Page 100 - issue
P. 100
says Rebbetzin Leah Kohn, a popular tain individual before he became well measured with a thermometer, but
Brooklyn-based teacher and lecturer, there is no way to test a stomachache.
about society’s desire for instant gratifi- known. I had received a kameya from So, too, a talmid chacham can be test-
cation. “It’s misrepresenting ed, but a kabbalist cannot.”
Yiddishkeit. The centrality of having a him for protection, which got lost.
relationship with Hashem, of just turn- The ArtScroll biography of Harav
ing to Hashem to daven, gets lost.” When I called him for a replacement, Ovadiah Yosef, zt”l, Maran Harav
Ovadiah, tells of a time when Harav
People want easy fixes for their prob- he wanted a lot of money. I was sur- Ovadiah once acquiesced to Rabbanit
lems, and the “mekubal” is only too Margalit’s request to summon a certain
happy to oblige, offering instant yeshu- prised. He said that he had a business mekubal, who had a reputation for
os that don’t demand any real change being able to look at the mezuzos in
on their part. And when the promised advisor now and that he didn’t do it the house in order to determine the
salvation doesn’t arrive despite the source of the family’s problems. The
donation, when the patient succumbs anymore for free.” man noticed that one mezuza was full
to his illness despite the mystical of moisture and asked if someone in
amulet or when the estranged child How can we tell a holy man from a the family had rheumatism. Harav
doesn’t return home despite the can- Ovadiah said he did. The mekubal then
dles lit, “it can be disastrous,” says charlatan? asked if there was a cross in the house.
Rebbetzin Kohn. When Harav Ovadiah replied that he
Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlita, the had received a medallion from the king
Students of various ages and back- author of Faith and Folly, a translation of Spain that had a cross as part of the
grounds have shared with her devastat- of the sefer Tamim Tiheyeh, and head coat of arms, the “mekubal” advised
ing accounts of going to people who of the highly acclaimed institutions of him to destroy it.
made all kinds of promises to them.
“People can really lose emuna in Ahavat Shalom, advises that people Suddenly, Harav Ovadiah sum-
tzadikim. It creates a real crisis.” moned his son and asked him a ques-
looking for someone to give them a tion in learning. After Rav Dovid gave
True or False: Getting It Right his answer, Harav Ovadiah asked the
“Our family used to be close to a cer- bracha should first look for a talmid mekubal for his opinion, at which point
chacham, one reason being that one
cannot understand Kabbala without
first being a distinguished talmid
chacham. And while it is difficult to
assess whether a person is truly knowl-
edgeable in Kabbala, Torah scholarship
can be evaluated.
“The difference between a mekubal
and a talmid chacham is like the differ-
ence between a stomachache and a
fever,” says Rav Hillel. “Fever can be
4Do4n’3t P-a2ni1c! C3a-ll1At8la0nt0ic!
www.atlantic-mechanical.com
PLUMBING REPAIRSAutograph • 410-585-1513
DRAIN CLEANING
Autograph • 410-585-1513
SEWER/WATER REPLACEMENTS
SEWER CAMERA SERVICE
SUMP PUMP SERVICES
LAUNDRY TUB REPLACEMENTS
GARBAGE DISPOSALS
REMODELING
SHOMER SHABBOS • LICENSED & INSURED • SAME DAY SERVICE
MD Master Plumber/Gas Fitter License #8725
92 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
Brooklyn-based teacher and lecturer, there is no way to test a stomachache.
about society’s desire for instant gratifi- known. I had received a kameya from So, too, a talmid chacham can be test-
cation. “It’s misrepresenting ed, but a kabbalist cannot.”
Yiddishkeit. The centrality of having a him for protection, which got lost.
relationship with Hashem, of just turn- The ArtScroll biography of Harav
ing to Hashem to daven, gets lost.” When I called him for a replacement, Ovadiah Yosef, zt”l, Maran Harav
Ovadiah, tells of a time when Harav
People want easy fixes for their prob- he wanted a lot of money. I was sur- Ovadiah once acquiesced to Rabbanit
lems, and the “mekubal” is only too Margalit’s request to summon a certain
happy to oblige, offering instant yeshu- prised. He said that he had a business mekubal, who had a reputation for
os that don’t demand any real change being able to look at the mezuzos in
on their part. And when the promised advisor now and that he didn’t do it the house in order to determine the
salvation doesn’t arrive despite the source of the family’s problems. The
donation, when the patient succumbs anymore for free.” man noticed that one mezuza was full
to his illness despite the mystical of moisture and asked if someone in
amulet or when the estranged child How can we tell a holy man from a the family had rheumatism. Harav
doesn’t return home despite the can- Ovadiah said he did. The mekubal then
dles lit, “it can be disastrous,” says charlatan? asked if there was a cross in the house.
Rebbetzin Kohn. When Harav Ovadiah replied that he
Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlita, the had received a medallion from the king
Students of various ages and back- author of Faith and Folly, a translation of Spain that had a cross as part of the
grounds have shared with her devastat- of the sefer Tamim Tiheyeh, and head coat of arms, the “mekubal” advised
ing accounts of going to people who of the highly acclaimed institutions of him to destroy it.
made all kinds of promises to them.
“People can really lose emuna in Ahavat Shalom, advises that people Suddenly, Harav Ovadiah sum-
tzadikim. It creates a real crisis.” moned his son and asked him a ques-
looking for someone to give them a tion in learning. After Rav Dovid gave
True or False: Getting It Right his answer, Harav Ovadiah asked the
“Our family used to be close to a cer- bracha should first look for a talmid mekubal for his opinion, at which point
chacham, one reason being that one
cannot understand Kabbala without
first being a distinguished talmid
chacham. And while it is difficult to
assess whether a person is truly knowl-
edgeable in Kabbala, Torah scholarship
can be evaluated.
“The difference between a mekubal
and a talmid chacham is like the differ-
ence between a stomachache and a
fever,” says Rav Hillel. “Fever can be
4Do4n’3t P-a2ni1c! C3a-ll1At8la0nt0ic!
www.atlantic-mechanical.com
PLUMBING REPAIRSAutograph • 410-585-1513
DRAIN CLEANING
Autograph • 410-585-1513
SEWER/WATER REPLACEMENTS
SEWER CAMERA SERVICE
SUMP PUMP SERVICES
LAUNDRY TUB REPLACEMENTS
GARBAGE DISPOSALS
REMODELING
SHOMER SHABBOS • LICENSED & INSURED • SAME DAY SERVICE
MD Master Plumber/Gas Fitter License #8725
92 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
