10
votes
How to get an urgent answer if your local rabbi isn't reachable
The best option is probably the Beis Din of your own community; see if they are reachable by phone; they may well be. That said, someone I sort of know has experience with the following hotlines in ...
- 19.6k
8
votes
Earning semichah with just a test
Just knowing a lot of halacha does not make someone capable of being a posek. A posek is someone who is not just familiar with the Psak Halacha in the Shulchan Aruch or the Mishna Brerura, but it is ...
- 15.4k
7
votes
Accepted
Asking Am Haaretz and doing opposite
There is a well-known expression in the world of the yeshivot:
דעת בעלי בתים היא היפך דעת תורה
The view of laymen is the opposite of the view of the Torah.
This is often sourced to a ...
- 41.8k
7
votes
Story of a woman hitting a rabbi because husband said
It is in the Gemara Nedarim 66B
אֲמַר לַהּ: זִילִי תְּבַרִי יָתְהוֹן עַל רֵישָׁא דְבָבָא. הֲוָה יָתֵיב בָּבָא בֶּן בּוּטָא אַבָּבָא וְקָא דָאֵין דִּינָא. אֲזַלַת וּתְבַרַת יָתְהוֹן עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ. ...
- 10.6k
6
votes
Is it permissible to listen to a Rabbi instead of a doctor?
The Maharik as well as the Shevus Yaakov bring the Gemara in Niddah to prove that, on the contrary, Chazal would rely on the doctor's prognosis even in cases of potential Kares. Indeed, as the Rambam ...
- 4,313
6
votes
Accepted
Rabbi's liability for giving a wrong psak
There are a lot of details about this depending exactly what kind of mistake it was and who was harmed how and how easy it is to get the money back if possible. See Shulchan Arukh, Choshen Mishpat 25.
...
- 97.4k
6
votes
Asking a shaila - not looking for a psak
It seems to me that communicating that desire in a way that's clear to both you and the rabbi should be necessary and sufficient. For example, "I'm interested in learning your opinion on this, ...
- 47.8k
6
votes
What’s the source of not asking a question to a person that might not know the answer, so that they won't get embarrassed
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי חִיָּיא לְרַב: בַּר פַּחֲתֵי! לָא אָמֵינָא לָךְ, כִּי קָאֵי רַבִּי בְּהָא מַסֶּכְתָּא לָא תְּשַׁיְּילֵיהּ בְּמַסֶּכְתָּא אַחֲרִיתִי, דִּילְמָא לָאו אַדַּעְתֵּיהּ. דְּאִי לָאו ...
- 965
6
votes
What’s the source of not asking a question to a person that might not know the answer, so that they won't get embarrassed
See the Shulchan Arach Choshen Mishpat 228 which discusses onas devorim
228:4 says
אם נשאלה שאלה על דבר חכמה לא יאמר למי שאינו
יודע אותה חכמה מה תשיב בדבר זה וכן כל כיוצא בדברים אלו
If a question was ...
- 4,963
5
votes
Accepted
What's the procedure for seeking a psak?
Since many times a psak, a Jewish legal decision, is dependent upon your local circumstances, it is best to initially seek out a local, qualified Orthodox Rabbi.
Without knowing your specific ...
- 14.3k
5
votes
Accepted
How much weight must we give to the Council of Sages opinions
@Micha Berger suggested to differentiate between (1) the need to get our halachic rulings from "the Gedolim" and (2) how much are we expected to listen to them beyond the domain of actual halachic ...
- 48.1k
5
votes
Retroactive psak and conversions
Revised psak can be three different things.
1) A Rabbi or Beis din, realizes they made a big mistake. (certain pigs are kosher ... ooops! wrong)
So after the psak (legal decision) is issued (example:...
- 10.7k
5
votes
Accepted
Origin of mesora for halachos covered in Seder Zeraim
Rambam, the most prolific rishonic author of laws of Zeraim, writes as follows in his introduction to Mishneh Torah:
ומשני הגמרות ומן התוספתות ומספרא וספרי (ומן התוספות) מכולם יתבאר האסור והמותר הטמא ...
- 49.1k
4
votes
Are Yoetzet Halacha permitted according to halacha?
R Binyamin Tabadi (in the context of a question whether women can be poskei halacha) brings a few sources showing women have been ruling on halachic decisions in the past (in the sense of applying ...
- 48.1k
4
votes
Halachah: What's the difference between this site and looking up a question in a book?
Unless the rabbi you ask your questions to is one of the higher-tier rabbis, you are likely not receiving any original information. When you ask him if something is permissible or prohibited he is ...
- 49.1k
4
votes
Why is it necessary to ask a Rabbi?
Reflecting on the essence of this question, it is broken into three parts. 1) "Why is it necessary to ask a Rabbi?" 2) Why is there concern that someone may substitute the information found on this ...
- 14.3k
4
votes
Audio Recording on Shabbat/Yom Tov
Recording on shabbat is linked to use of microphones on Shabbat (since you require microphones to record). It might be in this context that you heard R Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (RSZA) being quoted since ...
- 48.1k
4
votes
Accepted
If you get a psak, then hear that it is wrong, what must you do?
1) First you should approach a knowledgable Jew who is also someone you can trust enough to shmooze it over with.
This step is not asking for an actual "psak halachah" from a 2nd Rav. This is simply ...
- 10.7k
4
votes
Precut fruit is kosher but not lemon?
As stated from Din online where Rav Rubanowitz also works, they hold that by some views, lemon is considered a davar charif and so it's usage is different from other cut fruits. They reference the ...
- 14.3k
4
votes
Situations where your own opinions define Jewish law
If someone is guarding a field with multiple types of produce, but is only doing it for one of the types, the other type is obligated in ma'aser and forbidden to be stolen only if the owner cares ...
- 24k
4
votes
Are there unresolved ‘tekus’ in the Talmud later resolved in responsum?
It's untrue that cases left with a תיקו are primarily far-fetched and unusual ones. There are many practical cases, and they are treated by the poskim as unknowns, decided by the usual rules of doubt: ...
- 1,312
4
votes
Accepted
What's the path to becoming a Posek
According to the Gemara in Sanhedrin (5a), one would need to be learned (גמירנא), able to reason (סבירנא), and have permission from his (qualified) Rav (נקיטנא רשותא). Normally, a rav will only grant ...
- 999
4
votes
Why doesn't "Yatir Bechorot Yatir" semicha exist nowadays? (ie besides "Yoreh Yoreh" & "Yadin Yadin")
I could learn every halacha in the book ... but I would still needs hands-on experience of someone showing me a hundred examples of real-live sheep -- "this one is yes, this one is no" ... much like ...
- 131k
3
votes
Are Yoetzet Halacha permitted according to halacha?
The gemara in Niddah 13b actually brings such a woman who used to tell other women whether the blood was tamei or tahor.
Text:
חרשת איהי תבדוק לנפשה דתניא אמר רבי חרשת היתה בשכונתינו לא דיה שבודקת ...
- 41.1k
3
votes
Is it permissible to listen to a Rabbi instead of a doctor?
The article in question was poorly reported, according to one of the commenters who claims to personally know the one who asked the opinion of the Gadol. According to him, the doctors were not firmly ...
3
votes
Aiding what you consider sin but he doesn't
The simple general answer is that:
If you hold its forbidden but they hold its allowed, then you may help them to do it.
But, if you hold its allowed and they hold its forbidden, then you may not ...
- 10.7k
3
votes
Halachoth whose rulings range from obligatory to a (Torah) prohibition
Praying again when you prayed the first time bareheaded
R. Moshe Feinstein rules that this is obligatory (Igrot Moshe O.C. 4:40:14).
R. Yosef Messas rules that this would be a blessing made in vain (...
- 49.1k
3
votes
Reason for the Conservative driving teshuva?
According to my uncle, who is a Conservative rabbi, the psak was issued for a few reasons. It should be noted that he does not like it, although were he to attempt to pasken that his schul not hold ...
- 12.9k
3
votes
What teaches about the Tosefta תוספתא
It's certainly part of the canon! Rabbi Yechezkel Abramski wrote a commentary on it that you'd find on most yeshiva bookshelves.
The Tosefta certainly features in the halachic process. At this point,...
- 131k
3
votes
Are there high level poskim who are easily accessible?
Although there is no substitute for a personal Rav who understands one's own specific situation, if someone is in a difficult situation then I have found http://dinonline.org/ to be a strong group of ...
- 13.8k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible