[Avodah] piskei RAL

[Eli Turkel via Avodah]

The most recent edition of the Zohar magazine has several articles
dedicated to RAL.
One article is by R Shmuel David (chief rabbi of Afula) containing oral
psakim to him by RAL
Below are several examples

He stresses that RAL did not consider himself a posek and in the yeshiva R
Amital was the posek. Though RAL was baki in Bacli, Yerushalmi and Rishonim
(including relatively less studied ones as Raaviyah etc)  he claimed that
he no mesorah from his rebbeim for psak even though he knew by heart every
Schach in YD and CM..

In general when talmidim came to him with questions he would present both
sides of the psak and say it was up to the talmid to study more and come to
his own conclusion.

Some samples

RAL wore tzizit out only partially - he said that neither of his rebbeim
wore tzizit out but today everyone does so that is his compromise.
He was convinced by the arguments for techelet but again his rebbeim
didnt use them and so he didn't either.
He was very insistent on dipping bread in salt
safek brachot le-hakel applies only if one is in doubt. However if one
studies the issue and comes to a conclusion it is not a safek.
If a (Jewish) driver asks directions on shabbat RYBS held one should answer
to limit the driver from extra driving. RAL preferred to avoid causing
explicit chilul shabbat

RAL (together with RYBS) was very insistent that one who shaves regularly
should shave during chol hamoed and the sfirah. He quoted RMF that allowed
it but said a "yereih shamayon" should not shave. RAL said he didn't
understand on the contrary a yirei shamayim should be careful of "zilzul"
of the chag. For the 3 weeks he originally held the same but later stopped
shaving even erev shabbat
On Chanukah the candles should last until the last passerbys have gone home
(what about times square?)
On Purim one can eat cake after the fast before the megillah if fasting
would cost loss of concentration.
A newborn with a heart condition but the doctor says that a brit milah
would be no danger. RAL paskened to nevertheless push off the milah until
after the operation.
He brought down that RYBS would use "kavod habriyot" as a reason for heter
but would always "wrap" it other reasons for heter.
Campaigns for bone marrow that would include giving to nonJews - RAL answer
was that Avraham avinu would do it so why not everyone
When driving he would pick up even if they were not Jewish. He was once
asked by several girls for a ride back home and he hesitated about one man
with many girls but it is on public roads. He decided that
gemilat chassadim overrode his doubts.
RAL said there was no problem with women wearing pants as long as they were
not tight
He allowed a young couple to use contraception for a short time while they
finish their studies. He said that was preferable to pushing off the
marriage.
Originally he thought one should not leave EY to visit Jewish communities
abroad,  He later saw that poskim allowed travel abroad for a livelihood
even when it was beyond bare necessities. So he decided that visiting
Jewish communities is as much of a reason as going for luxuries.

--------------------------------------
Another interesting article was on a shiur RAL gave numerous times in the
Gush on "Talmudic methodology" . The author noted that though RAL used and
extended Brisker methods when he did pasken it was not on that basis but on
previous psak including mishna berura


-- 
Eli Turkel
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