Daas Torah - Was Rav Moshe ?

 One of the most important issues arises in light of his almost universal acceptance as the posek – Was he Daas Torah? I was told that he had resolved a major dispute involving the Chassidic community by announcing with his ruling that it needed to be accepted because his view was Daas Torah!  I asked Rav Dovid Feinstein about this. He replied that he had never heard his father voice the claim that his view had the authority of  Daas Torah. In the Igros Moshe he wrote that it is not only possible to disagree with him but that there is nobody today that you can’t disagree with. He even said it was possible to disagree with the Chazon Ish and further sometimes even Rishonim concerning matters that their view has not gained wide acceptance. However I was told by a member of his family that when Rav Tendler his son in law proposed making a medical school to which Rav Moshe disapproved, he said "Since my view is accepted by the Jewish people and is Daas Torah I forbid it!"

While Rav Moshe did not claim he was Daas Torah or was infallible, where did his rulings come from. I once discussed this Rav Rottenberg who was a close student of Rav Moshe. He said “I once had a question regarding when to date the Kesuba. It was published in the Igros Moshe. Before the meeting with Rav Moshe I of course reviewed all the relevant sources. When I objected to Rav Moshe’s ruling he told me ‘if you review the sources you will see I am correct’ I of course had already done the review and I still disagreed. People claim that Rav Moshe poskened directly from the gemora. They are wrong, he poskened from Heaven.”

Reb Moshe - (Artscroll biography 2nd edition 2011): There are people who maintain that talmidei chachom are not qualified to decide political matters that gedolei Yisroel should limit themselves to Torah and Halacha. Such people cannot be considered within the Torah camp. One might well say disregarding the advice of a talmid chachom is far worse than violating a commandment. One who violates a commandment because he is too weak to resist temptation at least knows that his action is wrong. By contrast, one who ignores the advice of a talmid chachom denies that a Torah scholar’s wisdom is superior. This is a far more serious breach (page 224).

Igros Moshe volume 8) "Active involvement of gedolei Torah in politics also in Israel aroused his opposition. He used to say that greatness in Torah is not combined with expertise in politics"

Igros Moshe (O.C. 1:109): This that you apologize for disagreeing with me in a halachic issue – this is totally unnecessary. That is because this is the way of Torah that it is necessary to establish the truth. Chas v’shalom to silence one who disagrees with you – whether he is being more lenient or more strict. [While there is a discussion about disagreeing in a formal court session Sanhedrin 36 where the court is deciding on the guilt or innocence…] it is not a problem to disagree with the gadol (greatest scholar) when he is saying something in the course of teaching the material or even if he is making a practical halachic ruling but he is not part of a formal court. We see this in many places in the gemora where students question their teacher’s view. … It is obvious in these cases the rulings were not part of a formal court session. Furthermore it is apparent that there is no one today who has the status of gadol for this law that no one can disagree with him… Therefore even if you consider me to be a gadol – it is permitted to disagree with me and consequently it is required that you express your opinion and there is no need to apologize. Nevertheless regarding the halachic question that was raised, my view -that I wrote that it is prohibited - is the correct one.

Igros Moshe(Introduction): And therefore I also found it appropriate to publish my teshuvos,  since I am merely clarifying the halacha and every talmid chachom and posek is able to examine my words and decide for himself whether to make halachic rulings in accord with my views. They can see that I did not blindly rely even on the writings of our great rabbis. I analyzed them with all my strength to understand their correctness - as we find stated by Rabbi Akiva Eiger. Similarly I request that all those who read my writings that they should carefully examine my words and only then [if they are acceptable] to make practical rulings in accord with them