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Why does local orthodox Rabbi mean anything in this day and age? There could be 50 local orthodox rabbis in one city alone. So what does the term even mean when in one block there are several different shules you go to with different Rabbis all saying different things. Why not ask a non-local orthodox Rabbi? And what defines local?
If it means a Rabbi who personally knows you, why assume that that Rabbi is local? And perhaps your local orthodox Rabbi does not know you at all. Perhaps you are able to explain yourself and situation over the phone or knew a non-local Rabbi before you moved.
Why not change the term to: “ask your trusted orthodox Rabbi” or go listen to a shiur about it here from this Rabbi who addresses your exact question etc.
Let me ask you… when someone on the news reports “The White House (or City Hall, or the Governor’s Mansion, etc.) today released a statement saying…” do you object on the grounds that a building is incapable of releasing a statement?
The Wolf
The key term in that advice is Your.
Every Jew needs a rabbi. He’s your final authority. Ask him your questions.
Cause no one wants to give you an answer to a halachos question that they are not 100percent sure is the right answer and be responsible for it in the Olam haemet
So its easier to just tell you speak to your LOR
Because many questions are best asked in person.
It’s an established phrase which pre-dates telecommunications. 😉
would you rather he ask YOUR LOR? 🙂
I think the key word in that sentence is ask. A lot of people try to consult their local orthodox rabbi, but are not successful because they forget to ask.
For example, suppose you want to know if it is muttar to use the internet. So you go to your local orthodox rabbi, and say, “the internet, azei.” And he has no idea what you want, so he just answers “the internet, azoi.” If you want to know, you have to ask.
“Every Jew needs a rabbi. He’s your final authority. Ask him your questions.”
Joseph and I agree on something.
Mashiach is coming.
The phrase probably dates back to a time where there were less rabbis and more emphasis on local minhag. Thus, in a given town, you would have one or two poskim recognized by all, who determined the practices of that town. nowadays, plenty of people have semicha and minhag hamakom doesn’t really exist in america (see rav moshe’s teshuvah abt tefillin on c”hm on this).
According to the Wikipedia article “Sholom Klass”, Q&A, the Jewish Press column, popularized the term.
But halacha does not change systematically in different geographic areas.
That’s true, but the chumros/kulos and different minhagim followed certainly vary to the point that what might be poretz geder in one place might not be in another.
The expression LOR was formed before there were 50 rabbis on every block. No one changed the expression since. If you want-go ahead and try to make a revolution. In any case, there are questions you could ask about a TOR. Is he trusted? How do you know?….and so on…
Ask your LOR
Today, there are few places which truly have minhag hamakom. Most people follow their father’s minhag. The reasons to prefer a rav who is local have been mentioned – some shailos should be asked in person, and if the rav knows you, he can better gauge where you’re holding in terms of chumros and kulos and to apply sha’as had’chak. True, it is possible to have a rav who is not local, but the term and expression are sensible.
“Why do so many people give the advise “ask your local orthodox rabbi”
In my opinion you are emphasizing the wrong word. The advise is not to ask the “local” Rabbi, rather “YOUR” local Rabbi. The Mishna in Avos exhorts us “Aseh LICHA Rav”.
“Every Jew needs a rabbi. He’s your final authority. Ask him your questions.”
Joseph and I agree on something.
Where you disagree is “Every rabbi needs a rabbi.”
Can you show the non local rabbi your lulav and esrog on Instagram?
There is no minhag hamakom.
In Yerushalayim I know of a few poskim who disagree with you. It might not be “minhag hamakom shel paam”, but the concept is certainly there. The tznius example actually falls right into the boat of what has been addressed.
No, you need to show it in person. No, there is no need to use the word local, but people will do it anyhow.
Of course it does. It is not okay to violate the tznius standards of a particular city or neighborhood.
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