Posek
Rabbinical eras |
---|
Part of a series on |
Judaism |
---|
In
The decision of a posek is known as a psak halakha ("ruling of law"; pl. piskei halakha) or simply a "psak". Piskei halakha are generally recorded in the responsa literature.
Orthodox Judaism
Poskim play an integral role in Orthodox Judaism.
- Generally, each community will regard one of its poskim as its Posek HaDor ("posek of the present generation").
- Most rely on the rav in their community (in Hasidic communities, sometimes the rebbe) or the leading posek.
Poskim will generally not overrule a specific law unless based on an earlier authority: a posek will generally extend a law to new situations but will not change the Halakhah; see the article on Orthodox Judaism.
Conservative Judaism
Progressive Judaism
Both Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism do not regard Halakha as binding.
Although Reform stresses the individual autonomy of its membership, it never completely abandoned the field of responsa literature, if only to counter its rivals' demands. Even Classical Reformers such as Rabbi David Einhorn composed some. Rabbi Solomon Freehof, and his successor Rabbi Walter Jacob, attempted to create a concept of "Progressive Halacha", authoring numerous responsa based on a methodology laying great emphasis on current sensibilities and ethical ideals. Full text collections of Reform responsa are available on the website of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.[1][2]
The Reconstructionist position is that if Jews had formed cohesive communities again, their rulings would be binding, but presently Judaism is in a "post-Halakhic state". Therefore, their basic policy is to allow tradition "a vote, not a veto" in communal and personal affairs.[3]
List of poskim and major works
In chronological order, by the year of birth, and if needed, secondarily, by year of death and surname.
Poskim of past years
Pre-20th century
- Yoel Sirkis(1561–1640), Bach
- David HaLevi Segal (1586–1667), Turei Zahav
- Sabbatai ha-Kohen(1621–1662), Shach
- Avraham Gombiner (1633–1683), Magen Avraham
- Yechezkel Landau (1713–1793), Noda Bihudah
- Vilna Gaon (1720–1797), Gra
- Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812), Shulchan Aruch HaRav
- Avraham Danzig (1748–1820), Chayei Adam
- Moses Sofer (1762–1839), Chasam Sofer
- Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (1789–1866), Tzemach Tzedek
- Kitzur Shulchan Aruch
- Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor (1817–1896)
Orthodox
- Yechiel Michel Epstein (1829–1907), Aruch HaShulchan
- Yoseph Chaim of Bagdad(1832–1909), Ben Ish Chai, Rav Pealim
- Chafetz Chaim
- Moshe Greenwald (1853–1910), Arugath HaBosem
- Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863–1940), Achiezer
- Abraham Isaac Kook (1865–1935)
- Eliezer David Greenwald (1867–1928), Keren L'Dovid
- Yaakov Chaim Sofer (1870–1939), Kaf HaChaim
- Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro (1870–1943)
- Yonasan Steif, (1877–1958)
- Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz(1878–1953), Chazon Ish
- Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (1878–1966), Seridei Eish
- Yosef Eliyahu Henkin (1881–1973)
- Eliezer Silver (1882–1968)
- Yehezkel Abramsky (1886–1976)
- Yoel Teitelbaum (1887–1979), Vayoel Moshe, Divrei Yoel
- Avraham Chaim Naeh (1890–1954) Ketzos HaShulchan, Shiurei Mikveh, Shiurei Torah
- Zvi Yehuda Kook (1891–1982)
- Yaakov Kamenetsky (1891–1986)
- Aharon Kotler (1892–1962)
- Moshe Feinstein (1895–1986), Igrot Moshe
- Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss (1902–1989), Minchas Yitzchak
- Yosef Greenwald (1903–1984), Vayaan Yosef
- Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903–1993)
- Yitzchok Hutner(1906–1980)
- Chanoch Dov Padwa (1908–2000), Cheishev Ho'Ephod
- Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (1910–1995), Minchat Shlomo
- Yosef Shalom Eliashiv(1910–2012)
- Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg (1910–2012)
- Pinhas Hirschprung(1912–1998)
- Shmuel Wosner (1913–2015), Shevet HaLevi
- Aharon Leib Shteinman(1913–2017)
- Ephraim Oshry (1914–2003)
- Avraham Shapira (1914–2007)
- Eliezer Waldenberg (1917–2006), Tzitz Eliezer
- Shlomo Goren (1918–1994)
- Chaim Kreiswirth (1918–2001)
- Yaakov Yitzhak Neumann(1920–2007), Ogiro Be'Oholcho
- Ovadia Yosef (1920–2013), Yabbia Omer
- Baruch Ben Haim (1921–2005)
- Fishel Hershkowitz (1922–2017), Klausenburger dayan in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York
- Hayim David HaLevi (1924–1998), Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, author of the set of halakha Mekor Hayim
- Mishneh Halachos
- av beit din of Beth Din of America and the Chicago Rabbinical Council
- Nissim Karelitz (1926–2019)
- Nahum Rabinovitch, (1928–2020) rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Birkat Moshe
- Chaim Kanievsky (1928–2022)
- Mordechai Eliyahu (1929–2010)
- Dovid Feinstein (1929–2020)
- Ephraim Greenblatt (1932–2014), Rivivos Efraim
- Zalman Nechemia Goldberg (1932–2020), av beit din, rosh yeshiva of Machon Lev, editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Talmudit
- Aharon Lichtenstein (1933–2015), rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion
- Meir Brandsdorfer (1934–2009), Kaneh Bosem
- Yechezkel Roth (1936–2021) Karlsburger Rav, author of Emek HaTeshuvah
- Shimon Eider (1938–2007)
- Yisroel Belsky (1938–2016)
- Yehuda Henkin (1945–2020)
- Haim Drukman (1932–2022)
Conservative and Reform
- Jacob Zallel Lauterbach (1873–1942)
- Louis Ginzberg (1873–1953), The Responsa of Professor Louis Ginzberg
- Solomon Freehof (1892–1990), Reform Jewish Practice and its Rabbinic Background
- Isaac Klein (1905–1979), A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice
- Jacob Agus (1911–1986), Dialogue and Tradition
Living poskim
- Shmuel Kamenetsky (1924- ), rosh yeshiva, Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia
- Yitzchak Abadi (1933- )
- Dov Lior (1933- )
- Avigdor Nebenzahl (1935- )
- Yaakov Ariel (1937- )
- Zephaniah Drori (1937- )
- Zalman Baruch Melamed (1937- )
- Yisrael Ariel (1939- )
- Eliyahu Ben Haim (1940- )
- Ephraim Padwa (1940-) rabbi of Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations
- Hershel Schachter (1941- ), rosh yeshiva at RIETS
- Shlomo Aviner (1943- )
- Mordechai Willig (1947- ), rosh yeshiva at RIETS
- Yitzhak Yosef (1952- ), Chief Sephardic Rabbi of the State of Israel, author of the set Yalkut Yosef
- Yitzchak Berkovits (1953- ), rosh kollel The Jerusalem Kollel
- Osher Weiss (1953- ), Minchas Osher
- Eliezer Melamed (1961- )
- Simcha Bunim Cohen (1957- ), prolific author and pulpit rabbi in Lakewood, New Jersey
- Yisroel Dovid Harfenes author of Yisroel Vehazmanim, Mekadesh Yisroel and Nishmas Shabos
- Pinchas Toledano, hakham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of the Netherlands
- Gavriel Zinner author of the Nitei Gavriel series on halakha
See also
- Dayan (rabbinic judge)
- Gemara
- History of responsa in Judaism
- Oral Torah
- Rabbinic authority
- Semikhah § Concept
References
- ISBN 0-929699-00-9.
- JSTOR 23536120. See a collection of CCAR Responsa.
- ISBN 0-7190-4203-8.
Further reading
- Hecht, N. S.; et al. (eds.). An Introduction to the History and Sources of Jewish Law. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-826262-0.
- ISBN 1-874774-48-X.
- ISBN 1-56821-302-6.
External links
- An introduction to the system of Jewish Law Archived 2009-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, aish.com
- AskMoses.com, Live answers
- Authority and Autonomy in Pesikat HaHalacha at the Wayback Machine (archived February 20, 2009), archived from the 2004 original at nishmat.net
- Jewish Law Research Guide, University of Miami Law Library
- Jewish Law: Examining Halacha, Jewish Issues and Secular Law (online journal)