Charismatic Personality and Halachah part 8

How is one to know if a charismatic figure is legitimate or a fake? One excellent guideline, widely publicized during the era of cults in the 1970s and 1980s, is that a religion differs from a cult primarily in that a religion empowers, and a cult disempowers. If a charismatic figure tries to micromanage your life, control your finances, pressure you to cut ties of family and friendship, you are in the wrong place. Next, in the case of Jewish charismatic figures, if you witness non-halachic behavior from the cult leader, run.. Once again, I will take aim at those who are so afraid to speak or hear lashon hara, that they let molestation and other crimes go unreported. I know of thousands of people who refuse to believe the sworn testimony, both in Beit Din and Civil Court, of women who have been abused by a certain Jerusalem figure. Most of his many followers refuse to believe, seeing the reports as a "test" of their faith. These followers bear full responsibility for those yet to be abused. Please, if you see something, say something. If you hear something, believe the victim. Err on the side of caution. I wish I had believed the rumors about Carlebach before my disastrous first marriage. If a "rabbi" talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk, you are once again in the wrong place. There have been several cases in the last few years of supposedly Orthodox rabbis who cheated on their wives with married congregants. Their congregations decided nevertheless to retain these men! This is like drinking water out of a toilet. It looks like Torah, sounds like Torah, but it is a deception. Best of all, is the advice of Rabbi Nachman, as interpreted by Rabbi Natan. Rabbi Nachman taught that a spiritual leader is like a rubber stamp; you can't read it until it is imprinted on something else. Thus, a leader may really be known only through the conduct of his students. Rabbi Natan connects this with the teaching in Ethics of the Fathers, "What are the differences between the disciples our father Avraham, and the disciples of the wicked Bilaam?" Why mention the disciples? Why not just say "Avraham and Bilaam"? He answers that had we met both, we couldn't tell the difference. Both prayed, offered sacrifice, and performed miracles. The difference can be seen only in the students! May HaShem guide us to proper, holy leaders, and make us worthy of bearing their imprint!