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Which Rov would you call if you wanted a Rov’s slant on a major decision? Which Rov, who is generally available, without middlemen, listens like a father listens to a child and gives advice from the heart and makes the person feel comfortable (doesnt rush him, doesnt tell him how busy he is, doesnt ask the person to identify themselves…). Thats how R’ Avrohom Blumenkrantz A”H used to be. A Rov who treats all Bnai Ysroel almost like a biological child.
Is there anyone like that these days?
I’d call my Rov (as should each of us do; call our own Rov).
There is no difference between a “major” issue, and a “minor” one.
agree with bpt
There is no difference between a “major” issue, and a “minor” one.
I disagree.
While my sister holds by a different Rav than I do, if I had a question that I needed an immediate answer to and she told me her Rav said XYZ, I would rely on that (l’kula or l’chumra) for the moment if it were something minor. Minor being something like a simple kashrus issue. I would then ask my Rav what to do at a later date going forward.
I trust my Rav, especially because he won’t hesitate to refer me if I need to speak to someone with more knowledge in a subject that he feels he has.
Ok, Of course – now let me re-answer. (The 1st time, I was on hold, and was just checking the CR for whats new)
How to pick a Rov? If I were new to the scene, the 1st thing I’d look for is who do my friends go to? And not so much as, who do they go to for the best heterim, but rather, whose shiur do they go to? Whose shul do they daven in? Does the Rov’s family (spouse, children, ect) mesh with who I am (or am trying to be)?
Picking a Rov is like picking a route. It gets you to a destination. Its a lot more than just “can I eat this, or how do I kasher that”. Its about how you (and your family) live their life.
Mine.
Everyone must have “his Rov” who is the final arbiter on all shailos.
Does “our” Rav, HaRav Popa shlit”a take sha’alos?
Kashrus questions(over the counter medications or other products)I used to ask Rav Blumenkrantz z”l. I don’t think my Rav knows ingredients and products the way he did. I really don’t have anyone now to call when I don’t want to call the Dayan of my shul.
I once called him with something that did not need a Halachic answer, but needed a Torah’dig and wise approach. I called him and he didn’t know what to say. He told me to call him back in 3-4 days. When I called him back he said he researched the issue in various seforim. What impressed me most is that he spent almost an hour with me on the phone. He told me little stories about people in a similar situation, and how they handled it. He spoke the way one speaks to an auditorium full of people. He gave me so much of his valuable time, and did not sound rushed at all. When I got off the phone I couldn’t believe how patiently he spoke to an anonymous person.
R Blumenkrantz A”H remarkably, was always available to happily fill many peoples’ needs. Is that a problem?
Now, on to the rest of your post:
Tell me about it. But let me respond, one point at a time:
Thousands of people calling R’ Blumenkrantz all the time.
Certain situations where you cant call “your Rov”.
Shuls with no Rov (Rov passed on and wasnt replaced).
c)That is a recipe for disaster. How can someone function in this world without a Rov? If nothing else, just to get a feel for how he thinks, so you can draw your own conclusions and then decide on a course of action.
Rov is impossible to reach.
Shuls with Rovs who they look up to, but not enough for specific questions.
of course, I too often called Rabbi Blumenkrantz even erev yom kippur during the seudah hamofskes and never felt like I was inconveniencing him. He truly made himself available, there are very few Rabbonim that are that accessible… BPT, you would be amazed at how many people do not have a Rov they consider their Rov. Mnny people daven at shul because it is local and do not feel a specific kesher to the rov.
There used to be a time when a Rav wasn’t bombarded with all these silly questions because keeping kosher on Pesach was very simple in comparison to what is out there today.
We won’t mish, but will buy every chazarei product; what hypocrisy!
While we all agree that Rav Blumenkrantz was a tzadik gamor, many cannot cope with his Pesach chumras.
Ofcourse – grow up.
“you would be amazed at how many people do not have a Rov they consider their Rov….and do not feel a specific kesher to the rov. “
As I’m amazed at how many people smoke. Not a sudden death, but surely not a healthy way to go thru life.
“what school or camp to send a child to”
And this, you would entrust to someone that does not know you / your family / your child on a personal basis? That would be like trusting a shadchan to choose a shidduch for you.
The only way to reach a determination of this scope (other that ruach hakodesh) is to know the people involved.
Asey l’cha Rav. Not my idea, but it appears to be a good one!
So in effect, I did choose him…
That’s good. But unfortunatly, he is no longer as accessible to answer questions as he once was.
To be fair, many people do continue to “ask questions / seek advise” by drawing from the writings of gedolim that are no longer among us.
But for the most part, its takes a current godol (or Rov who has had shimush by a rov with more experience) to call the shots based on the facts on the ground. Plus, sometimes, a flesh-and-blood Rov can see an angle that might be missed, by just “going by the books”
Its what the trade calls the “5th chelek” of Shilchan Oruch
“many people do continue to “ask questions / seek advise” by drawing from the writings of gedolim that are no longer among us.”
And they also ask questions to a dead Rav on the internet, and get answers from the dead Rav.
Everyone must have a warm blooded Rav, otherwise, to be your own Rav is very dangerous and will lead you off the proper path. In fact, every Rav has a Rav.
” I just cant find a Rov, similar to HIM”
Ofcourse –
What’s your general hashkofoh?
There must be someone the CR can suggest that fits your needs. Its not as much about “finding the perfect fit” as it is “growing into the fit”
I can suggest a few Bklyn Rabbonim, if thats where your at.
Ofcourse: Rabbi Menachem Friedman, Rov of the Agudah of East 23rd. The same one popa mentioned supports the bochorim discussed on the billboard thread.
Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser is another consideration. He has a fairly young following, and is very much in tune to the reality on the ground today.
cherrybim, i do understand not mishing yet buying products. If you trust a hecsher then you trust that the mashgiach is making sure that all care is taken with the production of the product to make it kosher l’pesach, but you have no way of knowing what is going on in people’s kitchens. Also people have different minhagim when it comes to kashrus (for example, there are very frum people who hold that cooking chicken in an oven does not make the oven fleishigs, and We hold that the oven needs to be cleaned well and burned out after cooking chicken.) and on pesach people like to be extra careful.
of course…Some people truly leave a VOID when they are gone. I also miss Rabbi Blumenkrantz’s unusual sensitivity.
“cherrybim, i do understand not mishing yet buying products.”
OfCourse – “If you feel it’s too much for you, then you can follow a YU or OU Rov”
By the way, all chasidish hashgachos are someich on the OU and their Rabbis for their own hashgachos. In fact, recently the Satmar CRC had their mashgichim go to the OU for hashgacha training.
of course – Rabbi Goldwasser is awesome!!!!! He’s not “my Rav” (like my families Rav) but I would feel comfortable asking him anything (and I’m not one of those people who become BFF’s with teachers and all.)
BS”D
Well, the only time I can ever pick up the phone is after shkia, so I must therefore find an erev rav.
By the way, all chasidish hashgachos are someich on the OU and their Rabbis for their own hashgachos.
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And the OK (which is chasidish standard except that the Lubavitcher Rebbe told Rabbi Levy to give hechsher on non-CY products). However, for reasons I’d rather not go into here, the CRC-Satmar probably does not work with OK, though Nirbator and Volover do.
of course,I b”h have a good rav,but I prefer to tell you offline,if you’re interested.I don’t want him to be at “poster mercy”,you know what I mean?
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