Living Torah Archives

There is a long standing edict that in every Jewish community – without exception – there be one person who acts as the community’s Chasidic mentor, before whom the people can pour out their spiritual ailments, and whose task it is to guide others in the ways of Chasidism and provide each one with an individualized path in the service of G-d.

When Moses refused to offer an answer to a question—and why.

Torah instructs: “Provide yourself with a mentor.” But how does one know who to choose as a spiritual guide? The Talmud Tractate Berachos teaches: “A mentor must be like an angel of G-d”. In his code of Jewish law, Maimonides offers a clue to the conduct of an angel: He describes the future world, “when there will be no envy, rivalry, war or hatred,” and concludes: “At that time the righteous will resemble the Ministering Angels.” So to resemble an angel of G-d means, to be free of the corruptions of one’s body.