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Daas Torah


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#1 matan

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Posted 17 May 2012 - 05:51 PM

Dear Rabbi Shapiro,
I was wondering if you could address the topic of daas torah. What exactly does it mean. If i ask a Rav a question am i halachicly bound to follow his answer?. Is there any diference between dais torah in halachic or hashkafic questions?

#2 Rabbi Shapiro

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Posted 13 June 2012 - 09:45 AM

It means judgment, intuitive or analytical, that has been forged by years of intense absorption in and devotion to Toras Emes and conceived by a mind unclouded by biases and personal interests and a personality trained to resist falsehood and disdain sophistry, whose accuracy may be augmented by the Siyata D'Shmaya reserved for those whose judgment meets these criteria.

When used in its literal sense, it simply means the opinion of the Torah (see for example Mishna Brura, Biur Halachah 1, in the name of the Chinuch).

#3 matan

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Posted 13 June 2012 - 11:21 PM

thanks. could you answer the second part of the question(please don't take that in a commanding sense, i just couldn't phrase it better).

#4 Rabbi Shapiro

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Posted 14 June 2012 - 09:28 AM

There is no difference between Halachah and Hashkafa regarding Daas Torah. Daas Torah basically boils down to enhanced judgement, and therefore it applies to any area where judgement plays a role.

If you ask a Rav a question and he gives you an answer, you are not bound to it. You may ask another Rav, provided you inform the second Rav that you asked the first one and what he answered you.