Rabbi Pinto: A Rabbi who fuels conflict is not a Rabbi

In his latest lecture, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto addressed the phenomenon of individuals who label themselves as rabbis but fail to live up to the responsibilities of the title. “A rabbi who fuels conflicts, who stirs up flames here and there, and spends all day on trivial matters – he is not a rabbi,” the rabbi declared emphatically.

He added, “Someone who claims to be a rabbi but is not, will they eventually become a real rabbi? Today, we see many such individuals. They rely on some small ancestral merit, put on a hat, and suddenly they’re ‘spiritual leaders.’ They spend their days on trivialities and conflicts, igniting flames everywhere. They are not rabbis. Will they ever truly become rabbis?”

Rabbi Pinto elaborated on the power of words and their impact on a person: “Anyone who says they are poor but are not, will not leave this world until they become poor. Anyone who claims they are sick but are not, will not leave this world until they become sick. Whatever you declare that you are not, in the end, it will become true for you.”

The rabbi also sharply criticized those who exploit their title for financial gain: “We never truly understand the difference between someone who breaks into a house to steal money and someone who pretends to be a rabbi to deceive people. What’s the difference? It’s easier to break into a house and steal money than to steal people’s trust and faith.”

This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel