2007 Conference - The Process of Psak

The Process of P’sak

A two-day conference for Orthodox rabbis and educators

The Center for Modern Torah Leadership

August 15 – August 16, 2007

Boston, MA

Conference Schedule

Wednesday August 15^th

11:30 – 12:30 Registration and lunch

1:00 – 2:00 Introduction

2:00 – 5:00 Session I: The Nature of Asking a Sh’eilah

· Is asking a Sh’eilah a surrender of autonomy?

· If yes, is asking a Sh’eilah a surrender of autonomy to the posek or to the system?

· Is asking a Sh’eilah a L’khatchilah or a B’di’eved phenomenon?

· Comparison of the individual and the communal sh’eilah

5:00 – 5:30 Minchah

5:30 – 6:30 Dinner

6:30 – 9:30 Session II: The Nature and Limits of Answering a Sh’eilah

· Is psak discovery or creation?

· When should the Shoel be required to make his/her own decision?

· When should the Shoel be required to do his/her own research?

· When should a shoel be required in advance to accept a psak as binding?

· Comparison of and conflicts between individual and communal psak

9:30 – 10:00 Ma’ariv

Thursday August 16^th

7:30 – 8:30 Shacharit

8:30 – 9:00 Breakfast

9:00 – 12:00 Session III: The Impact of the Shoel’s Values

· May a shoel implicitly or explicitly ask for psak based on given assumptions?

· Does psak have an educative as well as a legal purpose?

· Comparison of individual and communal psak

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:00 – 4:00 Session IV: The Impact of the Meishiv’s Values

· To what extent does discretionary psak depend on values?

· Where, if anywhere, is the boundary between law/psak and obligatory proper behavior?

· Comparison of individual and communal psak

4:00 – 5:00 Summary, Evaluation, and Planning

Sessions will include shiurim, case-study presentations, and discussion.

Process of P’sak Conference Faculty

· Rabbi Yonah Reiss, Beit Din of America

· Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, Dean, Center for Modern Torah Leadership, Beit Din of Boston, Gann Academy

· Rabbi Chaim Jachter, Torah Academy of Bergen County, Beit Din of Elizabeth, NJ