The problem that Rav Nahman is pointing out about Torah scholars that are demons is referring to a problem that exists in the religious world. That the people that are at the top are demons. This filters down into the entire religious world.
I mean to say that Rav Nahman is not saying that every single Torah scholar is a demon. Rather just those at the top.
You would have to understand this I think in the way of Carl Jung about arch types. That is these people start out with human souls. But then they get attracted by the money and the ability show themselves as experts in Torah. So slowly they lose their human souls and get possessed by an arch type "Torah Scholar Demon".
The idea would be along the lines that Rav Nahman referred to in a different context that the Satan found it difficult to trick and seduce people into evil and so he needed assistants. So he sends his demons to posses the souls of Torah scholars to make his job easier.
{This theme comes from the Zohar and Gemara itself but are mentioned only briefly. Rav Nahman however mentions this throughout the LeM.]
To me it seems that it really ought not to be hard to figure out who is a a true Torah scholars from the realm of holiness. Off hand it ought to be simple. Anyone following the straight path of Torah--i.e the path of the Gra and Rav Shach is from the realm of holiness. And I really would go with this assessment except for the trouble that somehow it seems the Dark Side has managed to infiltrate even the straight and narrow Torah world of the path of the Gra. So a simple assessment seems no longer possible. [I myself had a great time in both Litvak yeshivas that I went to, but if things are the same today as back then I am not so sure.]
I mean to say that Rav Nahman is not saying that every single Torah scholar is a demon. Rather just those at the top.
You would have to understand this I think in the way of Carl Jung about arch types. That is these people start out with human souls. But then they get attracted by the money and the ability show themselves as experts in Torah. So slowly they lose their human souls and get possessed by an arch type "Torah Scholar Demon".
The idea would be along the lines that Rav Nahman referred to in a different context that the Satan found it difficult to trick and seduce people into evil and so he needed assistants. So he sends his demons to posses the souls of Torah scholars to make his job easier.
{This theme comes from the Zohar and Gemara itself but are mentioned only briefly. Rav Nahman however mentions this throughout the LeM.]
To me it seems that it really ought not to be hard to figure out who is a a true Torah scholars from the realm of holiness. Off hand it ought to be simple. Anyone following the straight path of Torah--i.e the path of the Gra and Rav Shach is from the realm of holiness. And I really would go with this assessment except for the trouble that somehow it seems the Dark Side has managed to infiltrate even the straight and narrow Torah world of the path of the Gra. So a simple assessment seems no longer possible. [I myself had a great time in both Litvak yeshivas that I went to, but if things are the same today as back then I am not so sure.]
