I want to tell you a story I heard from Mitpachat Sefarim, a collection of stories and accounts. This particular one involves Rabbi Pinchas Yoshev Ohel, a Torah scholar from Krakow, may his memory be a blessing. He himself had a run-in with a heretic, someone referred to as Eivshitzar – may his name be erased, a pretty strong condemnation, right? Apparently, this Eivshitzar even tried to deceive Rabbi Pinchas with flattering words, attempting to lure him into his "accursed sect."
But the story really heats up when we move to Prague, specifically to the Gaon Meir of Broda Yeshiva. It was during this time that a notorious apostate – the cursed Chaim Malach – rose up. Now, this Chaim Malach had the audacity to demand that Rabbi Hillel, the head of the Yeshiva, send him some of the wisest men, scholars deeply knowledgeable in Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), to debate him on matters of faith. Can you imagine the nerve?
Rabbi Hillel, peace be upon his soul, agreed. He chose two of his most brilliant scholars, sharp minds well-versed in the teachings of the Zohar (the foundational text of Kabbalah) and Kabbalah itself: Rabbi Yonah Landes Sofer and Rabbi Moshe Chasid, may their souls rest in peace. These were pious and outstanding individuals, the best of the best.
So, they journeyed to meet this "aimless species" – that's how the text refers to Eivshitzar. They spent days, maybe even two weeks, locked in intense discussions and debates. But here's the heartbreaking part: they were seduced by his fallacies. They couldn’t find any substantial rebuttals.
They were stumped.
Their response? "Let us fix a date," they said, "and when we return home, we'll review everything, examine the evidence he presented from the Zohar, and then we can refute his false faith." Promising to study the texts and bring forth a solid argument later.
But when they returned to Prague, to the rabbi who had sent them, they were filled with distress and anguish. Rabbi Hillel was understandably furious. They hadn't been able to answer the heretic! They immediately blamed themselves, lamenting that they "did not place a muzzle on the mouth of the enemy of God." They hadn't been able to respond in the moment.
And Eivshitzar? He reveled in it. He boasted of his victory over the wise men of Israel, claiming that he had silenced them. A dark day, indeed.
This story, though short, offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by those who defend their faith. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? How would you fare in such a situation? How prepared are we to articulate and defend what we believe, especially when confronted with challenging arguments?