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The need for a Rabbi and related questions
#30
Rabbi Moshe Weiner of Jerusalem provided the following answers to these 3 questions that we received from a Noahide in the Czech Republic:

1) Who is nowadays the mainstay of the Oral Torah as Rambam (Maimonides) wrote about the holy Rabbis before him?
2) Why are there so many divisions even among the Rabbis who are authentic and authorized to teach the Oral Torah?
3) How do you recognize a truly pious Rabbi (G'd-fearing and righteous)?

Question 1: Who is nowadays the mainstay of the Oral Torah as Rambam wrote about the holy Rabbis before him?

Answer: The Torah laws of the Oral Torah are considered to be according to the rulings in the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) by Rabbi Yosef Caro and Rabbi Moshe Isserless, and these are understood to be additions that came after the rulings of Rambam in Mishneh Torah, and the Babylonian Talmud. All these are the foundations upon which reliable Rabbis base their rulings nowadays.

Question 2: Why are there so many divisions even among the Rabbis who are authentic and authorized to teach the Oral Torah?

Answer: For every Orthodox Rabbi among the Jewish people who is qualified to give instruction (although it is difficult to give an absolute definition of this, but he learns the Oral Torah and he gives rulings in accordance with the rulings of the Shulchan Aruch) - he may express his opinion in the interpretation of Oral Torah laws.

Therefore, it is clear that disputes and disagreements will arise in understanding the interpretation of the Oral Torah laws, because naturally (even in an objective situation) there are differences of opinion and a division of understanding on various subjects. The Oral Torah itself recognizes this, and provides the rule that the majority opinion among expert and pious rabbinical Torah scholars is the opinion that should be followed as the halacha (Torah law) in actual practice.

Question 3: How do you recognize a truly pious Rabbi (G'd-fearing and righteous)?

First, the majority of the Rabbi's behavior and its dimensions must be examined - whether they are consistent with what he is learning and teaching. A person who observes the Torah that he learns and teaches is righteous. A person who does not observe it is not righteous.

Second, the influence of this Rabbi on others must be examined, and how much he affects them. A Rabbi who influences a wider audience has a bigger responsibility, because someone who influences a larger number of people has more power and influence (either for the better or for the worse).

There will be assistance from Heaven for a pious Rabbi to better truly understand the needs of his generation, and in particular in explaining the Torah's principles and its commandments, and its practices.
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Messages In This Thread
RE: The need for a rabbi and other questions - by excited_for_life - 01-11-2012, 11:11 PM
looking for a tutor - by AskNoah fan - 02-20-2012, 04:31 PM
RE: The need for a Rabbi and other questions - by AskNoah fan - 02-26-2012, 02:57 PM
Ger Toshav and Rambam - by amenyahu - 01-11-2013, 03:39 AM
RE: Ger Toshav and Rambam - by Director Michael - 01-13-2013, 06:26 PM
Is this an obligation? - by GentileLaw - 07-08-2015, 02:58 AM
RE: The need for a Rabbi and related questions - by Director Michael - 12-18-2019, 07:22 AM
Rabbinical Jurisdiction - by amenyahu - 01-13-2014, 11:46 PM

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