To Shulchanhashalem
I generally dislike these tit for tat conversations – but lets go.
1. Could you clarify which of my sources are second hand?
2. I don’t think that any of your proofs stand up to scrutiny.
a. The CC was the recognised Godol – The recognised godol is not necessary the recognised posek, there are different roles in Klal Yisroel, eg the Ari is not recognised as a Posek. I am not going to risk mentioning names of current Gedolim and I suggest that you don’t either.
b. The OH quotes the MB – I am sure that the OH recognised the MB as a tremendous sefer, and he therefore quotes it. He is happy to disagree on hundreds of instances, and don’t see that your proof has any bearing on the argument.
c. Many people ask the MB for his seforim – maybe because he sold them personally and not published in shops? I have no idea of the accepted publishing norms of the time. Maybe they were only referring to his Sefer Chofetz Chaim? I really don’t think this is at all persuasive.
d. The CC corresponded world wide – again, as he lived far longer than his contemporaries, he became the Godol Hador. But are these piskei Halocho? I understood that R CO Grodzinsky became the defacto posek in 20s/30s.
3. Contemporary practise is clear that many minhogim were like the OH, as pointed out in the quote from R Schachter. Another example would be when people daven Maariv, it being clear that the current trend to daven Maariv Bizmano comes from people converging towards the MB as opposed to the OH.
I would point you to this interesting biography which clearly shows that the CC felt himself secondary to RCO Grodzinsky, and which does not mention his alleged posek hador status.
sorry, no links
In friendship
Ramat