TRUE STORY: A Holocaust survivor was so happy with the many Nissim he was Zoche to during the war. He went around to all the Gedolim and Admorim for Brachos, that he should have a future good life... until he came to one world-famous leader who wouldn’t give him a Bracha. He said that “soon there won’t be any Hashem in your life, since all you rely on is Admorim and Gedolim. Instead, learn Chovos Halvavos. Then, you’ll have Hashem Himself!”
It is interesting to note that this particular leader is admired to the extreme by his followers, and is severely criticized as going along with the stupidity that he is Mamash an Avoda Zara. Of all people, he was the one who was against getting carried away with the Kavod of Talmidei Chachomim and the Kavod of Admorim, since you forget Hashem, Chas V'shalom.
Believe it or not, you can turn any Adam Gadol into an Avoda Zara, if you forget that every inch of this person is only the work of Hashem.
