Thursday, March 31, 2022

Majoririty rule in halacha

 Rosh(6:7): When a community agrees on some matter an individual has  no right to protest. Concerning this the Torah  states that one  must  follow  the majority. If you don’t agree to this principle than the community would never  have the ability to make binding  rules because you will never get unanimity on an issue.

 Shabbos (60b)       R. Mattenah — others state, R. Ahadboi b. Mattenah in R. Mattenah's name — said: The halachah is not as R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon. But that is obvious: [where] one disagrees with many, the halachah is as the majority? — You might argue, R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon's view is logical here; hence we are informed [that we do not follow him].

 Chazon Ish(150.8): In this letter he takes issue with the idea that in deciding what the halakha is poskim are bound to follow the majority opinion of previous poskim. The idea of a majority rule, he says, has no place outside of a beis din, and therefore the only place where a majority rule can determine the general psak halakha is in the Sanhedrin of 71. He points out that such a method is not found among any of the prior great poskim. Rather, he writes that in absence of a complete consensus on an issue among the early significant rishonim each posek is entitled to adopt any interpretation of the halakha that is supportable by the gemara and that has not been eliminated by a total consensus of prior poskim.

 Chazon Ish Kelayim – beginning):It is well known that the requirement to follow the majority applies only to a beis din which is in session, but regarding scholars holding different views who lived at different times or in different places, the question of majority or minority is not relevant. In a particular area where most of the Torah derives from a particular rabbi and his disciples, and the disciples' disciples, it is correct to follow their rabbi even in a matter in which the majority (of authorities) hold a different opinion. In recent generations most of our Torah has come ot us through the specific sefarim in our own teachers like Rif, Rosh, Rambam, Ramban, Rashba, Ritva, Ran, Maggid Mishne, Mordechai, and the commentaries of Rashi and Tosfos, and however there is a difference of opinion (and as mentioned above, majority ruling does not enter) it is in the hands of every individual Torah scholar to decide whether to take a strict view or to select particular authorities to follow; likewise, in the case where no decision has been taken and the question is still open (safek). In addition to the fact that majority rule does not apply in the above situations, we do not even know what the majority view is, since many scholars did not put their views in writing, and many written views did not reach us. (Therefore Jewish law does not change when new manuscripts are printed which convert a minority into a majority. Despite this, the courage and insight needed to decide on a logical basis are sometimes lacking, and decisions are taken on the basis of numerical majority; but it would be better to rely on those authorities whose views have reached us in all branches of Torah. Even though we do not presume to decide between different Rishonim by conclusive logical arguments, nevertheless,the study of their arguments is a major factor in reaching a decision, and many times our master z"l (Rabbi Yosef Karo) decides in favor of one authroity because his argument is convincing and removes difficulties. Our Rabbis have taught us not to abandon the use of our own intellect, and we must place great weight on intellectual comparison which is the connecting link between Creator and created.

 Chazon Ish (Choshen Mishpat Likutim #1 or Maaseros #13): halacha follow intellect and one must examine the decision of the achronim. If it is not clear what to do than it is accepted to follow the Shulchan Aruch/Rema

 Rambam[1](Introduction to Mishna Torah)



[1]

רמב"ם יד החזקה - הקדמה לספר יד החזקה

 נמצא, רבינא ורב אשי וחבריהם, סוף גדולי חכמי ישראל, המעתיקים תורה שבעל פה, ושגזרו גזירות, והתקינו התקנות, והנהיגו מנהגות, ופשטה גזירתם ותקנתם ומנהגותם בכל ישראל, בכל מקומות מושבותם. ואחר בית דין של רב אשי, שחיבר הגמרא, וגמרו בימי בנו, נתפזרו ישראל בכל הארצות פיזור יתר, והגיעו לקצוות ואיים הרחוקים, ורבתה קטטה בעולם, ונשתבשו הדרכים בגייסות, ונתמעט תלמוד תורה, ולא נכנסו ישראל ללמוד בישיבותיהם אלפים ורבבות, כמו שהיו מקודם, אלא מתקבצים יחידים השרידים, אשר ה' קורא, בכל עיר ועיר, ובכל מדינה ומדינה, ועוסקין בתורה, ומבינים בחיבורי החכמים כולם, ויודעים מהם דרך המשפט היאך הוא. וכל בית דין שעמד אחר הגמרא, בכל מדינה ומדינה, וגזר או התקין או הנהיג, לבני מדינתו, או לבני מדינות רבות, לא פשטו מעשיו בכל ישראל, מפני ריחוק מושבותיהם ושבוש הדרכים. והיות בית דין של אותה המדינה יחידים, ובית דין הגדול של שבעים ואחד בטל, מכמה שנים קודם חיבור הגמרא, לפיכך אין כופין אנשי מדינה זו לנהוג כמנהג מדינה האחרת, ואין אומרים לבית דין זה לגזור גזירה, שגזרה בית דין אחר במדינתו. וכן אם למד אחד מהגאונים, שדרך המשפט כך הוא, ונתבאר לבית דין אחר, שעמד אחריו, שאין זה דרך המשפט הכתוב בגמרא, אין שומעין לראשון, אלא למי שהדעת נוטה לדבריו, בין ראשון בין אחרון:

ודברים הללו, בדינים גזירות ותקנות ומנהגות, שנתחדשו אחר חיבור הגמרא. אבל כל הדברים שבגמרא הבבלי, חייבין כל ישראל ללכת בהם, וכופין כל עיר ועיר, וכל מדינה ומדינה, לנהוג בכל המנהגות, שנהגו חכמי הגמרא, ולגזור גזירותם, וללכת בתקנותם. הואיל וכל אותם הדברים שבגמרא, הסכימו עליהם כל ישראל. ואותם החכמים שהתקינו, או שגזרו, או שהנהיגו, או שדנו דין, ולמדו שהמשפט כך הוא, הם כל חכמי ישראל, או רובם, והם ששמעו הקבלה בעיקרי התורה כולה, דור אחר דור, עד משה רבינו עליו השלום:

 
In this age, with afflictions mightily intensified, the pressure of the hour weighing heavily upon everybody, when the wisdom of our wise did perish and the prudence of our prudent was hid, all commentaries, treatises, and responsa which the Gaonim compiled and considered by them as clear text are preplexities in our day and only a select few comprehend the subject matter thereof, not to speak of the Talmud itself, both the Babylonian and the Jerusalemean, the Sifra, Sifre and Tosefta, which require a broad understanding, a soul endowed with wisdom and lengthy reflection whenafter one may find the right path therein, to ascertain the things which are forbidden and the things which are permitted, or to fathom the how and why of the other laws of the Torah.

6 comments :

  1. If someone is great, like the CI, Rav Kook, Rambam, etc - and they take a position which is not approved by their contemporaries - why not follow the great Gadol? Rambam actually states in Chelek (intorduction) that his view (not necessarily in halacha) is like a single Sun, whereas the masses hold different views, and warns them (of the other categories) not to listen to what he says.
    In any case, your standard claim of "cherry picking" if true, applies to everyone.
    Why are you so keen on Rav Shternbuch's psak, whilst others might prefer the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Soloveitchik, Rav Ovadiah etc? It is self serving - you follow your Rebbe for the same reasons someoen else follwos the Lubavitcher rebbe. For emotional reasons, your attachment and personal/psychological gain of associating and being clsoe to your Gadol of choice. Then you cherry pick sources to justify your behaviour. (as we all do, and even as the gedolim do).

    If you want a balanced, objective and unbiased approach, need to find an academic halachist who will balance all existing opinions, and pre-define his methodology for reaching a conclusion.

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  2. Wow! only academics are well balanced?!
    they in fact are more likely to cherry pick sources to fit their theses.

    Even better why not use a computer to pasken

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  3. Yes - because there is a human element to what humans do, even the greatest ones.

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  4. Do modern Orthodox or open Orthodox rely on a computer or do they prefer a human who has bias
    Do you know anyone who agrees with your "objective" psak?

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  5. My statement was in response to your frequent use of "cherry picking" - to argue that there is little or no totally objective halachic argument. It doesn't mean i want a computer psak - usually, individual people need a psak because they have a problem - lo aleinu.

    Do people shop around for a psak? Most likely yes, unless they are attached to a particular Rov or rebbe.


    is it possible, for example, to predict the kind of answer to expect from a selection of poskim, if one is familiar with their style? To some extent, i think it might be, though it would require a great deal of lomdus to do that.

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  6. The Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvos (Assei 175), and the Sefer HaChinuch (78) interpret the commandment of following the majority; to Torah matters, and lawsuits between two litigants.


    The Rosh cited in the OP (Shut 6:7) [and 6:5] expands the scope of this verse, to apply to all communal matters.


    Are there any other Rishonim, who use the verse, in the manner used by the Rosh?

    ReplyDelete

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