Why Are Gedolim So Important to Be from Our Mesorah?

The Jewish people have always walked through history with a guiding hand in every generation. That hand is the Gadol HaDor—the leading Torah sage of the time, a man shaped entirely by the Torah and who, in turn, shapes the Torah world through clarity, humility, and unwavering fealty to the mesorah.

But what exactly defines a Gadol?

And can someone be considered a Gadol if their teachings stand outside the tradition?

And what about those who mock or speak against our Torah leaders—what does the Torah say about that?

Let’s walk through this slowly and thoroughly.

What Makes Someone a Gadol?

A true Gadol b’Yisrael is not just a brilliant mind. He’s not simply eloquent or inspiring or socially influential.

A Gadol is someone who:

• Is completely immersed in Torah—day and night, heart and soul;
• Is totally loyal to the chain of mesorah;
• Has refined middos, yiras Shamayim, and daas Torah;
• Is recognized by other Gedolim and the Torah world as an authentic source of halacha and hashkafa.

“The wisdom of a person will shine upon his face” (Koheles 8:1)—Chazal say this refers to talmidei chachamim who have the light of Torah radiating from them.

The Rambam (Hilchos Talmud Torah 5:1) says a true Torah sage must be humble, fearful of sin, not greedy, and committed to truth—or he’s pasul from leadership.

And most of all, he must be part of the unbroken chain that began at Har Sinai. If he teaches ideas or paths not rooted in the Torah of the previous generations, then—no matter how wise or well-meaning—he cannot be considered a Gadol within the world of Torah.

Can Someone Be a Gadol Outside the Mesorah?

The answer is no.

Judaism is not a religion of innovation—it is a faith of preservation. The Mishna says (Avos 1:1):

“Moshe received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it…”

There is no room for “Torah thinkers” who break from the tradition. The Brisker Rav said:

“The Torah is not a violin to be played to your own tune.”

Even if a person knows Shas and poskim, if they reject the guidance of the previous generation, reinterpret Chazal to fit modern ideologies, or invent new spiritual systems—they cannot be Gedolim in the Torah sense.

This is why the Charedi world does not consider thinkers who blend secular philosophy, Zionist nationalism, or modern ethics with Torah—without full mesorah support—as Gedolim. We can respect their intentions, even acknowledge their knowledge, but we do not accept them as part of our mesorah.

As Rav Shach zt”l once said:

“The question is not: how brilliant is he? The question is: from where did he receive his Torah?”

Why Is It So Dangerous to Mock or Dismiss Gedolim?

To mock a true Gadol is not a personal insult. It is an attack on the Torah itself.

The Gemara (Sanhedrin 99b) says:

“Ha’loreg l’sonei Yisrael et ha’talmid chacham—like one who murders the Torah itself.”

And the Midrash (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:2) teaches:

“One who insults a talmid chacham has no portion in Olam Haba.”

Why?

Because Torah doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It is carried in the hearts of the Chachmei HaTorah, who live it, breathe it, and transmit it.

To mock a Gadol is to:

• Weaken the voice of the Torah in the eyes of the people;
• Create a chillul Hashem, especially when done publicly;
• Cause others to question the very foundation of halacha and emunah.

Rav Chaim Volozhiner zt”l in Ruach Chaim explains that this sin is especially severe because it removes the protection that talmidei chachamim bring to the generation.

What Is the Halachic Status and Punishment of Mocking Gedolim?

Halachically, mocking a talmid chacham falls under several serious issurim:

• Lo Sonu – Do not aggrieve one another (Vayikra 25:17)
• Lo Sekalel Nasi Be’amecha – Do not curse a Torah leader (Shemos 22:27)
• Chillul Hashem – Public degradation of Torah is a desecration of Hashem’s Name
• Avak Lashon Hara – Even implying criticism of a Gadol is prohibited

The Rambam (Hilchos Talmud Torah 6:11) says that those who degrade a Torah scholar have no share in the World to Come unless they do full teshuvah and publicly retract their words.

The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 243:6) rules that it is forbidden even to argue disrespectfully with a talmid chacham, let alone mock or shame him.

What About Today—When Everyone Has a Platform?

In earlier generations, the people who challenged Gedolim were often fringe ideologues. But today, with social media, podcasts, Substacks, blogs, and WhatsApp voice notes, it seems that anyone with an internet connection and a confident voice suddenly becomes a self-declared "truth-teller.” They dress up their words with phrases like “accountability” or “integrity,” but make no mistake: many of them are the modern-day mockers of Torah leadership.

They claim to “just be asking questions,” but they often sow doubt, scorn, and cynicism toward our Gedolim, our yeshivos, our chassidishe courts, and the entire mesorah of Klal Yisrael. They are not defenders of truth. They are destroyers of respect. They uplift themselves by tearing others down. And even if they keep Shabbos, eat mehadrin hechsherim, and speak “in the name of concern,” their words are poison when they dishonor those who carry the Torah’s voice.

And it's not just Gedolim they attack. It's any Jew who stands proudly with the mesorah—whether it's a Charedi avreich learning in kollel, a Bais Yaakov girl dressing with kedushah, or a rebbi teaching old-fashioned emunah. These mockers call us "backwards," "primitive," or "out of touch"—but in truth, it is they who have veered off course, and those clinging to the Torah's eternal values who are truly walking the path of righteousness.

The world may glorify the rebels, the bloggers, and the bold voices who “speak truth to power.” But Chazal tell us: “Mi she’boish min ha’chachamim, sofo l’hipared min haTorah.” One who shames the sages will eventually lose the Torah itself.

What should we do about them? At the very least, we ignore them. But when needed, we call them out. Respectfully, but firmly. Because silence in the face of mockery is not humility—it is complicity.

Let us not be fooled: Torah does not change on Twitter. Halacha is not reshaped by headlines. Emes is not determined by who edits their video best. Truth lives in the mouths of the Chachmei HaTorah—and our job is to guard that truth, even when it’s not trendy, even when it’s not popular.

Sources & Footnotes

1. Avos 1:1 – “Moshe received the Torah from Sinai…”
2. Rambam, Hilchos Talmud Torah 5:1 – Qualifications of a Torah sage
3. Sanhedrin 99b – “One who mocks a talmid chacham is like one who murders.”
4. Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:2 – Loss of Olam Haba for degrading sages
5. Rambam, Hilchos Talmud Torah 6:11 – Teshuvah requirement for those who shame talmidei chachamim
6. Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 243:6 – Laws of honoring a rebbi and Gadol
7. Rav Chaim Volozhiner, Ruach Chaim – On the role of Gedolim in protecting the generation
8. Rav Shach, Michtavim uMaamarim – Emphasizing that daas Torah depends on mesorah, not personal brilliance
9. Rav Elchonon Wasserman, Kovetz Maamarim – On the danger of mocking Torah leaders and empowering secular ideologies