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What exactly is meant by Daas Torah
We were discussing over shabbos and the definition was not clear
1) Rav knows Calculus , even know he never took calculus because its in his Learning
2) Rav knows answers to non-torah questions because more than one person brought up similar topics (ie someone needs and apartment and a landlord came to the rav earlier as a communal leader saying he needed a tenent) so the rav used his knowledge of a communal leader to make the “shidduch” and answer a non-torah question
3) Rav knows things that would be impossible for anyone to know except via ruach hakodesh (Like tommorrows winning Power Ball Numbers-Not meant to mock but as an example of something impossible to know without help)
Daas Torah means that just like an economist will view the world through the prism of economy, supply, and demand, someone who learned a lot of Torah will understand the Torah’s view on things. The Torah is the blueprint and instruction manual for creation, so someone who studied it will have insights that a layman will not.
Actually, the term “Daas Torah” is primarily a Halachic perspective on situations that occur in everyday life. Or, a precedent in handling a certain situation from the vast collection of Aggadah in the Talmud and Midrash. Unfortunately, today the term has been devalued by running to the Gedolei Hador with every trivial matter or personal fantasy.
A flawed concept with no basis in classical Jewish thought.
If it promotes my agenda, it’s Daas Torah.
If it is against something I like, it’s a chumrah that I’m sure my rabbi argues on, I just don’t have time to ask him.
Good definition, Jothar.
What’s “classical Jewish thought”?
cantoresq
Since when do you follow “classical jewish thought”?
Daas Torah is something you’re not going to find over here. May I suggest you start your path to the truth, by learning some Torah.[available in most bookstores]
A flawed concept with no basis in classical Jewish thought.
It’s actually in this past week’s parsha – vatelech lidrosh es Hashem…
Daas Torah is what your Rav says about halacha. What any other Rav says is at best an interesting alternative opinion.
P.S. In all fairness, the diversity of opinions is greatly exaggerated. We look for differences that in many cases aren’t really all that significant. If you asked a secular (Reform) Jews, he’ll tell you that all Orthodox rabbis agree on almost everything – they have trouble telling the difference between a Hasid and a Misnagdid, a Hareidi and a Religious Zionist, or an Ashkenazi from a Taimani.
K’shmo ken hu, it means “knowing Torah.”
DaasYochid: You’re really going to compare the current incarnation of “Daas Torah” to asking a Navi?
Quoting from the YWN member Shlishi
Tiferes Shlomo (Beshalach):
DaasYochid: You’re really going to compare the current incarnation of “Daas Torah” to asking a Navi?
Yes.
Firstly, the neviim couldn’t do nevius on demand.
Secondly, who says shem and ever were neviim?
Popa –
Firstly, the neviim couldn’t do nevius on demand.
Whatever gave you that notion?
It certainly seems that they were able to in the story with Shaul going to Shmuel to ask where he could find his missing donkeys (I Shmuel 9).
I do think there is a big difference between the navi’s ability to know the truth about things and his ability to know the future. On the latter, I agree with you.
Secondly, who says shem and ever were neviim?
You think they would say ??? ????? ????? if they weren’t? Come on.
PBA: I think the Passuk does. Unless you really want to read “Vayomer Hashem Lah” as “Shem said to her based on his knowledge of Torah”.
“A flawed concept with no basis in classical Jewish thought.”
complete am haratzus; take a look at pasukim (no less) Devarim 17:9-13. Lo sasur min hadavar asher yagidu lecha.
mishna: aseh lecha Rav.
Sam2,
DaasYochid: You’re really going to compare the current incarnation of “Daas Torah” to asking a Navi?
I wasn’t making that comparison, I’ll let PBA argue that one. I was merely pointing out that the “concept” (cantoresq’s word) of asking a talmid chochom as means of hearing Hashem’s wisdom, even in matters not pertaining to halacha, is indeed “classical Jewish thought”.
Whether it is applied correctly today is a different matter.
FTR, I don’t think daas Torah, as applied today, means infallibility; I think asking someone who thinks in a Torah-trained manner (see Jothar’s excellent post) gives one the best chance of getting a proper answer, and all Hashem asks of us is that we do our best.
“Lo sasur min hadavar asher yagidu lecha.
mishna: aseh lecha Rav. “
Actually, these references strengthen the other point of view.
The pasuk refers only to bes din. The mishnah refers to an individual, and is widely open to interpretation.
The term Daas Torah as it is used today is quite amorphous and can have so many different meanings that it effectively means nothing at all.
Everyone, thanks for the compliments on my post. Much appreciated 🙂
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