Jews do not just follow orders. We follow Hashem. We engage in critical thinking. We put every instruction by every person under serious scrutiny, and if something is off we do not obey. We are expected to know if something is off – especially when they make it so easy for us by trampling all over the Torah and tradition.
A Jew will never get closer to Hashem by blindly following someone without engaging in critical thinking. At the very best he will be unwittingly doing the right thing like a monkey. Not only does this path impede a connection with Hashem, it will inevitably lead him away from a true connection with Hashem, which must always be personal.
A rabbi is a guide to aid one in his personal journey to connect with Hashem, not the actual destination, nor a substitute for the taking the personal journey. A rabbi who demands that you blindly follow him or anyone else is demanding you disconnect from Hashem and your personal journey.
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