We want to tell you a story\u2014not to scare you, but because it’s important for everyone who uses social media to know.<\/p>\n\n
For several months, a certain “Rav Menachem Goldberg” ran an Instagram and TikTok page. He was a gray-bearded sage wearing a Hasidic hat, sharing daily Torah lessons and talking about spiritual renewal and financial prosperity. He had over 100,000 followers. Many paid for his “wisdom courses”\u2014$9.99 and $19.99. <\/p>\n\n
This rabbi doesn’t exist. He was created entirely by artificial intelligence. <\/p>\n\n
How did it work?<\/p>\n\n
The videos were convincing: an authoritative voice, an image, and references to “40 years of Torah study.” But attentive viewers noticed details\u2014strange backgrounds, a Torah scroll thrown on a table (unacceptable in real life), synagogues with meaningless Hebrew inscriptions. The “rabbi” rarely cited sources, but regularly spoke of “abundance”\u2014and always ended the video with the words “link in profile.” <\/p>\n\n
And this isn’t the only such case. Researchers have identified at least 12 such AI “rabbis” with a combined audience of 2.1 million subscribers. Some of them spread not just empty motivational phrases but also anti-Semitic stereotypes. <\/p>\n\n
Rav Gil Student, Director of Media Relations at the American Orthodox Union and developer of an AI-powered tool for Torah study, emphasizes:
The Tzohar Center for Jewish Ethics in Israel called the incident a warning sign: audiences automatically associate the image of a rabbi with personal responsibility and accountability\u2014and this is precisely what makes such deception particularly dangerous. Halachic and ethical decisions require human judgment and real-life context. AI cannot replace a rabbi in matters affecting human destinies, community norms, and religious practice. <\/p>\n\n
Tzohar called for mandatory labeling of any content created using artificial intelligence\u2014especially when it is presented in a form intended to bolster the credibility of religious authority. This incident has intensified the conversation about the line between technology, trust, and spiritual influence. <\/p>\n\n
Trust in a rabbi is not a matter of followers. It is a matter of a real connection, personal acquaintance, and a well-established reputation. Contact only rabbis and spiritual leaders you know personally\u2014or who are recommended to you by knowledgeable and respected community leaders. This is the essence of community: we know each other, we are accountable to each other. <\/p>\n\n
If you encounter a religious figure online whom you don’t know personally and whom no one close to you has heard of, please check before trusting such a person, much less paying them money.<\/p>\n\n
Any doubts? Ask us.