The Ego of the Scholar: Your Greatest Deeds Must Bow to the Miracle of Adar
By Shuva Israel
February 17, 2026
ASHOD / JERUSALEM — In the quiet moments before the roar of the Hebrew month of Adar begins, Rabbi Moshe Pinto sat before a gathering of the faithful, his voice carrying the weight of a lineage defined by both mystical rigor and profound humility. For the followers of the Shuva Israel community and its leader, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, the transition into this month is not merely a change of the calendar; it is a seismic shift in the spiritual atmosphere.
“We do not go to events just to eat and drink,” Rabbi Moshe Pinto began, his words cutting through the mundane expectations of a festive season. “We are here for one purpose: to renew ourselves in the light of the Torah.”
But as the Rabbi delved into the legal intricacies of the upcoming Purim holiday, he presented a paradox that challenges the very foundations of religious identity. In a world that prizes achievement and “merit,” the Rabbi’s message was a radical call to spiritual ego-dissolution.
The Hierarchy of Holiness
Drawing from the Talmud in Tractate Megillah, Rabbi Pinto posed a question that seems, on the surface, to be a matter of dry legal prioritization. If a person is faced with two conflicting obligations, which one takes precedence?
The contenders are heavyweights: the Avodah (the sacrificial service in the Holy Temple, which sustains the metaphysical existence of the world) and Talmud Torah (the study of Torah, which provides the blueprint for creation).
“The Gemara deliberates,” the Rabbi explained. “What comes first? The Priest performing the service that brings G-d’s light into the world, or the Scholar whose every word of study prevents the universe from collapsing?”
The answer, surprisingly, is neither. The Talmud rules that both the Temple service and the study of Torah must be halted for the reading of the Megillah—the Scroll of Esther.
The Trap of Spiritual Merit
To the uninitiated, this might seem like a simple ritualistic preference. But Rabbi Pinto’s analysis went deeper, touching on the psychology of the believer.
Temple service and Torah study represent the peak of human achievement. When a person studies or serves, they feel a sense of “rightness.” They feel they have earned their place. They are, as the Rabbi noted, “the pillars upon which the world rests.”
“But Adar teaches us something different,” Rabbi Pinto said. “The Purim story did not happen because the Jewish people were perfect. In that generation, they had stumbled. They had no merit to claim. They simply turned to the Almighty and cried out for mercy. They recognized that they had nothing of their own.”
By forcing the Scholar to close his book and the Priest to leave the Altar to hear the Megillah, the Law is making a profound statement: Your merits do not define your relationship with G-d. Your recognition of His hidden miracles does.
The Kotzker and the Chozeh: A Lesson in Truth
To illustrate this tension between miraculous “luck” and intellectual labor, Rabbi Pinto invoked a legendary encounter between two giants of the Hasidic world: The Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin and the young, fiery Kotzker Rebbe.
The Chozeh was known for his supernatural vision—his ability to see from one end of the world to the other. But when the young Kotzker arrived, he was unimpressed by the miracles.
“You think you can buy me with wonders? With Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration)?” the Kotzker famously challenged. “I am looking for Truth. I am looking for Torah.”
This, Rabbi Pinto explained, is the balance the Shuva Israel community strives for. While we recognize the “Mazal” (luck) of Adar that “overpowers” our enemies, we must never become “spiritual consumers” looking only for miracles. We must be seekers of a “Pure Torah”—a Torah that remains humble even when it reaches the heavens.
A New Way for a New Month
As the month of Adar enters, the Rabbi’s message to the followers of Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto is clear: The “Holy Way” (Haderech Hakdosha) is not paved with the arrogance of the righteous, but with the gratitude of the rescued.
“A person must know their value—that they are higher than any title or spiritual degree,” Rabbi Pinto concluded. “But they must also know that everything—every word of Torah, every prayer—is a gift of grace from the Creator.”
The Rabbi closed the session with a heartfelt blessing for the community, specifically naming pillars of the movement like Ron Tzvi and his family, invoking a month of “blessing, joy, and immense success.”
In the world of Shuva Israel, the joy of Adar isn’t found in what we have accomplished, but in the realization that, despite our flaws, the King is still reading us His story.
