Exiled by Men Who 'Speak for G-D'

by Ram ben Ze'ev

Exiled by Men Who 'Speak for G-D'

As our community around the globe seeks forgiveness from G-D, it is a grave error to believe that any individual or group possesses the authority to speak on behalf of the Creator. It is written in the תורה (Torah - teaching) that truth and judgment belong to G-D alone, and no man, no matter his title or learning, can claim such power without risking the most severe judgment.

There are those who, cloaked in authority, take it upon themselves to exclude, to condemn, and to exile others from the sacred community of ישראל (Yisrael - Israel) based on their own flawed perceptions. They mistake their limited understanding for divine wisdom. In doing so, they transgress the essence of הלכה (halakhah - Jewish law), which teaches that every soul is beloved before G-D and that matters of Jewish identity must be approached with humility, patience, and truthfulness.

The ספר הזוהר (Sefer HaZohar - Book of Splendour), the Holy Zohar, warns of those who, under the guise of piety, commit grave sins by judging others harshly and without compassion. It teaches that one who humiliates or rejects a fellow Jew without cause is likened to one who spills blood. Such actions cut off the flow of Divine mercy not only from the victim but also from the perpetrator himself.

Throughout history, those who claimed to "speak for G-D" often veered into idolatry, exalting themselves rather than the Name of the Almighty. True judgment, as taught by the תורה (Torah - teaching) and illuminated by the ספר הזוהר (Sefer HaZohar - Book of Splendour), must be rooted in righteousness, love, and the fear of Heaven — not in pride, politics, or personal ambition.

To exile a Jew without sufficient cause, to deny their birthright without clear and overwhelming evidence, is to oppose the very הלכה (halakhah - Jewish law) one claims to defend. It is an act that echoes the sins of those who build golden calves — worshipping their own interpretations rather than cleaving to the Will of HaShem.

There is a heavy accounting for those who misuse their position to judge unjustly. The gates of תשובה (teshuvah - repentance) are always open, but for such crimes against Heaven and against one's fellow man, the path is steep and narrow.

May we all be guarded from arrogance, and may we seek always to judge with righteousness, humility, and compassion, lest we find ourselves exiled not by men, but by the Hand of HaShem Himself.

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Bill White (Ram ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews Limited, Mayside Partners Limited, MEADHANAN Agency, Kestrel Assets Limited, SpudsToGo Limited and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue.