Q&A: Sanhedrin
Sanhedrin
Question
Is it possible today to reestablish the Sanhedrin?
Do you think there are people on a high enough level for that?
Are there people who meet Maimonides' criteria:
One appoints to the Sanhedrin, whether the Great Sanhedrin or a minor one, only people who are wise and discerning, outstanding in the wisdom of Torah, of broad understanding, who know something of the other sciences, such as medicine, mathematics, calendrical calculations, the constellations, astrology, the ways of diviners, soothsayers, sorcerers, and the vanities of idol worship, and the like, so that they will know how to judge them. And one appoints to the Sanhedrin only priests, Levites, and Israelites of proven lineage, fit to marry into the priesthood, as it is said, “and they shall stand there with you” — similar to you in wisdom, fear of Heaven, and lineage.
And they may appoint whomever they wish for specific matters, provided he is fit for all matters. How so? An exceptional sage who is fit to rule on the entire Torah.
Answer
Today there are certainly people who are suitable in terms of knowledge. I have doubts about judgment and approach, but even there I assume that once the responsibility is on them, they will make the right decisions.
Of course, the formal reestablishment of the Sanhedrin depends on the dispute over ordination.
Discussion on Answer
There definitely are (do you really think the Tannaim and Amoraim learned in what we call “deep analysis”? And in terms of scope, how much did they really have to know? Six orders of the Mishnah). Beyond that, today there are books and databases, so complete oral mastery of all the material is less important. For example, Nefesh HaChaim wrote that today the prohibition against forgetting one’s learning no longer applies.
People you can ask about the entire Torah?
From Berakhot to Oktsin, in deep analysis? The Hazon Ish could…