Information AboutPosek |
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The decision of a posek is known as a ''psak din'' or '''''psak halakha''''' ("ruling of law"; pl. ''piskei din'', ''piskei halakha'') or simply a "psak". In Hebrew, פסק is the Root implying to "stop" or "cease" - the posek brings the process of legal debate to finality. ''Piskei din'' are generally recorded in the Responsa literature. FORMULATING A RULING (PSAK DIN) A posek will base a ''psak din'' on a study of all relevant precedents in light of a careful analysis of the Underlying Legal Principles . The Posek will therefore be thoroughly versed in Rabbinic Literature and must be a master Talmudist . In formulating his ruling, the Posek will have studied the ''application'' of the halakha through consideration of all relevant Legal Precedent s as recorded in the Responsa literature, and will have mastered the underlying principles in that area through study of the relevant Talmud ic tractates with commentaries. This analysis will include tracing the development of the corresponding legal material in the '' Rishonim '' (early Middle age rabbinic authorities, such as Maimonides or Rashi ) through the Shulkhan Arukh (the "Code of Jewish Law"), and finally a close analysis of the '' Acharonim '' (rabbinic authorities from about the 1500s onwards) on the halakha as recorded in the ''Shulkhan Arukh''. THE ROLE OF THE POSEK Orthodox Judaism In under Orthodox Judaism . (Thus for example, some Halakhic rulings related to electricity when it was new, were derived from rulings concerning another form of human-managed energy, "fire", but that view was subsequently modified as the nature of electricity was clarified when used as an Electrical Circuit .) Poskim play an integral role in Haredi Judaism and Orthodox Judaism . Each community will regard one of its ''poskim'' as its ''Posek HaDor'' ("Posek of the present Generation"). For Lithuanian -style Haredi world it is probably Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv . For the Sephardi Jews it is probably Rabbi Ovadia Yosef . Hasidic Jews rely on their own Rebbe s or leading posek appointed by their Rebbes. Conservative Judaism Conservative Judaism and Masorti Judaism may re-interpret or even change a law through a formal argument. There are no formal poskim in the Conservative movement. The Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly maintains a Committee On Jewish Law And Standards , whose decisions are accepted as authoritative within the Conservative movement and to a certain extent also in the Reform and Reconstructionist movements. The rulings of any one individual rabbi are considered less binding than a consensus ruling. Reform Judaism Poskim are not found in Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism , as these denominations believe in individual autonomy for interpretation of biblical and oral law. LIST OF ORTHODOX POSKIM
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