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In Jewish law, a posek (Hebrew: Χ€ΧΧ‘Χ§ [poΛsek], pl. poskim, Χ€ΧΧ‘Χ§ΧΧ [posΛkim]) is: a legal scholar who determines the application of halakha, the Jewish religious laws derived from the written and Oral Torah, in cases of Jewish law where previous authorities are inconclusive. Or in those situations where no clear halakhic precedent exists.
The decision of a posek is known as a psak halakha ("ruling of law"; pl. piskei halakha)/simply a "psak". Piskei halakha are generally recorded in the responsa literature.
Orthodox Judaismβ»
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 lawββto new situations. But will not change the Halakhah; see the article on Orthodox Judaism.
Conservative Judaismβ»
Conservative Judaism approaches the "idea of posek." And Halakha in general, somewhat differently: poskim here apply a relatively lower weightingββto precedent, and will thus frequently re-interpret (or even change) a previous ruling through a formal argument; see Conservative Halakha. Although there are some "poskim" in the Conservative movement - e.g. Rabbis Louis Ginzberg, David Golinkin, Joel Roth, and Elliot Dorff - the rulings of any one individual rabbi are considered less authoritative than a consensus ruling. Thus, the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly maintains a Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, whose decisions are accepted as authoritative within the American Conservative movement. At the same time, every Conservative rabbi has the right as mara d'atra to interpret Jewish law for his own community, "regardless of the responsa of the Law Committee."β»
Progressive Judaismβ»
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.
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.
List of poskim and major worksβ»
In chronological order, by, the year of birth, and if needed, secondarily, by year of death and surname.
Poskim of past yearsβ»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Toledot_Ha-Poskim.jpg/300px-Toledot_Ha-Poskim.jpg)
Pre-20th centuryβ»
- Yoel Sirkis (1561β1640), Bach
- David HaLevi Segal (1586β1667), Turei Zahav
- Sabbatai ha-Kohen (1621β1662), Shach
- Avraham Gombiner (1633β1683), Magen Avraham
- Yechezkel Landau (1713β1793), Noda Bihudah
- Vilna Gaon (1720β1797), Gra
- Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745β1812), Shulchan Aruch HaRav
- Avraham Danzig (1748β1820), Chayei Adam
- Moses Sofer (1762β1839), Chasam Sofer
- Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (1789β1866), Tzemach Tzedek
- Shlomo Ganzfried (1804β1886), Kitzur Shulchan Aruch
- Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor (1817β1896)
Orthodoxβ»
- Yechiel Michel Epstein (1829β1907), Aruch HaShulchan
- Yoseph Chaim of Bagdad (1832β1909), Ben Ish Chai, Rav Pealim
- Yisrael Meir Kagan (1838β1933), Mishnah Berurah, Chafetz Chaim
- Moshe Greenwald (1853β1910), Arugath HaBosem
- Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863β1940), Achiezer
- Abraham Isaac Kook (1865β1935)
- Eliezer David Greenwald (1867β1928), Keren L'Dovid
- Yaakov Chaim Sofer (1870β1939), Kaf HaChaim
- Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro (1870β1943)
- Yonasan Steif, (1877β1958)
- Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz (1878β1953), Chazon Ish
- Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (1878β1966), Seridei Eish
- Yosef Eliyahu Henkin (1881β1973)
- Eliezer Silver (1882β1968)
- Yehezkel Abramsky (1886β1976)
- Yoel Teitelbaum (1887β1979), Vayoel Moshe, Divrei Yoel
- Avraham Chaim Naeh (1890β1954) Ketzos HaShulchan, Shiurei Mikveh, Shiurei Torah
- Zvi Yehuda Kook (1891β1982)
- Yaakov Kamenetsky (1891β1986)
- Aharon Kotler (1892β1962)
- Moshe Feinstein (1895β1986), Igrot Moshe
- Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss (1902β1989), Minchas Yitzchak
- Yosef Greenwald (1903β1984), Vayaan Yosef
- Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903β1993)
- Yitzchok Hutner (1906β1980)
- Chanoch Dov Padwa (1908β2000), Cheishev Ho'Ephod
- Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (1910β1995), Minchat Shlomo
- Yosef Shalom Eliashiv (1910β2012)
- Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg (1910β2012)
- Pinhas Hirschprung (1912β1998)
- Shmuel Wosner (1913β2015), Shevet HaLevi
- Aharon Leib Shteinman (1913β2017)
- Ephraim Oshry (1914β2003)
- Avraham Shapira (1914β2007)
- Eliezer Waldenberg (1917β2006), Tzitz Eliezer
- Shlomo Goren (1918β1994)
- Chaim Kreiswirth (1918β2001)
- Yaakov Yitzhak Neumann (1920β2007), Ogiro Be'Oholcho
- Ovadia Yosef (1920β2013), Yabbia Omer
- Baruch Ben Haim (1921β2005)
- Fishel Hershkowitz (1922β2017), Klausenburger dayan in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York
- Hayim David HaLevi (1924β1998), Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, author of the set of halakha Mekor Hayim
- Menashe Klein (1924β2011), Ungvarer Rav; Mishneh Halachos
- Gedalia Dov Schwartz(1925β2020), av beit din of Beth Din of America and the Chicago Rabbinical Council
- Nissim Karelitz (1926β2019)
- Nahum Rabinovitch, (1928β2020) rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Birkat Moshe
- Chaim Kanievsky (1928β2022)
- Mordechai Eliyahu (1929β2010)
- Dovid Feinstein (1929β2020)
- Ephraim Greenblatt (1932β2014), Rivivos Efraim
- Zalman Nechemia Goldberg (1932β2020), av beit din, rosh yeshiva of Machon Lev, editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Talmudit
- Aharon Lichtenstein (1933β2015), rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion
- Meir Brandsdorfer (1934β2009), Kaneh Bosem
- Yechezkel Roth (1936β2021) Karlsburger Rav, author of Emek HaTeshuvah
- Shimon Eider (1938β2007)
- Yisroel Belsky (1938β2016)
- Yehuda Henkin (1945β2020)
- Haim Drukman (1932β2022)
Conservative and Reformβ»
- Jacob Zallel Lauterbach (1873β1942)
- Louis Ginzberg (1873β1953), The Responsa of Professor Louis Ginzberg
- Solomon Freehof (1892β1990), Reform Jewish Practice and its Rabbinic Background
- Isaac Klein (1905β1979), A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice
- Jacob Agus (1911β1986), Dialogue and Tradition
Living poskimβ»
- 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 alsoβ»
- Dayan (rabbinic judge)
- Gemara
- History of responsa in Judaism
- Oral Torah
- Rabbinic authority
- Semikhah Β§ Concept
Referencesβ»
- ^ Jacob, Walter (1988). Liberal Judaism and Halakhah. Rodef Shalom Press. pp. 90β94. ISBN 0-929699-00-9.
- ^ Meyer, Michael A. (1993). "Changing Attitudes of Liberal Judaism toward Halakhah and Minhag". Proceedings of the World Congress of Jewish Studies. JSTOR 23536120. See a collection of CCAR Responsa.
- ^ Sacks, Jonathan (1992). Crisis and Covenant: Jewish Thought After the Holocaust. Manchester University Press. p. 158. ISBN 0-7190-4203-8.
Further readingβ»
- Hecht, N. S.; et al. (eds.). An Introduction to the History and Sources of Jewish Law. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-826262-0.
- Jacobs, Louis (1999). A Tree of Life: Diversity, Creativity, and Flexibility in Jewish Law. Littman Library of Jewish Civilization (Second ed.). ISBN 1-874774-48-X.
- Lewittes, Mendell (1994). Jewish Law: An Introduction. Jason Aronson. ISBN 1-56821-302-6.
External linksβ»
- 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)