Posek · Lablypedia

The decision of a posek is known as a psak halakha ("ruling of law"; pl. piskei halakha) or simply a "psak". Piskei halakha are generally recorded in the responsa literature.

Orthodox Judaism

Poskim must be learned in a large area of law. They must have shown ability to apply complex legal rulings to a variety of novel situations and must possess a command of the Talmud, the Shulchan Aruch (code of Jewish law) and legal responsa with practical applications. This is a large amount of material to master and takes years of dedicated study to achieve. This is generally more than the training of a rabbi or rav of a community.

Poskim play an integral role in Orthodox Judaism.

Generally, in each generation there may be a handful of poskim who are considered a Posek HaDor ("posek of the present generation"). Their views have enormous impact across the world of Jewry. An example of an Ashkenazi Posek HaDor would be Rabbi Moshe Feinstein while a Sephardic example would be Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
Many rely on the rabbi in their community (in Hasidic communities, sometimes the rebbe) for legal rulings. But the rav may defer to a posek or the leading posek in the country or world for a complex issue.

Poskim will generally not overrule a specific law unless based on an earlier authority: a posek will generally extend a law to new situations but will not change the halakhah.

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Conservative Judaism

Conservative Judaism approaches the idea of posek, and Halakha in general, somewhat differently: poskim here apply a relatively lower weighting to precedent, and will thus frequently reinterpret (or even change) a previous ruling through a formal argument. Although there are some Conservative poskim (e.g., Louis Ginzberg, David Golinkin, Joel Roth, and Elliot Dorff), the rulings of any one individual rabbi are considered less authoritative than a consensus ruling. Thus, the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly maintains a Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, whose decisions are accepted as authoritative within the American Conservative movement. At the same time, Conservative rabbis have the right of mara d'atra to interpret Jewish law for their own communities regardless of the responsa of the Law Committee.

Progressive Judaism

Neither Reform nor Reconstructionist Judaism regards Halakha as binding.

Although Reform stresses the individual autonomy of its membership, it never completely abandoned the field of responsa literature, if only to counter its rivals' demands. Even Classical Reformers such as Rabbi David Einhorn composed some. Rabbi Solomon Freehof, and his successor Rabbi Walter Jacob, attempted to create a concept of "Progressive Halacha", authoring numerous responsa based on a methodology laying great emphasis on current sensibilities and ethical ideals. Full text collections of Reform responsa are available on the website of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

The Reconstructionist position is that if Jews had formed cohesive communities again, their rulings would be binding, but presently Judaism is in a "post-Halakhic state". Therefore, their basic policy is to allow tradition "a vote, not a veto" in communal and personal affairs.

List of poskim and major works

In chronological order, by the year of birth, and if needed, secondarily, by year of death and surname.

Poskim of past years

1600–1900

Yoel Sirkis (1561–1640), Bach
David HaLevi Segal (1586–1667), Turei Zahav
Sabbatai ha-Kohen (1621–1662), Shach
Avraham Gombiner (1633–1683), Magen Avraham
Tzvi Ashkenazi (1668–1718), Chacham Tzvi
Jacob Emden (1797–1776)
Yechezkel Landau (1713–1793), Noda Bihudah
Vilna Gaon (1720–1797), Gra
Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812), Shulchan Aruch HaRav
Aryeh Leib Heller (1745–1812), Ketzos HaChoshen
Avraham Danzig (1748–1820), Chayei Adam
Yaakov Lorberbaum (1762–1830), Nesivos HaMishpat
Moses Sofer (1762–1839), Chasam Sofer
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (1789–1866), Tzemach Tzedek
Shlomo Ganzfried (1804–1886), Kitzur Shulchan Aruch
Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor (1817–1896)
Yehoshua Leib Diskin (1818–1898), Maharil Diskin

Orthodox

Yechiel Michel Epstein (1829–1907), Aruch HaShulchan
Yoseph Chaim of Bagdad (1832–1909), Ben Ish Chai, Rav Pealim
Yisrael Meir Kagan (1838–1933), Mishnah Berurah, Chafetz Chaim
Moshe Greenwald (1853–1910), Arugath HaBosem
Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863–1940), Achiezer
Abraham Isaac Kook (1865–1935)
Eliezer David Greenwald (1867–1928), Keren L'Dovid
Yaakov Chaim Sofer (1870–1939), Kaf HaChaim
Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro (1870–1943)
Yonasan Steif, (1877–1958)
Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz (1878–1953), Chazon Ish
Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (1878–1966), Seridei Eish
Yosef Eliyahu Henkin (1881–1973)
Eliezer Silver (1882–1968)
Yehezkel Abramsky (1886–1976)
Yoel Teitelbaum (1887–1979), Vayoel Moshe, Divrei Yoel
Avraham Chaim Naeh (1890–1954) Ketzos HaShulchan, Shiurei Mikveh, Shiurei Torah
Zvi Yehuda Kook (1891–1982)
Yaakov Kamenetsky (1891–1986)
Aharon Kotler (1892–1962)
Moshe Feinstein (1895–1986), Igrot Moshe
Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss (1902–1989), Minchas Yitzchak
Yosef Greenwald (1903–1984), Vayaan Yosef
Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903–1993)
Yitzchok Hutner (1906–1980)
Chanoch Dov Padwa (1908–2000), Cheishev Ho'Ephod
Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (1910–1995), Minchat Shlomo
Yosef Shalom Eliashiv (1910–2012)
Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg (1910–2012)
Pinhas Hirschprung (1912–1998)
Shmuel Wosner (1913–2015), Shevet HaLevi
Aharon Leib Shteinman (1913–2017)
Ephraim Oshry (1914–2003)
Avraham Shapira (1914–2007)
Eliezer Waldenberg (1917–2006), Tzitz Eliezer
Shlomo Goren (1918–1994)
Chaim Kreiswirth (1918–2001)
Yaakov Yitzhak Neumann (1920–2007), Ogiro Be'Oholcho
Ovadia Yosef (1920–2013), Yabbia Omer
Baruch Ben Haim (1921–2005)
Fishel Hershkowitz (1922–2017), Klausenburger dayan in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York
Hayim David HaLevi (1924–1998), Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, author of the set of halakha Mekor Hayim
Menashe Klein (1924–2011), Ungvarer Rav; Mishneh Halachos
Gedalia Dov Schwartz (1925–2020), av beit din of Beth Din of America and the Chicago Rabbinical Council
Nissim Karelitz (1926–2019)
Nahum Rabinovitch (1928–2020), rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Birkat Moshe
Chaim Kanievsky (1928–2022)
Mordechai Eliyahu (1929–2010)
Dovid Feinstein (1929–2020)
Ephraim Greenblatt (1932–2014), Rivivos Efraim
Zalman Nechemia Goldberg (1932–2020), av beit din, rosh yeshiva of Machon Lev, editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Talmudit
Aharon Lichtenstein (1933–2015), rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion
Meir Brandsdorfer (1934–2009), Kaneh Bosem
Yechezkel Roth (1936–2021) Karlsburger Rav, author of Emek HaTeshuvah
Shimon Eider (1938–2007)
Yisroel Belsky (1938–2016)
Yehuda Henkin (1945–2020)
Haim Drukman (1932–2022)
Yitzchak Abadi (1933–2025)

Conservative and Reform

Jacob Zallel Lauterbach (1873–1942)
Louis Ginzberg (1873–1953), The Responsa of Professor Louis Ginzberg
Solomon Freehof (1892–1990), Reform Jewish Practice and its Rabbinic Background
Isaac Klein (1905–1979), A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice
Jacob Agus (1911–1986), Dialogue and Tradition

Living poskim

Shmuel Kamenetsky (1924– ), rosh yeshiva, Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia
Dov Lior (1933– )
Avigdor Nebenzahl (1935– )
Yaakov Ariel (1937– )
Zephaniah Drori (1937– )
Zalman Baruch Melamed (1937– )
Yisrael Ariel (1939– )
Eliyahu Ben Haim (1940– )
Ephraim Padwa (1940-) rabbi of Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations
Hershel Schachter (1941– ), rosh yeshiva at RIETS
Shlomo Aviner (1943– )
Mordechai Willig (1947– ), rosh yeshiva at RIETS
Yitzhak Yosef (1952– ), Chief Sephardic Rabbi of the State of Israel, author of the set Yalkut Yosef
Yitzchak Berkovits (1953– ), rosh kollel The Jerusalem Kollel
Osher Weiss (1953– ), Minchas Osher
Yitzchak Breitowitz (1954– ), Rav, Kehilas Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem
Eliezer Melamed (1961– )
Simcha Bunim Cohen (1957– ), prolific author and pulpit rabbi in Lakewood, New Jersey
Yisroel Dovid Harfenes author of Yisroel Vehazmanim, Mekadesh Yisroel and Nishmas Shabos
Pinchas Toledano, hakham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of the Netherlands
Shraga Feivel Zimmerman, av beis din of Kehillas Federation, London
Gavriel Zinner author of the Nitei Gavriel series on halakha