servant of G-d. Even if at present, the
miracle man does not seem to be leading his followers astray, the end will be as the
Torah warns us. Eventually, he will drag his trusting flock into the worst of sins,
telling them, “Let us follow other gods which you did not know, and we will serve
them.” This is where his tricks are leading.
The way to avoid this trap is by following the Torah’s instructions to strengthen
ourselves in Torah and mitzvot, and by attaching ourselves to truly pious Torah
scholars who walk in Hashem’s ways: “After Hashem your G-d you will follow, Him
you will fear, His commandments you will observe, and to His Voice you will listen,
and Him you will serve, and to Him you will cleave.” When this happens, “that
prophet and that dreamer of dreams will die.” Without a following, he will be
rendered powerless.
The greatness of a tzaddik is his dedication to Torah and mitzvot. If, in addition,
there are indications that he has Divine inspiration (Ruah Hakodesh), we may be
confident that it comes from pure sources. If all he has to his credit are a handful of
wonders and magic tricks, it may be that they come from the Forces of Impurity. If
we choose to attach ourselves to him, we too may be attaching ourselves to the
Forces of Impurity, G-d forbid.
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The Difficult Diagnosis
At times, it is no simple matter to differentiate between a genuinely legitimate
tzaddik and an imposter. It is easy enough to recognize a real Torah scholar, but
who can disprove the claims of a purportedly great kabbalist? It has been said rather
ironically that a Torah scholar is like a headache, and a kabbalist is like a
stomachache. Picture a child who is eager to wangle a day off from school. He tells
his mother that he has a terrible headache and has to stay home. His complaint is
quickly verified: she need only produce a thermometer and check his temperature. If
he registers normal he is fine, and she can hustle him off to school. A more
sophisticated youngster will claim a stomachache, which is not quite so easily
diagnosed. How can his mother prove him wrong? Just in case it’s true, she allows
him his longed-for day in bed.
A Torah scholar’s proficiency is easily tested by other Torah scholars; it only takes
a few minutes of learned conversation to show whether or not he is indeed
knowledgeable. But who can check out a self-styled mekubal? He affects all sorts of
exotic behaviors, and presumably, the stranger the habits, the bigger mekubal he
must be. Who can tell what he really is? Authentic mekubalim capable of testing his
qualifications are rare enough. And even then, our pretender can always find a safe
way out. If a colleague wants to test his knowledge of the Arizal’s school of
Kabbalistic thought, he can say that the methods of the earlier sources are in fact his
forte. If questioned on those teachings, he can say that he learns according to the
hassidic tradition in Kabbalah. There is always an escape hatch, making him as
difficult to diagnose as a truant schoolboy’s stomachache.
Who Says?
The Meshech Chochmah (Shmot 11:3) explains how we can distinguish a real
tzaddik from an imposter. Where did this tzaddik’s reputation originate? Did it come
from the bottom up, or from the top down? Who were the first to “discover” him, the
common people or the pious Torah scholars?
He writes that honor and fame can result either from great wisdom and refined, G-
dly conduct, or from the ability to work wonders which transcend nature. The wiser,
nobler elements of society value wisdom and character. With time, their admiration
will filter down to the masses as well, earning this special person fame and glory
even among the common folk.
The masses, on the other hand, appreciate showier accomplishments – they are
excited by miraculous deeds and supernatural stunts. A wonder worker’s reputation
will quickly spread among the humbler classes, and with time, the better classes will
also begin to think that there must be something to him.
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We learn this principle from Moshe Rabbenu himself, our nation’s first great
prophetic leader. Moshe was initially acknowledged by Pharaoh’s magicians, the
Egyptian elite. They were capable of appreciating his profound wisdom and
exceptional character, and not only the wonders that he performed. With time, the
masses also came to accept that he was a great man. We find this sequence in the
Torah’s words, “And the man Moshe was very great in the Land of Egypt, in the eyes
of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the eyes of the nation” (Shmot 11:3). He first became
famous among the palace elite, and only afterwards among the commoners.
The Hidden Tzaddik
What are the hallmarks of our true tzaddikim? Greatness in Torah, humility, piety,
and integrity. In our times, many supposed “great mekubalim” engage in intensive
public relations, so that they are hailed far and wide as great and holy men. As their
reputation among the simple people swells, they are inundated with requests for
sage advice and pious blessings. In truth, however, these holy men are pitifully
empty of Torah – they know little or nothing of Scripture, Mishnah, and Gemara,
and certainly nothing of Kabbalah. Never in their lives have they put any serious
effort into learning, and they have never attended on great Torah scholars to learn
from their ways and middot. All their outlandish, dramatic behavior is nothing more
than fraud and deception.
The righteous have always been guided by the verse, “with the modest there is
wisdom” (Mishle 11:2). In my younger years, I had the great privilege of personally
knowing many of the great mekubalim of the previous generation, may their merit
protect us. Rather than seeking publicity and profit, they did everything in their
power to keep their deeds hidden, concealing their true greatness. They literally fled
from honor, and refused to take money or gifts from anyone for any reason. This is a
striking contrast to the modern genre of would-be kabbalists, who eagerly pursue
any shred of publicity, and charge hefty sums for their blessings and good luck
charms. Their way is definitely, unquestionably wrong.
What sort of person can hope to achieve esoteric knowledge and aspire to the
level of Divine inspiration? We may say with absolute certainty that a tzaddik’s
reputation is not earned by means of eye-catching, mass-media advertising and the
adulation of the ignorant; it comes from within the bet midrash. The only way to
achieve esoteric knowledge and aspire to the level of Divine inspiration is by years of
strenuous, intensive toil in Torah and mitzvot. A “tzaddik” is the special, dedicated
Torah scholar and servant of G-d who labors diligently, learning and teaching Torah
day and night, has good middot, and despises worldly pleasures and luxuries, living
a life of humility and shunning any form of publicity. If he has these qualifications, it
is possible that he may also have spiritual powers from pure sources which enable
him to bring salvation to those in need. We know that there have been many great
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Torah scholars who, after years of exertion in Torah study and mitzvot, merited this
special spiritual capacity. However, they never cashed in on their powers. On the
contrary, they made every effort to camouflage and conceal them from the public
eye.
In our times, it has become popular to invent stories about “hidden tzaddikim”
(tzaddikim nistarim) whose incredible holiness is so cleverly disguised that they
appear to be totally void of Torah and mitzvot. Overall, their behavior seems quite
strange and unacceptable, until in a flash, everything suddenly becomes clear. Their
puzzling conduct is deemed to be an act, intended to fool everyone around them. In
short, they are none other than hidden tzaddikim, fabulously pious, but only in
private where no one sees and knows. These exotic characters are reputed to have
the power to work miracles for all and sundry.
This is a tragic error, and it surely is not the meaning of the words tzaddik nistar.
A true hidden tzaddik is one whose deeds are impeccably proper and correct, and is
in fact known to be a tzaddik. What is hidden is the full extent of his elevated
spiritual standing, which he makes every effort to conceal. Whatever people do know
about him is nothing compared to what he really is in private. Away from the public
eye, he conducts himself with meticulous piety even beyond the obligations of
halachah. In this sense, he is a hidden tzaddik – it is clear that he is dedicated to
Hashem and His Torah, but no one knows how great he truly is.
We find this concept in the verse, “And what is hidden is for Hashem our G-d, and
what is revealed is for us and our children forever, to fulfill all the words of this
Torah” (Devarim 29:28). In order to gauge a given individual’s spiritual level, we
must base ourselves on information that is “revealed to us and to our children, to
fulfill all the words of this Torah.” First and foremost, does he study and fulfill the
Torah? Then we know that he is a tzaddik. But “what is hidden is for Hashem our G-
d.” Only He can plumb the depths of man’s heart and mind, and He alone knows
who is a real mekubal, and from where his supra-natural powers are derived.
I can personally testify that many of today’s phony “tzaddikim” carefully spread
stories of astounding hidden saints in generations past, who supposedly did great
and tremendous things hidden under a cloak of crudity and ignorance. They have a
distinct interest in spreading these stories: they cover their own shortcomings by
suggesting that they too belong to this fascinating legion of hidden tzaddikim who,
sad to relate, never really existed.
True and False
To protect us from these and other imposters, the Torah warns us, “a prophet
from among you like me He will make available for you.” “Like me” means like
Moshe Rabbenu, who was first recognized as Hashem’s messenger by the nation’s
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elders. From the elders, the knowledge of Moshe’s greatness spread to the masses,
reaching the entire nation. The Torah says, “He will make available for you.” A leader
and prophet is established by the Al-mighty alone, and not through gossip leaked by
the media.
This unfortunate situation is a very great stumbling block in our times. The
boundaries of right and wrong, pure and impure, are blurred and vague. We no
longer know how to distinguish truly great people from unscrupulous liars and
fakers. Matters have gone so far that innocent and well-meaning people with
questions and problems will actually weigh the words of great Torah authorities
known for their piety and expertise in halachah against those of kabbalistic
charlatans, and they have a hard time deciding whom to believe...
Communities abroad have asked my opinion concerning visiting kabbalists
seeking permission to speak in public. I usually tell these communities that they
should insist on a preliminary condition. Before addressing the public at large, the
guest mekubal should deliver a learned discourse on the Talmudic topic currently
being studied in the local yeshivot and kollelim. If the Torah scholars give him their
stamp of approval, he can then speak for the ordinary laymen. In some instances,
the community did not understand why I insisted on this, and pleaded with me to
relent.
Using humor to make my point clear, I suggested that they remove their children
from the Torah schools and yeshivot, an idea which they obviously found quite
shocking. I explained by citing our Sages’ teaching that of a thousand students who
enter yeshivah to learn Scripture, one hundred will be able to go on to study
Mishnah. Of those hundred, ten will go on to learn Talmud, and of those ten, only
one will emerge a halachic authority (Kohelet Rabbah 7:49). It makes sense, then,
that to become the spiritual leader of his generation, a Torah student would have to
be not just one in a thousand, but one in a million. Even among the rare halachic
authorities, only the most outstanding will become the gadol hador. If that is the
case, I say to them, why put their children through the arduous route of years of
yeshivah study? The maximum they can achieve in the yeshivah system is to
become fine halachic authorities. On the other hand, if they don’t bother to learn
and know nothing at all, they can go much farther, and attain fame and fortune as
kabbalistic pseudo-prophets. Why deprive them of the honor and glory attained by
the ignorant?
How can we guard against contemporary false prophets? By following the Torah’s
clear guidelines: “Be wholehearted with Hashem your G-d.” Let us not be taken in by
shows of clairvoyance and so-called miracles. Who are these people claiming to be
holy tzaddikim possessed of special, miraculous powers? Are their deeds, middot,
and service of Hashem exemplary, or are they something considerably less? These
are the criteria which define piety and closeness to Hashem; not miracles and
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wonders. May Hashem grant us the wisdom and discernment to cleave to His truly
righteous servants so that we can learn from them how to grow in Torah and
mitzvot.
This essay contains divre Torah. Please treat it with proper respect.