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Judaism

Orthodox Judaism

Poskim play an integral role in Orthodox Judaism.

Generally, each community will regard one of its poskim as its Posek HaDor ("posek of the present generation").
Most rely on the rav in their community (in Hasidic communities, sometimes the rebbe) or the leading posek.

Poskim will generally not overrule a specific law unless based on an earlier authority: a posek will generally extend a law to new situations but will not change the Halakhah; see the article on Orthodox Judaism.

Conservative Judaism

Conservative Judaism approaches the idea of posek, and Halakha in general, somewhat differently: poskim here apply a relatively lower weighting to precedent, and will thus frequently re-interpret (or even change) a previous ruling through a formal argument; see Conservative Halakha. Although there are some "poskim" in the Conservative movement - e.g. Rabbis Louis Ginzberg, David Golinkin, Joel Roth, and Elliot Dorff - the rulings of any one individual rabbi are considered less authoritative than a consensus ruling. Thus, the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly maintains a Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, whose decisions are accepted as authoritative within the American Conservative movement. At the same time, every Conservative rabbi has the right as mara d'atra to interpret Jewish law for his own community, regardless of the responsa of the Law Committee.[1]

Progressive Judaism

Both Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism do not regard Halakha as binding.

Although Reform stresses the individual autonomy of its membership, it never completely abandoned the field of responsa literature, if only to counter its rivals' demands. Even Classical Reformers such as Rabbi David Einhorn composed some. Rabbi Solomon Freehof, and his successor Rabbi Walter Jacob, attempted to create a concept of "Progressive Halacha", authoring numerous responsa based on a methodology laying great emphasis on current sensibilities and ethical ideals. Full text collections of Reform responsa are available on the website of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

The Reconstructionist position is that if Jews had formed cohesive communities again, their rulings would be binding, but presently Judaism is in a "post-Halakhic state". Therefore, their basic policy is to allow tradition "a vote, not a veto" in communal and personal affairs.

List of poskim and major works

In chronological order, by the year of birth, and if needed, secondarily, by year of death and surname.

Poskim of past years

Toledot HaPoskim, History of the Jewish Codes, by Chaim Tchernowitz.

Pre-20th century

Yoel Sirkis (1561–1640), Bach
David HaLevi Segal (1586–1667), Turei Zahav
Sabbatai ha-Kohen (1621–1662), Shach
Avraham Gombiner (1633–1683), Magen Avraham
Yechezkel Landau (1713–1793), Noda Bihudah
Vilna Gaon (1720–1797), Gra
Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812), Shulchan Aruch HaRav
Avraham Danzig (1748–1820), Chayei Adam
Moses Sofer (1762–1839), Chasam Sofer
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (1789–1866), Tzemach Tzedek
Shlomo Ganzfried (1804–1886), Kitzur Shulchan Aruch
Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor (1817–1896)

Orthodox

Yechiel Michel Epstein (1829–1907), Aruch HaShulchan
Yoseph Chaim of Bagdad (1832–1909), Ben Ish Chai, Rav Pealim
Yisrael Meir Kagan (1838–1933), Mishnah Berurah, Chafetz Chaim
Moshe Greenwald (1853–1910), Arugath HaBosem
Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863–1940), Achiezer
Abraham Isaac Kook (1865–1935)
Eliezer David Greenwald (1867–1928), Keren L'Dovid
Yaakov Chaim Sofer (1870–1939), Kaf HaChaim
Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro (1870–1943)
Yonasan Steif, (1877–1958)
Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz (1878–1953), Chazon Ish
Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (1878–1966), Seridei Eish
Yosef Eliyahu Henkin (1881–1973)
Eliezer Silver (1882–1968)
Yehezkel Abramsky (1886–1976)
Yoel Teitelbaum (1887–1979), Vayoel Moshe, Divrei Yoel
Avraham Chaim Naeh (1890–1954) Ketzos HaShulchan, Shiurei Mikveh, Shiurei Torah
Zvi Yehuda Kook (1891–1982)
Yaakov Kamenetsky (1891–1986)
Aharon Kotler (1892–1962)
Moshe Feinstein (1895–1986), Igrot Moshe
Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss (1902–1989), Minchas Yitzchak
Yosef Greenwald (1903–1984), Vayaan Yosef
Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903–1993)
Yitzchok Hutner (1906–1980)
Chanoch Dov Padwa (1908–2000), Cheishev Ho'Ephod
Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (1910–1995), Minchat Shlomo
Yosef Shalom Eliashiv (1910–2012)
Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg (1910–2012)
Pinhas Hirschprung (1912–1998)
Shmuel Wosner (1913–2015), Shevet HaLevi
Aharon Leib Shteinman (1913–2017)
Ephraim Oshry (1914–2003)
Avraham Shapira (1914–2007)
Eliezer Waldenberg (1917–2006), Tzitz Eliezer
Shlomo Goren (1918–1994)
Chaim Kreiswirth (1918–2001)
Yaakov Yitzhak Neumann (1920–2007), Ogiro Be'Oholcho
Ovadia Yosef (1920–2013), Yabbia Omer
Baruch Ben Haim (1921–2005)
Fishel Hershkowitz (1922–2017), Klausenburger dayan in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York
Hayim David HaLevi (1924–1998), Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, author of the set of halakha Mekor Hayim
Menashe Klein (1924–2011), Ungvarer Rav; Mishneh Halachos
Gedalia Dov Schwartz(1925–2020), av beit din of Beth Din of America and the Chicago Rabbinical Council
Nissim Karelitz (1926–2019)
Nahum Rabinovitch, (1928–2020) rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Birkat Moshe
Chaim Kanievsky (1928–2022)
Mordechai Eliyahu (1929–2010)
Dovid Feinstein (1929–2020)
Ephraim Greenblatt (1932–2014), Rivivos Efraim
Zalman Nechemia Goldberg (1932–2020), av beit din, rosh yeshiva of Machon Lev, editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Talmudit
Aharon Lichtenstein (1933–2015), rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion
Meir Brandsdorfer (1934–2009), Kaneh Bosem
Yechezkel Roth (1936–2021) Karlsburger Rav, author of Emek HaTeshuvah
Shimon Eider (1938–2007)
Yisroel Belsky (1938–2016)
Yehuda Henkin (1945–2020)
Haim Drukman (1932–2022)

Conservative and Reform

Jacob Zallel Lauterbach (1873–1942)
Louis Ginzberg (1873–1953), The Responsa of Professor Louis Ginzberg
Solomon Freehof (1892–1990), Reform Jewish Practice and its Rabbinic Background
Isaac Klein (1905–1979), A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice
Jacob Agus (1911–1986), Dialogue and Tradition

Living poskim

Shmuel Kamenetsky (1924- ), rosh yeshiva, Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia
Yitzchak Abadi (1933- )
Dov Lior (1933- )
Avigdor Nebenzahl (1935- )
Yaakov Ariel (1937- )
Zephaniah Drori (1937- )
Zalman Baruch Melamed (1937- )
Yisrael Ariel (1939- )
Eliyahu Ben Haim (1940- )
Ephraim Padwa (1940-) rabbi of Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations
Hershel Schachter (1941- ), rosh yeshiva at RIETS
Shlomo Aviner (1943- )
Mordechai Willig (1947- ), rosh yeshiva at RIETS
Yitzhak Yosef (1952- ), Chief Sephardic Rabbi of the State of Israel, author of the set Yalkut Yosef
Yitzchak Berkovits (1953- ), rosh kollel The Jerusalem Kollel
Osher Weiss (1953- ), Minchas Osher
Eliezer Melamed (1961- )
Simcha Bunim Cohen (1957- ), prolific author and pulpit rabbi in Lakewood, New Jersey
Yisroel Dovid Harfenes author of Yisroel Vehazmanim, Mekadesh Yisroel and Nishmas Shabos
Pinchas Toledano, hakham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of the Netherlands
Gavriel Zinner author of the Nitei Gavriel series on halakha