Website of the Rabbinical Council of America
GPS was established to aid potential converts to Judaism, while at the same time diminishing thorny questions of personal status. For years, conversion had been performed in ad hoc fashion by local rabbis, but without detailed mutually agreed upon standards and procedures. While the vast majority of conversions were handled appropriately, some were not. As a result, in recent years even those who had fulfilled the halachic requirements were finding their conversions unfairly questioned and scrutinized - not just in Israel but in many Orthodox communities to which they or their children had moved. It is significant that because of such inconsistencies, in the early 1990's the RCA established regional conversion courts that were not organized into a formal network. That action alone, however, did not sufficiently address the problems.
To help solve this growing crisis, therefore, the RCA, in partnership with the Beth Din of America, took the next step and established the GPS network based on the following principles.
The Jewish Week 03/04/08
“I oppose the system,” said the rabbi, in an interview from Jerusalem, where he was visiting. “I am very much afraid of this system. “The RCA is making it more difficult for people to convert just as the Chief Rabbinate has made it more difficult for people to convert in Israel. We are replicating their mistakes,” he said.
“The consideration seems to be to make sure that nobody enters the Jewish people unless we are absolutely certain of their present and future adherence to the full range of halacha [Jewish law],” says Rabbi Lookstein. “While I am absolutely in favor of strict standards for conversion, I feel the emphasis ought to be to help people convert and not to put up barriers. I am convinced that the new system is going to create barriers.
Homepage, International Rabbinic Fellowship
We are committed to... the right, responsibility and autonomy of individual rabbis to decide matters of halakha for their communities.
הרב צבי שכטר
לדעתי, לא כל אברך שלמד בישיבה, או אפילו בכולל, או אפילו שהוסמך לרב, רשאי לחוו"ד בפסק הלכה. דלהחשב "חכם שהגיע להוראה" בעינן לא רק שיהא לאדם ידיעות בכהת"כ, אלא גם שיהא האדם מאוזן בתלמודו. והשוה מש"כ בזה רבנו הגריד"ס ז"ל... ובתשובות מנחת שלמה (ח"א סי' ח') הדפיס הגאון המנוח רש"ז אויערבאך ז"ל את תשובתו הידועה בנדון רופא שנקרא לחולה מסוכן בשבת, אם רשאי לחזור לביתו ע"י חילול שבת דאורייתא [בה הוא חולק על דעת הגאון רמ"פ ז"ל בעהמ"ס אגר"מ], וכתב בהערה שבתחילת התשובה, הנני מפרסם מאמר זה לאחר שהגאון הנ"ל שליט"א נתן לי רשות על כך. הרי שיש הנהגות של דרך ארץ אפילו בעניני פרסומי פסקי הלכה, שלפעמים מן הנכון אפילו לגדולים ליטול רשות מגדולים מהם לחוות את דעתם.
R' Ysoscher Katz
Clearly, one who is not trained to adjudicate cannot give halakhic instruction. Chazal (Sotah 22a) have already warned about the damage that can result from this in their reading of the verse Ki rabim halalaim hapilah/for she has felled many victims (Proverbs 7:26), which refers to a student who has not achieved the ability to give halakhic instruction. However, it is important to remember that by the same measure they also warned against the opposite, a student who has been ordained to give halakhic instruction, but doesn’t rule. Regarding such a situation, the sages interpreted the second half of the above verse: Ve’atzumim kol harugaha/the number of her slain is great – “this refers to a student who has achieved the ability to give halakhic instruction but doesn’t.”
It is interesting to note that the Maharsha in his commentary Chidushei Agadot, explains that the word atzumim is from the language of greatness and importance. It would seem, at first glance, that he agrees with Kevod HaRav’s [your] position, that a judge is permitted to issue rulings only if, in addition to being ordained, he is also “great and important.” However, Rashi disagrees with the Maharsha. Rashi explains that atzumim is from the language of “shuts his eyes” (otzem ainav, Isaiah 33), that they close their mouths and do not give halakhic instruction to those in need of such instruction. It is clear that Rashi does not agree with the Maharsha and that according to this opinion one who “has knowledge of the entire corpus of Torah”, even if he is not “great and important”, is allowed, and even obligated, to give halakhic instruction.
The halakha codified in the Shulchan Arukh follows Rashi’s opinion, not the Maharsha’s...
(ז) רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנוֹ אוֹמֵר, הַחוֹשֵׂךְ עַצְמוֹ מִן הַדִּין, פּוֹרֵק מִמֶּנּוּ אֵיבָה וְגָזֵל וּשְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא. וְהַגַּס לִבּוֹ בַהוֹרָאָה, שׁוֹטֶה רָשָׁע וְגַס רוּחַ:
(7) Rabbi Yishmael, his son, says: One who withholds himself from judging - removes from himself enmity, theft, and the false oath. One who is nonchalant about giving legal decisions is an imbecile, wicked, and arrogant in spirit.
תפארת ישראל - יכין אבות פרק ד
מג) שוטה. מי שמתגאה ודוחק א"ע להיות דיין, וודאי שוטה הוא, שמראה לעצמו אויבים על לא דבר...
אמר רבי אבא אמר רב הונא אמר רב מאי דכתיב (משלי ז, כו) כי רבים חללים הפילה זה תלמיד שלא הגיע להוראה ומורה ועצומים כל הרוגיה זה תלמיד שהגיע להוראה ואינו מורה ועד כמה עד מ' שנין והא רבא אורי התם בשוין ועלהו לא יבול אמר רב אחא בר אדא אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב אחא בר אבא אמר רב המנונא אמר רב שאפילו שיחת חולין של ת"ח צריכה תלמוד שנאמר (תהלים א, ג) ועלהו לא יבול
R. Abba said in the name of R. Huna, in the name of Rav: The scriptural words, For she hath cast down many wounded, refer to the disciple who gives decisions though he has not reached the age of ordination; yea, a mighty host are her slain refer to the disciple who has reached the ordination age but refrains from giving decisions. And what is the age? Forty years. But did not Rabbah act as Rabbi? That was a case of being equal [to anyone]. And whose leaf doth not wither. Said R. Aha b. Adda in the name of Rab (some ascribe it to R. Aha b. Abba in the name of R. Hamnuna, in the name of Rab): Even the ordinary talk of scholars needs studying, for it is said, And whose leaf doth not wither, and whatsoever he does so shall prosper.
דא"ר אבהו אמר רב הונא אמר רב מאי דכתיב (משלי ז, כו) כי רבים חללים הפילה ועצומים כל הרוגיה כי רבים חללים הפילה זה ת"ח שלא הגיע להוראה ומורה ועצומים כל הרוגיה זה ת"ח שהגיע להוראה ואינו מורה ועד כמה עד ארבעין שנין איני והא רבה אורי בשוין.
For R. Abbahu declared that R. Huna said in the name of Rab, What means that which is written: For she hath cast down many wounded, yea, all her slain are a mighty host? ‘For she hath cast down many wounded’ this refers to a disciple who has not attained the qualification to decide questions of law and yet decides them; ‘yea, all her slain are a mighty host’ this refers to a disciple who has attained the qualification to decide questions of law and does not decide them. [He did so only in a town where the Rabbis] were his equals.
והא רבה אורי - וכל שנותיו אינן אלא מ' כדאמרי' בר"ה (דף יח.) רבה ואביי מדבית עלי קאתו כו':
בשוין - אם שוה לגדול העיר בחכמה מותר להורות או שאין זקן ממנו בעיר:
Did not Rabba Rule - And all his years were forty, as we state in Rosh Hashanah (18a) - "Rabba and Abaye were descended from the house of Eli, etc."
When they are equal - If he is equal to the great one of the city in wisdom, it is permissible to rule; alternatively [he may rule] if there is none older than he in the city.
ועד כמה עד ארבעין שנין - פי' משנה שהתחיל ללמוד עד ארבעים שנה ולא משנה שנולד כדאמרינן בפ"ק דמסכת ע"ז (דף ה:) ולא נתן ה' לכם לב לדעת עד היום הזה ש"מ לא קאים איניש אדעתיה דרביה עד ארבעין שנין וזה היה ממתן תורה עד מ' שנה שאז התחילו ללמוד:
And until how many? Until forty years - Meaning, from the year he began studying until forty, but not from the year in which he was born, as is states in the first chapter of Avoda Zara (5b): "God did not give you a heart to know until this day." From here we deduce that one does not fully grasp (lit. stand upon) his teacher's knowledge until age forty. And this was from the giving of the Torah until forth years, because then they began to study.
הר"ן על הרי"ף עבודה זרה ה עמוד ב
ושמעינן מינה שאין ת"ח רשאי להורות כל זמן שיש בעיר גדול ממנו אם לא הגיע לארבעים אבל אין בעיר גדול ממנו מורה כרבה דאורי אע"פ שלא הגיע לארבעים ותמהני מהר"ם במז"ל שכתבה לזו בפרק חמישי מהלכות תלמוד תורה ולא חלק בין ארבעים לפחות מהן ובין שוין לשיש גדול ממנו וכן יש לתמוה על ה"ר אלפסי ז"ל שלא כתבו בהלכות והא רבה הוא דאורי התם בשוין:
R. Nissim on the Rif, Avoda Zara 5b
And we deduce from this that a Torah scholar may not rule so long as there is someone greater than he in the city, so long as he did not reach the age of forty. But if there is not in the city anyone older than he, he may rule, like Rabba, who ruled even though he had not yet reached the age of forty. And I find it bewildering that Maimonides, who transcribed this in the fifth chapter of the Laws of Torah Study, and did not distinguish between forty and below, or between equal and unequal stature. And one should similar ask about R. Alfasi of blessed memory, who neglected to write in his rulings, "And did not Rabba rule? There, they were equals."
אתמר קרא ושנה ולא שימש ת"ח ר' אלעזר אומר הרי זה עם הארץ ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר הרי זה בור ר' ינאי אומר ה"ז כותי רב אחא בר יעקב אומר הרי זה מגוש
It has been reported, If one has learnt Scripture and Mishnah but did not attend upon Rabbinical scholars, R. Eleazar says he is an ‘Am ha-arez’ R. Samuel b. Nahmani says he is a boor; R. Jannai says he is a Samaritan; R. Aha b. Jacob says he is a magician.
תנא התנאים מבלי עולם מבלי עולם ס"ד אמר רבינא שמורין הלכה מתוך משנתן תניא נמי הכי א"ר יהושע וכי מבלי עולם הן והלא מיישבי עולם הן שנאמר (חבקוק ג, ו) הליכות עולם לו אלא שמורין הלכה מתוך משנתן
A Tanna taught: The Tannaim bring destruction upon the world. How can it occur to you to say that they bring destruction upon the world! Rabina said: Because they decide points of law from their teachings. It has been similarly taught: R. Joshua said: Do they destroy the world? Rather do they cultivate the world, as it is said: As for the ways, the world is for him. But [the reference is to] those who decide points of law from their teachings.
(יג) תַּלְמִיד שֶׁלּא הִגִּיעַ לְהוֹרָאָה וּמוֹרֶה, הֲרֵי זֶה שׁוֹטֶה רָשָׁע וְגַס רוּחַ, וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר: כִּי רַבִּים חָלָלִים הִפִּילָה (מִשְׁלֵי ז, כו). הַגָּה: וְתַלְמִידִים הַקְּטַנִּים הַקּוֹפְצִים לְהוֹרוֹת וְלֵישֵׁב בָּרֹאשׁ, לְהִתְגַּדֵּל בִּפְנֵי עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, מַרְבִּים מַחֲלֹקֶת וּמַחֲרִיבִים הָעוֹלָם וּמְכַבִּין נֵרָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. (טוּר מֵהָרַמְבַּ''ם).
(13) A student who did not reach the age of ruling and does so, is a fool and arrogant. Regarding him it states, "For he has felled many bodies."
Rama's Gloss: And small students who jump to issue ruling and to sit at the head, to become great before the untutored, increase disputation, destroy the world, and extinguish the light of Torah.
שו"ת מהרשד"ם חושן משפט סימן א
ולענין אם יש לחלק בין זמננו זה לזמן התלמוד נראה בעיני דבר ברור שיש לחלק ולומר דכל אלו הדברים נאמרו בזמן התלמוד שהיו כל הדיני' יוצאים על פי הסברא והכל על פה ומי שהיה יושב על ההוראה הוא הנקר' דיין באמת אבל בזמננו זה אין הת"ח המורה כי אם הספר ואם הת"ח ראינוהו שהוא בדוק ומנוסה לעיין ובעל סברא יודע דעת ומבין פשיטא שיכול להורו' לא מבעיא בשוין אלא אפי' במקום שיש גדול ממנו...
Responsum Maharshdam, C"M 1
Regarding whether or not to distinguish between our era and that of the Talmud, it seems clear to me that one ought distinguish and say that all these matters were stated during the time of the Talmud, when all rulings were issued based on logic, and everything was oral. And one who sat in judgment was true considered a judge. Nowadays, however, it is not the scholar who rules but the book. And we have regarding regarding this scholar that he is expert to examine and analyze the matter, it is obvious that he can rule. This need not be in the case when they are equal, but even if there is someone greater than he...
פתחי תשובה יורה דעה סימן רמב
(ח) כל חכם כו' עיין במהרש"א בח"א פ"ג דסוטה שכתב ובדורות הללו אותם שמורים הלכה מתוך הש"ע והרי הם אין יודעים טעם הענין של כל דבר אם לא ידקדקו תחלה בדבר מתוך התלמוד שהוא שימוש ת"ח טעות נפל בהוראתן והרי הן בכלל מבלי עולם ולכן יש לגעור בהן ע"ש. ואפשר דדוקא בזמן הרב מהרש"א שלא היה עדיין שום חיבור על הש"ע אבל האידנא שנתחברו הט"ז וש"ך ומג"א ושארי אחרונים וכל דין מבואר הטעם במקומו שפיר דמי להורות מתוך הש"ע והאחרונים:
Pitchei Teshuva YD 242
(8) Any scholar etc. See the Maharsha in his aggadic comments to the third chapter of Sotah, where he writes, "And in these generations, when we issue rulings from the Shulchan Aruch and people do not know the reasoning for the matter if they do not first examine the Talmud, which involves apprenticeship to a Torah scholar, error besets their rulings and they are considered among those who destroy the world. Therefore one must scold them..." It is possible that this was only true during the times of the Maharsha, when there was not yet a commentary written on the Shulchan Aruch. But nowadays that the Taz, Shach, Magen Avraham and other latter-day commentaries were composed, and every ruling's reasoning is explained in its place, it is appropriate to rule from the Shulchan Aruch and latter-day authorities.
משנה הלכות חלק יד סי׳ קסג
שלא לפסוק הלכות ע"י מחשבים [קאמפיוטער"ס בלע"ז]
Mishneh Halachot 14:163
That one may not rule in matters of halacha by way of computers.
(א) כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאָדָם מְצֻוֶּה בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְיִרְאָתוֹ כָּךְ הוּא חַיָּב בִּכְבוֹד רַבּוֹ וְיִרְאָתוֹ יֶתֶר מֵאָבִיו. שֶׁאָבִיו מְבִיאוֹ לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְרַבּוֹ שֶׁלִּמְּדוֹ חָכְמָה מְבִיאוֹ לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא... וְלֹא כָּל מִי שֶׁמֵּת רַבּוֹ מֻתָּר לוֹ לֵישֵׁב וּלְהוֹרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה. אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה תַּלְמִיד שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְהוֹרָאָה:
(ד) וְכָל תַּלְמִיד שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ לְהוֹרָאָה וּמוֹרֶה הֲרֵי זֶה רָשָׁע שׁוֹטֶה וְגַס הָרוּחַ. וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר (משלי ז-כו) "כִּי רַבִּים חֲלָלִים הִפִּילָה" וְגוֹ'. וְכֵן חָכָם שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְהוֹרָאָה וְאֵינוֹ מוֹרֶה הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹנֵעַ תּוֹרָה וְנוֹתֵן מִכְשׁוֹלוֹת לִפְנֵי הָעִוְּרִים וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר (משלי ז-כו) "וַעֲצֻמִים כָּל הֲרֻגֶיהָ". אֵלּוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים הַקְּטַנִּים שֶׁלֹּא הִרְבּוּ תּוֹרָה כָּרָאוּי וְהֵם מְבַקְּשִׁים לְהִתְגַּדֵּל בִּפְנֵי עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ וּבֵין אַנְשֵׁי עִירָם וְקוֹפְצִין וְיוֹשְׁבִין בָּרֹאשׁ לְדִין וּלְהוֹרוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם הַמַּרְבִּים הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת וְהֵם הַמַּחֲרִיבִים אֶת הָעוֹלָם וְהַמְכַבִּין נֵרָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וְהַמְחַבְּלִים כֶּרֶם ה' צְבָאוֹת. עֲלֵיהֶם אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ (שיר השירים ב-טו) "אֶחֱזוּ לָנוּ שׁוּעָלִים שׁוּעָלִים קְטַנִּים מְחַבְּלִים כְּרָמִים":
(1) As a person is commanded to honor his father and fear him, so is he obligated to honor his teacher and fear him. More than his father, for his father gave him life in this world, but a teacher who teaches him wisdom gives him life in the world to come...
And not anyone whose teacher has died may adjudicate matters of Torah; he must be a student who has reached the level required to instruct.
(4) And every student who has not reached the level required to instruct [on matters of Halakha] and instructs; is wicked, insane, and of foul spirit. And it is said about him (Proverbs 7, 26): "For she hath cast down many wounded". And so too a learned man who has reached the level required to instruct [on matters of Halakha] and does not instruct, he prevents Torah, and places obstacles before the blind, and it is said about him (Ibid): "Yea, a mighty host are all her slain." These are the young students who have not accumulated Torah appropriately. These young students that did not appropriately accumulate knowledge of Torah, and they seek aggrandizement before the common folk and the people of their city, and they pounce upon great positions to judge and teach in Israel, they exarcerbate disputes, and they are the destroyers of the world, and the extinguishers of the candle of Torah, and the vandals of the vineyard of Hashem the Lord of Hosts. And Solomon said about them in his wisdom (Song of Songs 2, 15) "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards".
(ז) הַגַּס לִבּוֹ בְּהוֹרָאָה וְקוֹפֵץ וְחוֹתֵךְ אֶת הַדִּין קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּחְקְרֵהוּ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא לוֹ בָּרוּר כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ הֲרֵי זֶה שׁוֹטֶה רָשָׁע וְגַס רוּחַ. כָּךְ צִוּוּ חֲכָמִים (גמרא סנהדרין ז-ב) "הֱווּ מְתוּנִין בַּדִּין". וְכֵן אִיּוֹב הוּא אוֹמֵר (איוב כט-טז) "וְרִב לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶחְקְרֵהוּ":
(ח) כָּל דַּיָּן שֶׁבָּא לְפָנָיו דִּין וְהִתְחִיל לְדַמּוֹתוֹ בְּדִין פָּסוּק שֶׁכְּבָר יָדַע אוֹתוֹ וְיֵשׁ בַּמְּדִינָה גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בְּחָכְמָה וְאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ וְנִמְלָךְ בּוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה בִּכְלַל הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁלִּבָּם גַּס בְּהוֹרָאָה. וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים רָעָה עַל רָעָה תָּבוֹא לוֹ שֶׁכָּל הַדְּבָרִים וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן מִגַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ הֵן הַמְּבִיאוֹת לִידֵי עִוּוּת הַדִּין. (משלי ז-כו) "כִּי רַבִּים חֲלָלִים הִפִּילָה" זֶה תַּלְמִיד שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ לְהוֹרָאָה וּמוֹרֶה. (משלי ז-כו) "וַעֲצֻמִים כָּל הֲרֻגֶיהָ" זֶה שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְהוֹרָאָה וְאֵינוֹ מוֹרֶה. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַדּוֹר צָרִיךְ לוֹ. אֲבָל אִם יָדַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְשָׁם רָאוּי לְהוֹרָאָה וּמָנַע עַצְמוֹ מִן הַהוֹרָאָה הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח. וְכָל הַמּוֹנֵעַ עַצְמוֹ מִן הַדִּין מוֹנֵעַ מִמֶּנּוּ אֵיבָה וְגֵזֶל וּשְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא וְהַגַּס לִבּוֹ בְּהוֹרָאָה שׁוֹטֶה רָשָׁע וְגַס רוּחַ:
(7) A person who is haughty when rendering judgment and hurries to deliver a judgment before he examines the matter in his own mind until it is as clear as the sun to him is considered a fool, wicked, and conceited. Our Sages commanded: "Be patient in judgment." And similarly it states, "When I did not understand a complaint, I would investigate."
(8) A judge who begins comparing a judgment that is brought before him to a judgment that was already rendered with which he was familiar is considered as wicked and haughty when rendering judgment if there is a scholar in his city who is wiser than him and he fails to consult him. Our Sages comment: "May evil upon evil befall him." For these and similar concepts stem from haughtiness which leads to the perversion of justice.
Proverbs 7:26: "She cast down many corpses" refers to a student who has not reached the level where he can deliver rulings, but does so. Awesome are all she has slain" Ibid. refers to a scholar who has reached the level where he can deliver rulings, but does not do so.
The latter denunciation applies provided his generation requires his services. If, however, he knows that there is another scholar capable of rendering decisions, and therefore he refrains from doing so, he is praiseworthy. Whenever a person refrains from becoming involved in a judgment, he removes the responsibility for antagonism, theft, and false oaths from himself. A person who is haughty in rendering judgment is foolish, wicked, and arrogant.