A new term for the 2020's - "Social Media Influencer". What does every single one of these people have in common? NONE of them should be influencing you.
We already have our very own "influencers". Moshe Rabbeinu, Aharon Hakohen, Shlomo Hamelech, Eliyahu HaNavi, Hillel, Rebbi Akiva, Rambam, Vilna Gaon, Chofetz Chaim, R' Moshe Feinstein and thousands others. What a GLORIOUS heritage we have. How much INCREDIBLE wisdom is contained in our Torah. So why do we need some 21 year old girl with 16 million followers on tik-tok?? We even have great people alive and well. Go to Kolhalashon, Torahanytime or any other Torah website and you will meet "Influencers" who are filled with Torah. Men, women, black [hashkafically], white [ditto], funny, serious [like me!!], old, young, brilliant, inspiring, Chasidish, Litvish, Modernish, etc. etc. Whatever you like. English, Hebrew, Yiddish, French, Spanish. Pick your language [but not your scabs].
Even such "world class" superstars like Ben Shapiro and Dennis Prager are not for us - despite the great fanfare they receive in the frum world. No offense, li-toeles, but neither of them has even spent FIVE MINUTES in a real Yeshiva. They have no Mesorah, very little Torah and despite their popularity should not be sources of wisdom for us. I have watched them in a room in my house that has no Mezuza and where it is forbidden to study Torah. Not for us. Very good for Gentiles to watch. Articulate, intelligent, entertaining and [in Ben's case] good looking!:-). But not for Torah adherents. We "follow" people who shy away from the spotlight, pnimiyus-dike people, people with clean mouths and minds who never watch TV and movies and [men] who don't wear makeup. Holy people. People filled with Torah and Yiras Shomayim. People who are living for one reason and that is to increase Kavod Shomayim in the world. People who are makpid on קלה כבחמורה. People who give large amounts of their money and time to tzdaka and chesed. We all know people like that.
And like I said - we have the luminaries of the past. Let us celebrate that and not exchange it for cheap, artificial substitutes.
GO FOR THE GOLD. Not for the plastic.
