When a Skeptic Met the Righteous: A Revelation in Miedzyrzecz

Belief in the wisdom of righteous leaders and phenomena such as divine inspiration is a pillar of Judaism. Throughout history, the Jewish people have viewed these figures as channels of holiness, through which divine inspiration is revealed. Yet, there will always be skeptics who seek to downplay these miracles, searching for human explanations to supernatural events. The following story, told by Solomon Maimon — an enlightened non-believer and avowed opponent of the Hasidic movement — is perhaps the most reliable testimony of divine inspiration, precisely because he, despite his amazement, felt compelled to concoct a strained and ridiculous explanation to deny it.

Maimon recounts in his book "The Life of Solomon Maimon" how he was drawn to Hasidism: "The things that the man informed me about regarding the 'Hasidim' greatly ignited my imagination, and I burned with the desire to join the new sect." He decided to travel to Miedzyrzecz, the revered home of the Maggid of Mezritch, the famous disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, and arrived after "weeks of weary travel on foot." Upon his arrival, he was told the Maggid would not see him immediately, but he was invited to the Shabbat meal: "During the meal, I was promised that I would see his holy majesty and hear exalted words of Torah from his mouth, which would contain messages specifically for me."

At the meal, Maimon describes the Maggid as an impressive figure: "He was a man of appearance that stirred awe and respect in all who saw him, all dressed in white satin, even his shoes." The atmosphere was holy: "Throughout the meal, a sacred silence prevailed among the guests." Then came the astounding moment: "After the meal ended, the holy man raised his voice in song, and the melody elevated and stirred the spirit. Afterward, he placed his hand on his forehead and reflected for some time, then began to call out to all the guests by their names and the names of their cities." Maimon admits: "Naturally, we were all greatly astounded by this." Subsequently, the Maggid requested each guest to provide a verse, after which he delivered an extraordinary sermon: "In which he masterfully weaved together all the different verses... and further astounded us by making each of us feel... references to personal matters and the thoughts of our hearts." He concludes: "This profoundly amazed our hearts."

However, as an enlightened thinker, Maimon did not accept divine inspiration as an explanation. He argued that it was all based on "information they receive from their circle and secret spies scattered everywhere; known measures of understanding and recognition... along with physiognomy and the questions they ask." He believed that "all these helped portray the 'righteous' as prophets in the eyes of the naive masses." But this explanation is laughable and strained: how could "spies" know the inner thoughts of each guest and convey them in real-time without being noticed? The Maggid not only knew names and cities but revealed "thoughts of the heart" — something that no network of notes could achieve.

Maimon’s testimony, from a sworn opponent, is compelling evidence. He witnessed divine inspiration in action, and his weak explanation only reinforces the truth: the Maggid of Mezritch was a vessel for supreme holiness, and Maimon ultimately failed to truly refute it.