He went on to explain that there are people who appear to reveal personal or supernatural knowledge, but their power comes from impure sources:
“We’ve seen people who came to us, who knew things – things that show you they’re not regular people, that they can play with your mind and tell you things. We are very, very strong when it comes to thoughts, and they knew things. They knew things – this, this, this – things. And this is the power of the Sitra Achra. The power of the Sitra Achra. These kinds of things.”
“A person must say: ‘There is nothing besides Him.’ And it is forbidden to benefit from [those sources], forbidden to accept anything from them. Forbidden, forbidden, forbidden. Forbidden.”
According to Rabbi Pinto, even when someone appears to offer helpful assistance, if it comes from an impure or non-divine source, it must be rejected outright:
“Even if you can go to someone who will help you with something, it’s better to stay with the problem than to accept help from such a thing, which goes against the Holy One, Blessed be He. Which is from the Sitra Achra.”
He concluded by referring to ancient prophets who chose not to use divine names to save themselves, preferring to die rather than misuse holy powers:
“There were prophets who could have saved themselves using holy names – and they preferred to die rather than use those names.”
