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 15th
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 16th
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
