Simcha613, One thing that always used to give me chizuk was to see the Steipler’s gematrios on Rashi in his sefer Birchas Peretz.
I believe that if you look at the introduction to sefer Maharsha HaAruch, it quotes a source that all chiburim up until the time of the Maharsha were written Bruach Hakodesh.
However, doesn’t it give a list of qualities of Tannaim at end of one masechta and say Mishemes one of the tannaim, batlah ruach hakodesh?
So while the klal over the generations has accepted and cherished the concept that gedolei Torah have Ruach Hakodesh, what upset me was that to start labeling people apikursim because of it, is going over the line, especially since there is no way to prove it and the concept is not even well-defined. Would we punish somebody for chillul shabbos if we had no way to prove it? The Rambam lists quite a few things that might make a person an apikorus, but saying that a sefer after the time of Tanach is not written bruach hakodesh is not in the list.
As far as definitions go, I just happened to see in a local publication that they will be enforcing an anti-drinking law on Simchas Torah that adults allowing the use of alcohol by minors on their premises will be subject to penalties. The law contains so many definitions as to exactly what circumstances constitute allowing the use of (aware of, or should be aware of, in addition to actually serving), and exactly what their premises are (house, yard). I do not remember the exact terminology or even the name of the law. But it is an example how any law must be crystal clear as to what is meant, and what exactly is a violation.