[Avodah] Power of shofet/reish gluta

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Dec 07, 2008 at 09:23:52AM -0500, Rich, Joel wrote:
: Rambam Sanhedrin 4:13 claims that "Roshei galuyot bbavel bmkom melech
: hein omdim." It's certainly a fascinating assertion - what does bmkom
: mean?

As I recently posted on the subject of "da'as Torah", R' Dovid Cohen
(haLevi, of Gevul Yaavetz in Flatbush) uses this as a maqor for an
obligation to listen to gedolei Torah in non-halachic matters. Not that
"da'as Torah" means they're always right, but that their quasi-melekh
status means that one is obligated to listen to them on communal matters.
Note that this formulation does not naturally include asking personal
advice (e.g. career issues that aren't directly about halakhah or one's
avodas Hashem). This is more a communal leadership concept.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             The trick is learning to be passionate in one's
micha at aishdas.org        ideals, but compassionate to one's peers.
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