The Art of Asking  

Coordinated by Mindel Kassorla

We Jews are trained to ask questions, to present sh’eilos and clarify halachah, but where do we draw the line?

We seek guidance from those steeped in Torah for all types of communal and personal dilemmas, not just when it comes to strict Jewish law.

We seek daas Torah because we understand Torah to be the primary force that informs decisions in all areas of life.

But at what point are we encouraged to seek counsel rather than make our own decisions?
How far should we go in requesting guidance at the expense of developing personal responsibility?

Where else to turn with such a dilemma other than daas Torah?

Rabbanim and educators share insights from their personal wealth of wisdom and experience

The Truest Lens

Rabbi Ahron Kaufman

Yiddishkeit is not merely a legal code of dos and don’ts; it is a comprehensive worldview and way of life, infused with Torah wisdom.

So our questions to talmidei chachamim are not confined to halachic matters, with personal and hashkafic decisions left to individual discretion. We seek guidance from those steeped in the Torah’s teachings in all manner of communal and personal dilemmas, not just in problems of strict Jewish law. We seek daas Torah because we understand Torah to be an ennobling and enriching force that informs decisions in all areas of life.

But because hashkafic and personal questions — like choosing a spouse, profession, or yeshivah — require consideration of individual inclinations and experiences, unlike purely halachic questions, this creates a profound conundrum. How far should we go in seeking guidance, and how far should we develop our personal responsibility?

In truth, these concepts do not conflict but rather complement each other as building blocks of a Torah-based life.