LeBron James Meets With Controversial Kabbalah Rabbi

According to TMZ, LeBron James paid controversial Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto six figures to sit in on a merchandising meeting on a yacht somewhere off the coast of New York. Pinto is styled as something of a business guru-slash-spiritual leader to the rich and famous. He only speaks Hebrew, and...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

August 10, 2010

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According to TMZ, LeBron James paid controversial Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto six figures to sit in on a merchandising meeting on a yacht somewhere off the coast of New York. Pinto is styled as something of a business guru-slash-spiritual leader to the rich and famous. He only speaks Hebrew, and refuses to meet with women.

Pinto specializes in Kabbalah, the mystical side of Judaism that was briefly in vogue thanks to Madonna. But don't expect him to be meeting with the Queen of Pop anytime soon. He reportedly refuses to meet with women.

At shiurs he makes "Women in attendance [sit] in a balcony behind a curtain, watching over closed-circuit television."

"He gave me the wisdom to listen to people, not to think with ego, but to think with the heart and the mind. He balanced my life very, very much," says one devotee.

Maybe that "ego" thing would help James a bit, but paying a Rabbi at least a hundred thousand dollars to sit in on a single meeting doesn't seem to be the most humble act.

Kyle Munzenrieder

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