Question

Hello and blessings, Rabbi. I often find myself unsure which Jewish law ruling to follow. For example, I study a Jewish law book (like Peninei Halakha, for instance) that surveys at length the views of the medieval authorities (Rishonim) and later authorities (Acharonim) regarding a Talmudic topic, and I’m unsure how to decide whom to rule like. Many times, of course, in halakhic topics where the very stringent approaches make things very difficult for me, I naturally prefer the more lenient opinions. For example, on the topic of women singing, I would prefer to follow the lenient opinions and not the stringent ones (I saw in the Rabbi’s responsa that the Rabbi permits it). But sometimes I ask myself whether that is really upright. It’s clear to me that blindly following only the lenient opinions is not upright and misses the truth, as was said: “One who follows the leniencies of Beit Shammai and the leniencies of Beit Hillel is wicked.” But on the other hand, many times I have no way of knowing who is right. In most halakhic disputes, the reasoning on both sides seems roughly equally plausible, and it seems very hard to say that there is some halakhic truth that one must follow 100%. Can the Rabbi describe a policy you would recommend for the average person to follow, so that his mind can be at ease that he is observing Jewish law properly?