Ask The Rabbi
24 June 1995 
Issue #69
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This edition contains:
1.  World Wide Wabbi
2.  Answer to Yiddle Riddle
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Sam Saal <saal@summit.novell.com> wrote:

While "Ask the Rabbi" is an interesting and useful service, do you think it 
should be relied upon as halacha?  A few problems come to mind:  First, 
there's the problem of it becoming a service through which someone could 
"shop" for a rabbinic opinion.  Also, do you have the knowledge that a Rav 
must have about the details of the specific situation, some of which even 
the person himself may not recognize when he poses his question?.  For 
instance, your ruling may run counter to a communal standard in the 
questioner's community.  Trivial example:  Will you verify whether the 
questioner is of Ashkenazic or Sephardic background before answering a 
question about whether something is Chametz?  And what about "Asei L'cha 
Rav (Make for yourself a teacher)?"  Once again, while this service has the 
potential to be very valuable, I think it should always come with a 
disclaimer that it is not an appropriate avenue for a p'sak (definitive 
halachic ruling).

Kol tuv, Sam Saal,
"Vayiphtach HaShem et Peh HaAtone"

* * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Sam Saal,

Throughout the ages people have written their Halachic questions and mailed 
them to the Rav of their choice.  "Ask the Rabbi" is simply a modern twist 
on an old practice.

Should "Ask the Rabbi" include a disclaimer that it is not an appropriate 
avenue for a Halachic ruling?  For many people "Ask the Rabbi" is the only 
avenue, as they have no Rabbi in their community.  And those who do have 
access to a Rabbi may choose to "Ask the Rabbi" for personal reasons.  By 
the way, for each public column that is published, there are tens of 
personal replies sent to individuals, dealing with a great variety of 
issues.

As far as "shopping" for a p`sak:  Someone who wants to ask different 
Rabbis until he gets the answer he's looking for can do so whether he asks 
his question in person, on the phone, or using smoke signals.  If the 
questioner has been to another Rav before asking us, it is up to him to 
inform us of that.

It is the Rabbi's responsibility to investigate details of the question.  
If the answer to a particular question would be different for an Ashkenazi 
or for a Sephardi, then clarification would be requested, and/or the 
difference would be included in the answer.  Don't forget, e-mail is an 
interactive medium.

I noticed that you signed your letter with the verse "Vayiphtach HaShem et 
Peh HaAtone (And Hashem opened the mouth of the donkey)," referring to 
Bilaam's donkey who was given the ability to speak.  I realize that this is 
part of your "signature," but the idea is relevant here:  Accessing "Torah 
information" without a personal connection to a Rabbi may lead to "talking 
donkey" syndrome.  The Torah is not something you borrow from the library.  
The ideal Torah way of life includes living in an observant community, 
surrounded by learned people, and having personal contact with a Rabbi.  
"Ask the Rabbi" is by no means intended as a substitute for any of this.

Speaking of loquacious livestock, a goat rummaging through the garbage came 
upon a paperback novel, which he proceeded to munch with relish.

"How is it?" asked his friend.

"The movie was better," he answered.

Yiddle Riddle

Question:
   In the Shabbat prayers we say that Hashem called Shabbat "Chemdat Yamim"
    -- "Most coveted of days." (ArtScroll Siddur Page 468/9).
   Where in the Torah is Shabbat called "Chemdat Yamim?"
   Source: Moshe Schwartz from Costa Rica

Answer:
   The Torah says "Vayechal Elokim Bayom HaShvi'i -- And G-d finished
   [Creation] on the seventh day."  The Targum Yerushalmi translates the
   word Vayechal to mean "He desired," as in the verse "Kaltah Nafshi
   (Tehillim 84:3)."

Source: Musaf Rashi, Bereshit 2:2.
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