noda beyehuda

Answer

Answered by Aaron Abadi

Oy Vey! OK I'll look it up. Here! It's in the Nodah BeYehudah Mahadura Kama in Yoreh Deah Siman #55. It is the second Paragraph. I'll try to clarify what it seems that he's saying. "And I am not accustomed to read thru the Responsa of current Rabbis and also not even from the previous 1 or 2 generations. And it is enough for us to thoroughly study the Talmud, the early Poskim (Rishonim), and those near to them. And then to reach the Shulchan Aruch who prepared for us a table full of blessings of God, meaning an organized completed project. And not besides this to look thru the later Responsa, because we should not rely on their determinations more than on our own determinations (referring, of course, only to those Rabbis that are Rauy LeHoraah, qualified to make Halachic decisions) And if so, why should use up our time reading lengthy Responsa that is clearly not necessary to us." That's it in a nut shell transalated loosely, so as not to lose the context of his point. All those who can understand his writings inside are encouraged to look it up. In the recent generations, Halachah has mostly been removed from our Yeshivot. Where it does exist, it is scarce and it is lacking in proper direction. Most people who will discuss a Halachah will begin quoting as many Responsa as they can, and the one with the most Responsa wins. There is a clear Derech HaPsak. There is a lot of learning required to understand it and to know the system. A qualified Moreh Horaah will make his own halachic determinations even when arguing on many Poskim. In his community and for those who follow him as their Rav, his opinion is the Halachah. Not adhering to his opinion is going against Halachah. Aaron Abadi