Q&A: Rules of Jewish Law and Choosing a Rabbi
Rules of Jewish Law and Choosing a Rabbi
Question
I would be happy if the Rabbi could explain what he means when he says that Jewish law is not made up of rigid lines. And does a person need to accept a rabbi upon himself whose halakhic rulings he follows in every matter? For example, my decisor is Rabbi Ovadia, but in practice I don’t believe in a small part of his rulings, which in my opinion express his agenda (such as the Temple Mount, national service, studying Kabbalah, etc.).
Answer
I don’t know which statement of mine you’re referring to. I have argued several times that the rules of Jewish law are approximations, and one should be careful not to take them in a rigid way. As far as I can see, that is in no way connected to the question of which rabbi to choose, if any. You are not obligated to accept any particular rabbi upon yourself, but as long as you do not have sufficient knowledge, it is recommended to consult rabbis. It is also worth trying not to choose them based on specific answers alone (this one is lenient on this issue and that one on another), though certainly yes based on general character and worldview.