This week's Torah reading warns against the false prophet: A Jew, sent by G-d, who accurately predicts the future, seems to be a holy and even does miracles but tries to take Jews away from the commandments.
And the Torah tells us that the REASON G-d does such a thing is; "To test us in order to know if we really love G-d with all our hearts and souls!!" (13:4)
At first glance this makes no sense. Why would G-d give someone supernatural powers only to tempt the Jews to sin? Don’t the Jews have enough problems as it is with anti-Semitism, poverty, politics and more? Why a false prophet?
And why does He have to test us? Surely G-d knows everything, including our motivations, without tests.
To understand this, here is a story that occurred some 300 years ago involving the famous Holy Mahara'l of Prague (Rabbi Yehuda Levai) (Niflaot MaHaRal in HaChozrim B'Tshuva, Klapholtz pg. 216)
The Mahara'l was a direct descendent of King David and was not only a genius in all aspects of Torah and science he was even able to do miracles as did the wise men of the Talmud, among them to actually create a Golem, a semi-human being, by use of Kabala. (Sanhedrin 65b)
Our story begins in a city near Prague as Raizel the young daughter of a rich Jewish wine merchant, was standing behind the counter of her father's wine store while he was away on a long business trip.
Little did she know that the local Bishop, a wickedly intelligent man with an unquenchable lust for power and a deep hatred for the Jews, had an obsession to convert her.
He had been watching her and scheming for almost two years. An expert in human character his patience finally paid off when he discovered Raizel's weakness... flattery. She blushed at even the slightest praise.
He began to buy large consignments of wine from her father and pay at the end of every month in full. Eventually, when her father, Reb Michael, went on a business trip, he, instead of paying, sent a note to her saying that there was a mistake in the transaction which he had to discuss with her in person before he could pay.
She sent a messenger back with all of the receipts that he himself had signed to prove there was no mistake ... but he replied that that several of the cases she sent were vinegar rather than wine and she could come herself to check. He assured her he would remove all the religious icons and statues in his home so as not to offend her religion. But it could only be settled face to face.
Raizel had no choice but to comply. A lot of money was involved and the bishop could just refuse to pay if he wanted.
When she arrived at his mansion, she discovered that not only had he removed all the religious symbols, even the one hanging around his neck, but he was surprisingly hospitable, pleasant and ... flattering.
After checking the bottles in question and realizing he had made a 'mistake' he feigned surprise and embarrassment, paid in full and even added a large penalty for his 'foolishness'.
Meanwhile they conversed and Raizel began to enjoy someone who seemed to really appreciate everything she said. She had never received such attention and she liked it. He also casually included in his pleasantries, occasional, by-the-way mentions of hell and salvation she never heard of.
Eventually their conversation ended, she thanked him for his hospitality and he was careful to offer her an invitation to return.
After she returned home poor Raizel couldn't stop thinking about his invitation. She felt empty without his praises, and his ideas of eternal damnation made her worry that perhaps she really was a sinner and only he could save her. This led her to find all sorts of excuses to see the bishop without her parents It suspecting a thing.
Several months later she left home altogether
When her parents discovered she was gone they notified the police and set the entire town to the search and when they discovered the bitter truth they were broken. Their only hope was their local Rabbi the great Rabbi Yaakov Gintzberg of Friedberg. But when he heard their story he trembled in fear and said the only man that had the power to stand against the evil Bishop was the Mahara'l of Prague.
Meanwhile in his mansion, with Raizel under his spell, the bishop continued his plan of total control over.
The ultimate authority in Prague, the diocese of the bishop, was a Duke who, up till now, had been a bone in the bishop’s throat and kept him from doing whatever he wanted. Now, with the girl in his control, the bishop was sure he could also control the duke.
He approached the Duke, told him of the new 'potential female convert' and began to praise and speak of her in such superlative terms that the duke agreed to let his son meet her.
Sure enough, a week later when they met it was, unfortunately, love at first sight. She was like a breath of fresh air for his son (who was the Duke-to-be) and she saw in him a type of royalty she found captivating. That week they met several more times until, with the urging and 'blessing' of the bishop, they decided to marry.
She agreed that in one week she would change her religion and two weeks thereafter to marry into a life of luxury and royalty. Only a miracle could help.
When the Mahara'l heard all this he, at first, refused. Opposing the Bishop and the Duke as well could mean death and destruction for not only himself but the entire Jewish community but Raizel's father begged and her mother wept until the Rabbi finally agreed. He would activate the ‘golem’.
He gave Raizel’s parents detailed instructions. They had to fast for three days in a row, having only a piece of bread and a glass of water at night and all this time they had to say Psalms non-stop with tears and supplication to G-d for mercy.
In addition, they had to prepare a light carriage with two swift horses, a trained driver with two strong young men to assist him to find a place far from Prague where their daughter, if he succeeded in wrenching her from the clutches of the Bishop, could live incognito.
It was mission semi-impossible. First, she had to be convinced to forget about leaving Judaism. Then she had to be weaned away from the spell and flattery of the bishop as well as the wealth and attention of Duke's son. But to top it all off, the bishop had put her in a room in the top of a tower with a heavy guard at the door to make sure no one would get to her.
But miracles began to happen.
On the third night of her parent's fast Raizel had a dream: Her departed grandfather appeared to her weeping and begged her not to leave the religion of her forefathers that millions of Jews sacrificed their lives for and assured her that in just moments someone would come to save her.
She woke with a sweat and began to weep. Suddenly she realized how far she had fallen, but how could she leave? She was startled by a light tapping at the window and opened the window drapes to see the huge face of a huge man who was clinging to the bricks that jutted from the wall... it was the 'Golem'; the humanoid created by the Mahara'l for saving Jews that could do everything human but speak. He must have climbed up five stories of sheer wall!
He had been had been wandering the castle grounds the entire day searching for her until he noticed the window and began his climb. According to the story he remained unnoticed all this time due to a magical amulet hung around his neck by the Mahara'l.
She opened the window, he climbed in, opened a large canvas sack before her and handed her a note which said. "The bishop has gone for a week to an important meeting. If you want to return to the G-d of your fathers get into the sack and have no fear."
She entered the sack, he flung it over his back, exited though the window, descended the wall and fled with her into the night, In less than an hour she was knocking at her parent's door.
Her parent's joy was boundless but at the same time they had to move quickly. The bishop’s men could be searching for her even though it was three in the morning. They kissed their daughter goodbye, put her in the carriage they had prepared and many days and many harrowing episodes later she arrived in a distant but safe place.
Meanwhile, back in the bishop’s castle, the next morning the guard at Raizel's door opened to bring her food and saw she was gone. He knew he had to act quickly or the bishop would have him killed for not guarding her. He left the castle, changed clothes, ran to the local graveyard and when he was certain that no one was watching, dug up a skeleton, put the bones in a large sack, returned to Raizel’s room put them in her bed and lit the room afire. By the time help arrived all that was left was ashes and bones. Raizel, apparently, had burned to death.
The next day when the bishop arrived and heard the terrible news, he suspected everyone especially the guard, but with no proof had to keep quiet and wait for evidence.... which never came.
The duke's son, however, did not take the news of her death so easily. His heart was broken and he fell into a deep melancholy. His father brought the best doctors and experts to no avail and even the bishop had no idea what to do except to send him far from home to relax.
The duke sent his son to friends in Venice hoping the open sea, new climate and friendly people would have a calming effect. In fact, after several weeks it did; but in an unexpected way. When his mind cleared and he began to think more deeply about it, the idea suddenly occurred to him to learn about ‘departed’ Raizel's religion; Judaism;
He found a Rabbi in Venice to talk to, asked questions, learned Hebrew and began to realize that the sentences of the Bible had different meanings than he had been taught.
It wasn't long before he began inquiring about conversion which in Italy, the very heart of the Church, could spell death to him and all the rabbis involved.
His Rabbi suggested that the only place for him was Amsterdam. There he could find many great Rabbis to teach him, no one would know who he was and he could even convert if he so desired. He gave him a letter of recommendation to several of his rabbi friends and the young man set off.
One year later the duke's son actually converted, changed his name to Avraham Yeshurun and became such a Talmudic scholar that many wealthy Jews actually sought him as a potential match for their daughters but none of the girls really found favor in his eyes.
Until one day it was suggested to him to meet a young girl from a similar background as his; fleeing from her past, estranged from her parents a sort-of convert and a stranger in Amsterdam.
A meeting was arranged and it took him almost an hour to realize that this was the very Raizel who he was sure had burnt to death! It seems that the safe place her father arranged for her was at the home of his brother ..... in Amsterdam!
Several years and several children later Avraham Yeshurun, the duke's son heard two things through the grapevine; first, that his father had passed away and (not aware that he had converted) left everything to him and second, that the evil Bishop had also died and he could return to Prague with no fear or worry.
When they arrived back home the happiness of Raizel's parents was unimaginable as was that of all the Jews in the area when the new duke announced that unlike his father, he would give charity, help the sick and poor Jew and gentile alike and would encourage Torah learning and prayer.
Raizel's parents lived to a ripe age and when they passed away Avraham Yeshurun decided to transform their home into synagogue which is called 'Bait HaMidrash Yeshurun' in Prague to this very day.
All this thanks to the miraculous intervention of Rabbi Yehuda Levai; the Maharal of Prague and the mercy of HaShem (G-d).
This answers our question; why would G-d send a false prophet?
The reason G-d created the world is so that we should improve it and make it into a 'Holy Temple' (which will be completed by Moshiach).
But to do this we must know how to deal with EVERY aspect of the creation.... even evil.
And one of the biggest and most tempting evils, indeed the source of all evil, is idolatry. (Avoda Zara, lit; Improper Service)
In its essence, idolatry means feeling there is an authority other than the Creator.... even ourselves.
So following our own urges and feelings can be spiritual idolatry and eventually it can bring to actual Avoda Zara. As we see that when the Jews worshipped the Golden Calf because they felt it was right, despite knowing it was wrong.
And so it continued until the First and Second Temples were destroyed till this very day as the Jews are dispersed around the world.
Because human nature is often the exact opposite of what the Creator wants.
And that is why G-d sends tempting, convincing, false prophets that do miracles. Not so that HE should know,,,,,,, but rather that WE should 'KNOW' (Like Adam KNEW his wife. See Tanya end of Chapter 3) i.e. connect to G-d with a love that can withstand all urges to defy the Torah.
As we saw from the duke’s son and Raizel in our story; when they realized how good the Creator and His Torah is it gave them the power to resist temptations of idolatry, riches and power.
This is the reason why it is so important to learn the teachings of Chabad 'Chassidut', (see your local Chabad House for details). Because there you can find ideas to inspire and put meaning, joy and blessing in your life to KNOW G-d and transform the world around us.
And so it will be with the arrival of Moshiach. He will strengthen the Jewish people and the entire world in the awareness of G-d and His Torah in joy, blessing and meaning.
And the Lubavitcher Rebbe says this should happen at any moment. We are standing on the merits of thousands of years of Jewish hopes, prayers and suffering. Now it could be that just one more good deed, word or even thought can bring ... Moshiach NOW!!
Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad, Israel
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