You wrote:
“Given the context, I don’t think its so unbelievable either. What was the point the story was supposed to illustrate again?”
I forget. 🙂
Actually, my point was that, in my opinion, to be a “gadol” you have to resonate across Orthodox lines. So for example, the Debreciner Rov — when he writes in his Sheilot u Teshuvot that you cannot go to YU — in essence no is unable to speak to the YU students (or rabbis for that matter). (As an aside, i bought that set years ago at the YU Seforim sale, at the student clerk said, you can buy them but now you have to leave). I was saying that my friend (and me) would find harder to listen to a “Gadol” who does not seem to be speaking to us in any way.
To go back, one post, you wrote:
“For what I said about the MO, let me try to lay out an imaginary flow chart. First of all, there is a massive portion of the MO (I believe the majority, but you would know better) who simply never ask shailos ever.”
I dont think this is true at all. I think the Local MO Rabbis will tell you that they receive many many question, every day. You may think of “shaila” different than i do .. but I think that people ask. (I guess the Rabbis would know better than I).
You further wrote:
” Of those remaining, a significant portion may ask shailos to their local, MO shul rabbi and be content with his on-the-spot psak without any proofs from major poskim. This thread also doesn’t apply to that group. Finally, you are left with a tiny niche in the MO that actually asks shailos regularly, and expects the psak’s to be well-based in halachic reasoning, and escalated to more experienced poskim if need be.”
You believe that there is a necessity to go beyond the Shul Rabbi. Why? The Shul Rabbi may have a responsiblity to check with others — but even that is disputed among Rabbis. (I know the Rav Moshe story that he included his phone number along with klaf smicha).
I went to a non NY shul years ago where the Rov — who was a Yeshiva graduate not a YU guy — disputed that he was required to have the Eruv constructed by another Rov. He said basically that he was the halachic authority for that town. I have asked my Rabbi questions — and when i dont like the answer — i tell him i dont like the answer. This happened once — and he said to me — would you like me to ask Rav X. I said — i appreciate the offer — and with all respect — please do. He called me back an hour later — and he said “Rav X agrees with you. In fact, Rav X said more leniently than you and you should follow Rav X.:
Back to the Gadol issue. I think that, we in the MO community — do recognize “greatness” or “leading lights”. Years back, when Rav Asher Weiss spoke in the US — and I admittedly did not really know who he was — the MO shul was packed for him. I guess the difference is that the MO community does not feel bound by, certainly the non-halachic prouncements. (As to Halacha — the yeshiva world doesnt follow “the” gadol necessarily. — i dont think the Yeshiva world always followed Rav Moshe or Rav Shlomo Zalman. There is more autonomy than people think).