Q&A: The Third Book in the Trilogy
The Third Book in the Trilogy
Question
The Rabbi writes in the third book of the trilogy that halakhic changes are possible even without a Sanhedrin, so that even if there is no rabbinic consensus on establishing a Sanhedrin and on the rabbis who would serve on it, it would still be possible to change various things in Jewish law through rabbinic consensus.
The Rabbi presents the mechanisms there, and says that all that is needed is for rabbis to agree on the change in the specific area in order to change it. The problem is that even the mechanisms the Rabbi presents are not agreed upon by the rabbis. If so, what good are these mechanisms? How does the Rabbi think it would still be possible to make changes if a Sanhedrin is not established?
Answer
Each matter has to be judged on its own merits. A substantive change requires some kind of consensus, even if not a Sanhedrin. Such changes happen even without my words and without my book.
Discussion on Answer
You want me to write a whole book here? Or a long article? In the book it’s explained in detail.
Any chance of elaborating? Or pointing to somewhere else you’ve written about this at length besides the book?