11/17/2025
The Torah tells us that 3000 people were executed for instigating the Golden Calf. These were all men of the Erev Rav. However, the Erev Rav was not defeated. The Zohar suggests that as many as a fifth of the populace that left Egypt was associated with the Erev Rav and influenced by them.
The Arizal taught that all the wicked “Jewish” leaders that arise in every generation are the reincarnated souls of the Erev Rav. Worse yet, the Zohar states that the Erev Rav will be particularly strong in the End of Days, with their final all-in push to corrupt the world and lead people astray. There is little doubt that we are in the End of Days now, so who is the Erev Rav today?
The Erev Rav are those that appear to be Jewish leaders, but are imposters. They are not truly Torah observant and, on the contrary, push godless ideas. They are “leaders” that guide Jews astray, and inspire the misinterpretation or transgression of Torah law. They tend to be wealthy and corrupt, or in influential positions, instigating disorder and division. With these qualities in mind, it isn’t too difficult to identify who the Erev Rav is. You can find such individuals across the social, political, and religious spectrum.
While there is undoubtedly a lot of plain-old hatred and bigotry out there—along with a wealth of absurd conspiracy theories about Jews—if you examine antisemitism today, it is often an attack not on the average well-meaning and God-fearing Jew, but on the Erev Rav leaders.
The problem is that the antisemite is unable to differentiate between Jews at all, so the rage is displaced upon the wrong people. This is why it is imperative for Jews ourselves to confront the Erev Rav and oppose them as much as possible