Q&A: One May Not Issue a Halakhic Ruling in the Presence of One’s Rabbi
One May Not Issue a Halakhic Ruling in the Presence of One’s Rabbi
Question
Hello Rabbi, in the Talmudic topic of “one may not issue a halakhic ruling in the presence of one’s rabbi,” they ask about the reason it is forbidden to rule on Jewish law as long as one’s rabbi is alive or nearby, and Tosafot and the Kesef Mishneh answer that the reason is that there is no divine assistance in the student’s ruling as long as his rabbi is alive. This topic raised a question for me: is there really such a thing as divine assistance in halakhic ruling and in Torah study? Or is it just a matter of reasoning, and nothing more? Also, people often tell me that in every area it is always preferable to learn from our rabbis rather than from philosophers or, God forbid, non-Jews, because our rabbis had divine assistance. What is the Rabbi’s opinion on this subject?
Answer
I don’t know. I am inclined to think that halakhic ruling is independent. Perhaps “divine assistance” can be interpreted as expertise and the development of halakhic sensitivity that comes from extensive involvement in this field. According to that, when his rabbi is still alive, perhaps the student does not use his best judgment because he relies on his rabbi to correct him if necessary. Only when everything depends on him can he truly issue a ruling, because then he thinks seriously and knows that the responsibility rests on him. Perhaps…